Trump FCC chair wants to revoke broadcast licenses—the 1st Amendment might stop him
Brendan Carr backs Trump’s war against media, but revoking licenses won’t be easy.
the constitution will save us
Says the people whose constitution didn't stop a traitor from becoming president
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_v._Frederick
It's amazing the latitude "the Constitution" will allow under a Strict Constructionist interpretation.
Straight out of the fascist playbook.
It's why all the big media billionaires are lubing their asses and bending over for Trump
A shame not one is choosing to use their powers for good.
I love the way people think the Constitution matters any more.
The constitution is a piece of paper. Laws set and rights granted by the Constitution require people to actually enforce and uphold them. If there is nobody willing or able to enforce and uphold them, then it carries about as much weight and gravity as a mattress tag.
If Trump says he wants to revoke your broadcast license, and the FCC says it's going to revoke your broadcast license, and the Trump-friendly Supreme Court says they can revoke your broadcast license, then you don't have a broadcast license. Full stop. Sure, you can say you have 1st amendment protections, but if the people tasked with upholding those protections are falling in line behind Trump (spoiler alert: They are), then you might as well be preaching about your 1st amendment protections to pigeons in the park for all the good that's going to do for you.
Going the next step, FCC licenses only have as their paper. If people want to broadcast, the only thing stopping them will be their own grit against whatever the gov't wants to throw at them, be it a few lawyers or SWAT teams.
Even if the court says they can't revoke, the court has no power to stop them.
Sure they do... The courts can take away their enforcement powers
Say the FCC revokes your license and the courts rule they couldn't. They can fine you all day, but if they don't have the right, you can ignore it or get it thrown out in a lower court. If they come in and break your equipment, you can sue them. We have a right to a redress of grievances
The problem is, the courts are in a bad state
If the lawsuit is shit you must aquit.
The world would be a much better place if that (and the inverse) was true..
The FCC doesn't matter if the document that founds its source of power and force doesn't matter.
Might
Yeah, I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but given all the knee bending, I don’t have much hope for the next 4 years and beyond when it comes to freedom. I don’t think most MAGA people have respect for the constitution or law & order. That respect seems to be eroded.
This is something I learned back in the early 70s, and which is even more true today. Americans don't want the soap on the rope. They are terrified at the prospect of even a little freedom, and will do anything to find someone to tell them what to think and do.
SCOTUS:
SCOTUS:
Won't
So fascism it is. The first step is always to control the media and propagandize the whole population and cement their control over the narrative.
Right. It’s harder now, because we see it coming and have other outlets… but will we just let it happen? I’m thinking probably.
because we see it coming and have other outlets…
Not for long we don't.
The "truth" is now whatever Trump says it is. He has already forced ABC into submission and has threatened investigations and criminal charges against others, which he absolutely has the power to follow through with. Emboldened by the ABC settlement, he has already filed lawsuits and threatened criminal investigations and charges against others. Do you honestly think that any other media outlet is going to report objective truth under those conditions, knowing the risks of angering Trump and knowing he has the ability to follow through on his threats?
Its so funny the way he accuses everyone of going after him personally with witch hunts and all and the way republicans talk about choosing winners and losers. Projection really defines this party.
Because it works.
Think of when you were a kid. When you and your siblings got into a fight and ran to mommy, who won? Whatever kid got to mommy first. Mommy really didn't care about the story itself. Whoever got there first won, and the rest were told "stop annoying your brother." And then when they do exactly what you just got in trouble for, mommy just said not to make up stories and accuse your brother of doing what you just got in trouble for. Any attempt at defending yourself was often met with "I said enough! Now go to your room before you get grounded."
Same thing applies here. Trump has mastered the political equivalent of running to mommy (the public) first. Trump has mastered the art of accusing everybody else of doing what he either is doing or intends to do, knowing full well that any attempts at holding him accountable will look like petty sour grapes. And the rest of the party have been taking notes.
When you and your siblings got into a fight and ran to mommy, who won?
I did. I had the longest memory and was the meanest son of a removed in the family.
Trump's a whiner and a liar. But he wouldn't stand a chance against an organized and committed mass opposition. And anyone who cares how that might look to the average Fox viewer isn't committed.
Yep. The minute the qons started up with the qanon narratives, I was pretty sure prominent members of the qons are trafficking kids. I'm also not entirely certain that they are not trying to utilize adrenochrome somehow....
He does it so he thinks everybody does.
As always it's projection. Trump is a witch hunter.
I thought these people were all "free speech absolutists"?
Or does that only apply when companies are trying to pump the brakes on spreading Kremlin agitprop to divide this country and hand it to the likes of Putin's puppet, donvict?
Donvict. I like that and am going to steal it.
Freedom™*
When first amendment rights fail, when a peaceful democratic system that is supposed to protect you, fails, theres only one solution to reverse this, that is to [Redacted By lemmy.world Admins]!
Simply consult an earlier document that speaks of governmental change and when it becomes necessary. The Declaration of Independence spoke about a different ruling body with different infractions upon the people, but the logic is the same.
...that is to rock back and forth in the fetal position in a dark corner, crying softly?
Now, now, you don't want to be uncivil to the feds who have their boot on your neck!
freedom of speech/press/religion was fun while it lasted
Tired of casting votes.
Cast a brick.
Bet, pirate meshed SDR broadcasts it is. Evil can be powerful, but never endures.
Lol Constitution.
What's next? Pravda TV brought to you by the MAGAts and Vlad.
Is the First Amendment going to grab Pig Boy by the lapel and punch him in hte face? Because last I checked, there are no self-enforcing laws made by humans. Laws of physics, yeah, but they're descriptive rather than prescriptive so aren't really the same thing.
Oh yeah? And which of those amendments put this traitor in prison? Oh wait, he won the election??? Fuck waiting for laws to control the rich and powerful.
It won't. He owns the SCOTUS. They will twist president precedent in knots to justify whatever they want.
Guessing you got “precedent” autocorrected.
Hahah yep. But it'd be a nice precedent to twist this upcoming president in knots.
Ummm, when they don’t play by the rules written already, and they are actively rewriting the rules to benefit themselves, what the hell is going to stop them?
Bet there was ketchup on the wall at that meeting…