There’s Nothing To Fear But Fair Itself…

Friday, February, 27, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

(Weekend Edition)

Opponents of the Fairness Doctrine shouldn’t be doing cartwheels yet over the Senate’s approval (87 to 11) of Senator Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) amendment banning reinstatement of the doctrine.  On the heels of that Senate approval another amendment was also approved that could possibly circumvent the DeMint amendment.  Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill) also won approval for an alternate amendment ordering the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to encourage radio ownership “diversity”.  That amendment passed by a vote of 57 to 41.  A DeMint aide said Durbin’s measure will “impose the Fairness Doctrine through the back door by trying to break up radio ownership” according to Fox News…

Republicans in the House have introduced similar language to prevent the FCC from implementing a new version of the Fairness Doctrine and both the DeMint and Durbin amendments will now go to the House for votes.  A Barack Obama spokesman recently said that the president opposes reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine but several congressional Democrats have expressed support for the measure, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)…

The battle over the Fairness Doctrine is not likely to end soon but then life is not fair, all is fair in love and war.  Both sides will get a fair shake without being fair-weathered friends and things might even work out fair and square or at least fair to middlin’ if they just play fair.  Fair enough???   

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1854] Having a grand old time: The Republican Party is organized in Ripon (WI) when fifty opponents of slavery start the new political party (2/28)…
2. 1932] Kidnapped: The 22-month old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh is kidnapped from the family house near Hopewell (NJ) (3/1). The baby’s lifeless body will be found in May…
3. 1949] L’chaim: Chaim Weizmann becomes the first Israeli President. Break out the Manischewitz and challah (2/27)…
4. 1949] Curtains: The legendary Joe Louis who held the heavyweight title longer than any fighter in history, retires with a record of 63-3 with 49 KOs and 25 successful title defenses (3/1)…1969] Mickey Mantle tells the Yankees: “I can’t hit anymore” and with that, retires (3/1). Number 7 will return in June for “Mickey Mantle Day” at Yankee Stadium. The Mick will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 with 88% of the votes…
5. 1953] What should we call it?: WJZ-AM becomes WABC in New York City (3/1)…1962] WMGM in New York changes calls to WHN (2/28)…
6. 1968] “Happy Trails“: Frankie Lymon, lead singer of the Teenagers overdoses on heroin at 25 (2/28).  In this clip, Frankie Laine introduces the Teenagers…1974] Bobby (”Montego Bay“) Bloom dies from a self-inflicted gun shot wound at 28 (2/28)…2008] Mike Smith, lead singer of the Dave Clark Five dies at 64 from pneumonia (2/28), a complication from an earlier fall…2008] “Voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers” Myron Cope passes away from respiratory failure at 79 (2/27)…2008] Conservative author and commentator William F. Buckley Jr. is found slumped at his desk. His death at 82 is attributed to the results of emphysema and diabetes (2/27)…
7. 1982] Guilty as charged: Wayne B. Williams is found guilty of murdering 2 of the 28 bodies found in the Atlanta area in a two-year period (2/27)…1990] The Exxon Corp. and Exxon Shipping are indicted on 5 criminal counts in reference to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (2/27)…
8. 1983] M*A*S*Hing the competition: The final episode of “M*A*S*H” draws a household rating of 60.2%. Seen in over 50 million homes it’s still the highest rated show of all-time (2/28). The series started in September, 1972…
9. 1992] Miniature golfer: 16-year old amateur golfer Tiger Woods becomes the youngest player to compete in a PGA Tour event (The Nissan L.A. Open) and posts a one-over-par 72, just barely missing the cut (2/27).  Here’s Tiger at 2…
10. 1993] Wacko in Waco: U.S. Federal agents raid the compound of the Branch Davidians, lead by David Koresh in Waco (TX). The fifty-one day standoff will result in the killing of 4 agents and 6 Davidians, including Koresh (2/28)…

Music Memories:

• 1956] Released on this date: “Slippin’ and Slidin’ - Little Richard (2/27)…1957] “School Days” - Chuck Berry (3/1)…
• 1967] Number One on this date: “Ruby Tuesday” - Rolling Stones (2/28). The “B” side was the controversial “Let’s Spend The Night Together“, banned by most stations except WRKO-FM in Boston. Our AM wouldn’t sign on until March 13th…1974] “Seasons In The Sun” - Terry Jacks (2/28)…1975] “Best Of My Love” - Eagles (3/1)…
• 1980] Grammy Gold: “What A Fool Believes” - Doobie Brothers (2/27)…1984] Michael Jackson wins a record 8 Grammy Awards for the LP “Thriller” (2/28)…2002] Alicia Keys win 5 Grammy Awards for her debut LP, “Songs In A Minor” (2/27)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

(2/27) Josh Groban (28), Chelsea Clinton (29), Howard Hesseman (69), Ralph (”I’m running”) Nader (75), Raymond Berry (76), Elizabeth Taylor (77) and Joanne Woodward (79)…(2/28) Ali Larter (33), Robert Sean Leonard (40), John Turturro (52), Gilbert Gottfried (54), Bernadette Peters (61), Joe South (69), Mario Andretti (69), Tommy Tune (70), Dean Smith (78), Gavin MacLeod (79) and Charles Durning (86)…(3/1) Javier Bardem (40), CSI’s George Eads (42), Tim Daly (53), Ron Howard (55), Alan Thicke (62), Roger Daltrey (65), Robert Conrad (74), Harry Belafonte (82) and Robert Clary (83)…

Timeline Countdown: 7 days until Daylight Savings Time, 19 days until the first day of spring and 35 days until opening day…

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