Censorship and Bailouts for the Rich

George Will has an interesting column on how the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” that many liberal lawmakers want to reimpose in order to shut down Talk Radio squelched discussion of controversial issues in the past, and how it was used as a deliberate tool of censorship by past liberal administrations. (We discussed the Fairness Doctrine operates in practice a few weeks ago). Other liberal activists wish to undermine Talk Radio by imposing “localism” requirements that would eliminate opportunities for discussion of national political issues.

The auto bailout has been justified by some as somehow protecting middle-class jobs, even though a similar bailout utterly failed in the United Kingdom, and even though car production would continue even without an auto bailout. But the auto workers are rich compared to the ordinary American — they do, in fact, receive more than $70 an hour in compensation for their work, far more than most Americans (and I, a lawyer) receive. Poor and middle-class people should not have to bail out rich people. And bailouts in general are a bad idea, as are so-called stimulus plans.