When we look back to policies and concerns of liberals during the Bush years, we almost miss them.
Remember when young Democrats campaigned hard in favor of freedom of speech, the right to dissent, and against the surveillance state? It’s bitter-sweet, really, because the neo-conservatives who controlled the Republican Party at the time definitely deserved the criticism.
Unfortunately, the days of progressives charging into the fray to make government more accountable to the people are evidently long-gone.
In the meme to the left, posted by liberal Facebook page The Other 98%, the content creator suggests that freedom of speech is problematic — particularly in the news media.
The Fairness Doctrine, the meme maker claims, represents some sort of golden age of media accuracy, and that right-wing sycophants were allowed to infiltrate the Fourth Estate in droves after it was repealed by President Ronald Reagan.
The truth is that the Fairness Doctrine was about much more than establishing “balanced coverage” — it was about silencing dissent. And even in the wake of its repeal, conservative media still doesn’t enjoy a fraction of the wealth accumulated by openly biased outlets like CNN and MSNBC.
The meme also makes incorrect assumptions about Drudge Report, alleging the website spews right-wing propaganda. One quick visit reveals quite the opposite — the site is merely a link dump to pretty mainstream stories, often including sites liberals love to frequent.
~ Facts Not Memes
