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THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE….Steve Benen passes along the news that a small gaggle of Republican congressmen are continuing to obsess over the possibility that the Fairness Doctrine might make a comeback. I assume Rush Limbaugh is bloviating daily about this too. I’m torn on what to do.

Option A: Let ’em rant. These guys need something to harangue their base about, and this is fairly harmless. It keeps them off the street and away from the matches.

Option B: Let ’em have their way. Stick in a Fairness Doctrine ban as an amendment to some random bill and pass it. I’m opposed to the Fairness Doctrine, so I wouldn’t mind, and nearly all Democrats are opposed to it too. It’s a freebie that will make David Broder happy, soothe the bipartisan waters, and shut up the conspiracy theorists.

I guess I Iean toward Option B. It was entertaining for a while, but I’m bored hearing about this nonsense. Go ahead and throw the whack jobs a bone.

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With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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