Dems threaten ABCs license?

Question

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid
Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator Byron Dorgan

All signed a letter threatening to pull ABCs broadcast license if they don't pull the show.
http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2006/09/07/enormous-miscalculation/

Do you think these people in congress are in direct violation of the first amendment?

There may be more fact that fiction in this program. Is that why the threat?
http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/nyt-attacks-accuracy-of-911-docu-drama

What did Berger know and when did he know it?
http://drsanity.blogspot.com/2005/08/motive-for-bergers-bizarre-behavior.html

Answer 1

The dems are always idiots when somebody critics them.... If it were Bush telling them to edit they would call him a Nazi power hungry dictator threatining free speech. That he's lying and hiding the truth.
Remember Clinton was convicted of lying under oath...
And the scene in question, Berger is a theif and was caught with classified papers stuffed down his pants... Who are you going to believe..
OH YEAH ITS BUSH THATS A LIAR RIGHT!!!!

Thanks for the 10 points...

Answer 2

ABC is a broadcasting network that provides content and it does NOT... and let me repeat this so everyone is clear... it does NOT require a license from the government to operate. As a network, ABC only owns around a dozen stations. Every other ABC station that you have seen in your local area is more than likely an affiliate that is independently owned.

Individual stations require licenses to broadcast. Networks do not.

I am not sure what is worse... the fact that some people here don't even know how our broadcasting system operates... or the fact that they believe anything and everything they read on the Internet.... and thus are hyperventilating over this "letter", which is most likely fake and obviously plays off the lack of knowledge that the general public has in how our broadcasting system works.

Seriously... don't believe everything you see on peoples blogs... for flucks sake.....

Answer 3

No they are not in direct violation of the first amendment. Libel, slander, fabrication and defamation are not protected speech. ABC/Disney have acknowledged this show is fiction and in direct contradiction of the 9/11 Commission Report and the facts. The fact that they and their supporters think so little of the innocent lives that were lost that day, the thousands more that have died in Afghanistan and Iraq in response to that attack, and the tens of thousands of family members, like myself, who's families were directly affected by those events, is absolutely reprehensible.

This was politically motivated and as with many of the decisions of the media and this administration, this one will probably not produce the results they were hoping for. The very fact that ABC/Disney refused to provide copies of this film to Former Pres. Clinton but did provide them to Rush Limbaugh (friend of the person who wrote this piece of work) and several right-wing blogs, further proves this is politically motivated and a fraud.

The very idea that you would think that Congress would be in violation of the first amendment and not those that wrote and will air this film is sad indeed.

Answer 4

As a Liberal Democrat, I think this constitutes an abuse of power, particularly in a free society. Censorships is censorship. Conservatives already believe all this hooey anyway, so let them have their Clinton bashing party. I know they miss the guy. This will let them relive the glory years of 1992-2000. I bet even Rush gets misty eyed thinking about Clinton sometimes.

I would agree with you that such behavior contravenes the First Amendment. ABC should ignore them and do what it wants.

Answer 5

Well ABC WOULD be using the PUBLIC airwaves, which comes with a responsibility of minimal accuracy and fairness, or at least that WAS true in the country I remember as the USA. NOBODY would be saying this if Miramax (ABC) produced this as a film to be shown in theaters. That is probably what ABC should do to "catapult the propagandy" for Dumbya, which seems to be its new corporate mission. Perhaps it should be shown with a disclaimer that anyone with a mental capacity at or below that of Dumbya would be at risk. :-) Down with Dictator Dumbya!!!

Answer 6

Let em ask you a couple of questions and then consider your answer:
Who is in power in both houses of Congress?
Do you think the Republicans would want this show televised?

If you can answer those two questions then you must realize that this is all bluster on the part of the Dems. On the FCC can pull there license and even that agency must have a reason to do so. The Dems absolutely don't want it shown that they were completely incompetent in the handling of terrorism.

Answer 7

Oh NOW the republicans are concerned about the first amendment. It didn't seem that way a couple of months ago when there was talk of governmental action against the New York Times.

Answer 8

Nowhere in this letter do they actually threaten to pull the license, but instead merely point out the purpose of public licensing.

You should try reading your own link.

Answer 9

Oh that is rich. Kind of give you an idea just how whacked we all have become in the US. I am sure we will see some changes in the FFC rules soon enough.

Answer 10

I did a search on this, and I'm wondering why this letter only appears on Conservative blogs? There's no trace of it elsewhere.

If any reputable site which has reported this, someone please point it out. SO far, I've traced it back to Hugh Hewitt, who isn't exactly 100% reliable:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Hewitt#.22New_Media.22