The courts have held that our democracy depend upon "an uninhibited marketplace of ideas in which truth will prevail" - a marketplace where there is a "wide diversity of viewpoints from a multiplicity of sources."

So, if we have a corporate oligarchy, the diversity of viewpoints necessarily needs to be curtailed. Take Aljazeera - banned from most U.S. cable systems. If people thought that Aljazeera was lying, they wouldn't watch them. But, if people can't see them to find out if they're lying, that leaves no alternative on the U.S. corporate media, although PBS fills part of the gap. The broad void somewhat filled by the Daily Show indicates a huge gap in coverage and shows that the fourth estate has been marginalized.

Then there is "net neutrality". We've see an end to regulated UNE, which recognized that the copper telephone wires entering most residences was built under monopoly conditions, and should be shared among a multitude of internet providers, and instead are the property of the consolidated telcos, who can resell these lines, but control the underlying costs. And cable, under most circumstances entered communities as an exclusive coax distributor. What we have is restraint of competiton, resulting in a duopoly between telco and cable.

So, there is the push to end "net neutrality", where the internet model changes to that of television, where providers of content, such as C&L would have to pay Comcast, AT&T and Verizon to connect their content to end users.

The end of net neutrality is the corporate oligarchy's best shot of curtailing the "diversity of opinion" created by the internet. Pretty much contained in the broadcast medium. But, with faster internet speeds, internet has become somewhat a broadcaster in its own right.

Why not?

That Georgie is a member of the gang that cannot be touched. Right up there with Obama's "looking forward" comments. The leadership of the world supported Bush in all he did. They won't punish him now. The only justice that will be done, is Bush will go down in history as the clown that began the final push to poverty of the United States of America. Unfortunately Obama's name will be linked in there too.

Maybe as a transplanted Brit I appreciate the "propaganda" of WWII and the idea of a stiff upper lip, but I went to Barter Books and bought the t-shirt.

Guess what song just came on the radio! :|