According to Neal Boortz, the ratings for Air America, the liberal radio network, are horrible, near the bottom in almost every city they broadcast in. Neal's theory is that if Air America does not succeed, then the leftists in Washington will try to pass "Fairness Doctrine" type laws to defeat the right wing radio shows. In other words, if you can't beat them at their own game, then legislate around it. With 1st Amendment restricting laws like McCain-Feingold already on the books, it would not surprise me in the least if this happens. Both sides of the floor like to restrict criticism by using the law, though the left, championing such legislation as hate crime laws, seems to have the least respect for free speech. Heck, John Kerry said in an interview a few weeks ago that something should be done about bloggers because they talk about stuff that is unsubstantiated.... Unlike, say, Dan Rather with the "fake but accurate" memos? Most people, when they hear something they don't like, will at least think about a way to keep whomever it is from saying what they are saying anymore. It's human nature. The problem is when people are so full of righteousness that they go further than thinking about it, and actually find ways to stop the words they don't like from spreading. There are two groups that are obvious fits for the term "righteous." The religious right, which, for the most part, tries to restrict speech in terms of naughty words in music or on TV, and the protesting wing of the left, who are so sure they are right and violence is always bad and Bush is evil and all that jazz, that they are willing to compromise their freedom to stop what they don't like. It's ironic, many of the same people that bitch about the Patriot Act restricting civil liberties would like nothing better than if a law was passed requiring radio stations to present equal right and left views on issues.