A Liberal Opposed to a New Fairness Doctrine By Whatever Name

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:08:23 +0000 – By Lanny DavisAttorney/Former White House Special Counsel

I believe, as former New York Governor Mario Cuomo said may years ago, that the Fairness Doctrine is basically antithetical to First Amendment principles. Once government attempts to control content over the airwaves, today it may be my side (liberal) that is helped -- but tomorrow it may be the other side who complains about too many liberal talk show hosts. And then what is the position of those who want to restore the Fairness Doctrine? To rescind it all over again?

As much as the overwhelming dominance of conservative talk shows frustrates me (and the decision by all-too-many program managers' and owners' decisions to exclude or minimize talented liberal talk show hosts angers me), I still don't trust government to be involved in content decisions -- whether over the air, on cable, or the Internet.

I guess this makes me a First Amendment liberal conservative (!)

Lanny J. Davis, a Washington lawyer and former special counsel to President Clinton, served as a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board from 2006 to 2007. He is the author of "Scandal: How 'Gotcha' Politics Is Destroying America."