Jay Kersting's Blog

She admits it.  Nancy Pelosi admits it.

The Speaker of the House has admitted that she wants to help me lose my job.  She wants to put my family in jeopardy. 

At least she also wants to extend unemployment benefits.

OK, so here is the deal.  Nancy Pelosi was asked if she favored a restoration of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" to broadcasters.  She said "Yes" without hesitation.  This comes on the heels of a refusal to bring to the House floor for a vote on a bill proposed by Representative Mike Pence of Indiana called the "Broadcaster Freedom Act."

Now many are portraying this in a very myopic way.  And trying to spin it as a positive way for local guys like me.

This is complete crap.

First, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the "Fairness Doctrine" that was put on broadcasters from 1949 to 1987, here is what it did.  Anyone with a contrary opinion had the right to get "equal time" on their station to express their thoughts.  So, if I spent 5 and a half minutes talking about how horrible the concept of earmarks are, someone could request 5 and a half minutes to come on the radio and offer their opinion.

It is hard to program a talk station when you can't control the programming.  Hard to protect the broadcast license issued by the FCC when you have to allow non-staff members on the air.

The thing is that equal time and fairness exist.

Call in!!!!  573-632-1240!!!  866-632-1240!!!!  Every talk host worth his salt allows and encourages phone calls in to their shows.  Time constrains for news breaks and other show content sometimes restrict how long we can go, but the calls are allowed.

The focus of bringing the "Fairness Doctrine" back is simply to shut down the big national guys.  Proponants argue that it would open up opportunities for more local content.  Theoretically, that is true.  Realistically, this is NOT going to happen.

The fact is that the big national shows are less expensive to run than the payroll is to have a whole staff of local talk hosts.  And a lot of stations use those shows to draw advertising dollars to their other dayparts.  So without those shows, the stations are likely to face failure.

And rather than lose money, the stations, even AM stations, would flip to other formats.  Even music formats.

A lot of stations would look to Spanish language formats, others to niche music formats.

And I could be on the street OR transitioned to a position where I push buttons between music tracks on an 80's station, or classic rock, or country, or oldies, or God knows what.

So, yeah, I am offended that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want me to lose my job.  

They may convince me to become a Republican again.  (Left the party in 2002....though I was never a dues paying member, just aligned with them politically.)

Naaa....that AIN'T going to happen.  They haven't done me any favors.   Been a bunch of damned wimps.  See Bernie Goldberg's last book for details.

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Now I have explained this before, and cited my evidence to back it up repeatedly, but today the ruling from the Supreme Court is due on the lawsuit that could impact the Second Amendment.  The suit came forth due to a District of Columbia law that severely restricted gun ownership.

If there is any true non-partisan justice, this would be a NINE to ZERO ruling to strike down the DC law.  But, that will not happen.

For those who missed the evidence, look up the Militia Acts and you will understand my points.

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The Royals keep on winning.  They have swept the 2006 and 2007 National League Champions in the last two weeks!!  They have dug out of that deep basement and are NO longer in last place.  

A day off today, then they look to have their own "Blue Broom Day" on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.  OK, OK, OK, I am getting ahead of myself.

The Royals have clinched a winning month for the first time this year.  They can be no worse than 14-13 for June.  Three games with St. Louis and the first of a four game series in Baltimore on Monday remain this month.

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Have a great Thursday and add comments as you see fit.