Ivory Tower

On behalf of reporters everywhere, we dedicate this song to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn: “You’re my best friend, by Queen.

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     John Cornyn first gained statewide notoriety as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, as he fought against efforts to release his phone records to the public. The state Supreme Court, he insisted, is exempt from laws that make other government officials’ phone records available to the public.

     Since then, however, Cornyn has been one of the best friends the media have. He’s been a strong and active advocate for the people’s right to know, first as Texas attorney general and now in the U.S. Senate.

     Most recently, Cornyn has cosponsored the Broadcasters Freedom Act, legislation that would block the reimposition of the ironically named Fairness Doctrine.

     The doctrine, repealed in the late 1980s, forced broadcasters to give equal time to opposing political viewpoints.

     “A basic principle of our democracy is a press that is free of government influence or control.,” Cornyn stated in announcing the bill last month. “It is shameful that some now believe the federal government should dictate to Texans what they can say and when on the airwaves.”

     Never mind the fact that anyone with an opposing view is welcome to find a friendly broadcaster and bleat to his heart’s content. There’s no need to force someone, who has made a huge investment of his own money, time and effort to build a station that draws public attention, to broadcast something, against his will, that he doesn’t agree with. That’s what the commies do.

     And then there are the constitutional issues. Obviously it violates the First Amendment — forcing someone to broadcast something he doesn’t want is just as bad as preventing him from saying what he does want to say. Imposing controls on broadcasters also butts up against the Fifth Amendment, since it deprives them of the free use of their valuable time and airspace without providing any compensation.

     In the old days the Fairness Doctrine probably didn’t promote a free exchange of ideas. While many of the major news outlets did offer opposing viewpoints, others simply chose to avoid the problem altogether by not having any political discussions. Thus, the public might have gotten less information about the issues of the day, rather than more.

     Cornyn also has led the charge to reform the entire process of providing governmnet information. He has offered bills that would streamline the information gathering process and set deadlines for delivering it to those who request it. An oversight committee would work to ensure that the guidelines were followed.

     “I believe that only a public that is truly informed can give their consent,” the senator said July 31 in asking his fellow senators to take up his proposed Freedom of Information Act reforms that have languished in the chamber for years. “It has to be informed consent, and that is, after all, the very fundamental basis of — for the legitimacy of all laws.”

     We can’t think of a better way to say it, or a better reason to keep fighting to keep government answerable to the people.

     Keep fighting the good fight, Senator.