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July 18, 2006
Our President Might Have Lost a Year's Pay.
By:
The Dude on the Right
Much of my life is about dilemmas, or at least the dilemmas I personally create
in my life. My latest dilemma is coming up in trying to see four new
movies opening this weekend in a span of two days. If I accomplish this
feat I will have spent a lot of time sitting on my ass between seeing the
movies, driving to the theater, and writing my reviews. Man, my dilemma's
are tough. But what kind of dilemma would the FCC have found themselves in
if our Congress had passed the original version of the "Broadcast Decency
Enforcement Act," President Bush had signed it, and our networks were covering
said President Bush's attendance at the G8 summit lunch, live, with his
discussion with British Prime Minister Tony Blair being aired with an open
microphone, and, well, President Bush saying the word "Shit."
The original version of the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act" looked for a two-fold fine - One against the company who aired it, and the other against the person who said it. Congress, later, removed the portion fining the individual (although some companies seem to be trying to make individuals sign agreements saying that if there is a fine levied, the individual will have to pay the company back, but that's another story for another time. I'm sorry, I digress), but Congress did raise the fine to something like $325,000 with some kind of cap. But if that original bill went through the process of "I'm just a bill, Yes, I'm only a bill, and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill," to "He signed you Bill! Now you're a law!", right now The President of the United States should be faced with a fine nearly wiping out one year of his salary.
For me, I don't know if that is irony, or a bummer. I seem to get those things confused ever since that Alanis Morrisette song, because I think all of her ironies are actually bummers, but in this case, would the FCC actually, under that original version, fine "The President of the United States?" The second question is this: Even if the Big Four Broadcasters, over the open airwaves, namely CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX, had been airing that luncheon, live, without delay, because, well, who would assume that the S-Bomb would be aired at this summit, and they let the "shit" word fly, would they all be subject to a fine, in all of their markets, if I set up a campaign of complaints via e-mail?
I've written a few blogs about my thoughts on the FCC and what their role in indecency should be, and my thought is that they should have no authority over indecency because the airwaves regulate themselves, via their ratings and their advertisers. But right now had Congress approved that first proposal, and President Bush signed it into law, our President might be out nearly a year's pay.
How fucked up is that? And do any of our lawmakers actually realize this?
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!
Posted by Rightdude at July 18, 2006 9:23 PM
