Trump FCC chair wants to revoke broadcast licenses—the 1st Amendment might stop him
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/12/trumps-fcc-chair-can-hassle-the-living-daylights-out-of-news-broadcasters/Open linkView original on reddthat.com327
Comments66
Says the people whose constitution didn't stop a traitor from becoming president
Turns out the constitution is just a piece of paper.
More of what you'll call guidelines, rather than rules
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.
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. Once revoked they can keep broadcasting. They get fined... they take that to court. If the court doesn't uphold the fine, they don't have to pay it.
Even when you're totally innocent it costs money to fight a claim or indictment. I have a strong suspicion there will be a record level of government spending on lawsuits in the next 4 years.
Sure.. but what else is a network without a license to broadcast going to do with all it's money. Though really, all they have to do is keep broadcasting. The feds will probably have to sue 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
The FCC doesn't matter if the document that founds its source of power and force doesn't matter.
If the lawsuit is shit you must aquit.
The world would be a much better place if that (and the inverse) was true..
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.
Bold of you to assume it'll only be 4 years.
It’s 4 years until the next scheduled bullshit, whether that’s a third term, eradicating the constitution, or bringing about the end of America / the west / humanity. We could all go up sooner, but I expect Bo Burnham’s “7 more to go,” to somehow be right (came out in 2021, so 2028 seems about right).
We lost freedoms during Bush, carried on by every president since. I guess we’ll see what happens to the machinations next…
Thanks for the updoots & the fish. Hope it was a good ride.
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.
Outlets…. As in ways to share info.
We already have. Those who get their news from mainstream tv networks and corporate owned newspapers are already consuming corporate propaganda. Social networks are also compromised by foreign entities, bots, and billionaires and have become echo chambers.
What else is left?
Those suicide booths look amazingly comfortable. I wonder if they have a color option that would go well with my couch.
Whoa there!
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.
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.
Pirate radio news here we fucking come.
YouTube?
Any oligarch owned media should be avoided.
So, everything.
And here we are on a decentralized sharing service.
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™*
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.
Now, now, you don't want to be uncivil to the feds who have their boot on your neck!
Totally the same as the Democrats...
Minus the horrific social policies setting the US back to the Middle Ages.
I had hoped that I didn't need the "/s" tag...
Don't worry, you don't.
It’s really difficult to tell these days.
Is it really, though?
If English isn't your first language I can understand. I doubt that's the issue though.
Yes
Yes what? English is your second language?
No
Tired of casting votes.
Cast a brick.
Alt: 'you don't need to be a wizard to cast fireball' text with a Moltov cocktail picture
Making me remember the "throw a brick" lyric from Every Time I Die's last album
This is an extremely specific reference, but Lemmy is an extremely specific place, so who knows.
Coming live from Planet Shit!
Ayyyyy!
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.
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
presidentprecedent 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…