OK, I'm as close to First Amendment absolutist as anyone I know. I don't believe in libel or slander laws. I don't believe in Intellectual Property. Or speech codes. I'll admit it, I'm pretty extreme on free speech.
BUT....as our system is set up, radio stations are in fact given MONOPOLIES over specified radio frequencies in specified geographic areas. If you want to operate a radio station on 720 kiloherz in Chicago...TOUGH. YOU CAN'T DO IT!
So given that, while I think stations should certainly be allowed to present whatever information and opinions they wish, they should NOT be allowed to use that government-provided monopoly to not only campaign, but actively electioneer for candidates. If you aren't aware this is EXACTLY what Mark Levin is doing.
Yes, we all know he hates Obama. Well he hates all democrats. I couldn't care less about that. But he's going beyond that. For weeks on end he has been actively instructing listeners and callers on how to impact elections. He's acting as a national GOP precinct captain: "Call this number. Get in touch with the local campaign. If you aren't in a contested area, they'll put you in touch with phone banks where you can call and impact other races."
On and on. "Call your friends. If you have co-workers who hate Obama make sure they vote." It isn't occasional, he's turned his entire program into a GOTV effort for the GOP. Can this possibly lbe legal? Why can't the FCC stop it? Fear? Koch brothers intimidation?
Levin has millions of listeners. It's beyond intolerable that he should be allowed to electioneer unopposed 3 hours a day. He can't change minds, but he can get the uncritical like-minded to impact the race by making them activists. Some of this is one thing. Weeks of it on end just isn't right.