The Conservative Media Is Actually Against Trump’s Anti-First Amendment Comments

This is interesting.  Remember when President Donald Trump tweeted this?

Network news has become so partisan, distorted and fake that licenses must be challenged and, if appropriate, revoked. Not fair to public!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

The mainstream media was quick to jump on this statement, lamenting that the conservative media was perfectly fine with the President trouncing all over the Constitution.  However, that’s not actually the case.  As Hot Air reported:

… There are also plenty of conservatives and libertarian who have criticized Trump for his attack on the MSM. APand Ed both wrote Trump was wrong in his challenge to the First Amendment. Katherine Timpf at National Review went even further, (correctly) using the “f-word,” as in fascism, in her condemnation.

Let me be clear: Calling for government control of the media is not a conservative view; it’s a fascist one. You’re fine to think that the government should control the media; you’re fine to espouse it — thanks, of course, to the First Amendment that you’re apparently totally fine with jeopardizing — but please understand that this idea is not compatible with conservative, or even traditionally American, values.

In fact, I condemned his statements as well.  “When he brings attention to the heinous bias and dishonesty of the press, it brings a smile to my face,” I wrote.  “The mainstream media basically operates as wing of the Democratic party and their unofficial public relations team.” However, that doesn’t mean I was happy with his statement:

In this, he says the Federal Communications Commission should re-examine its licensing procedures for news networks because he doesn’t like what they’re reporting. Later, he told the press  that “the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write” was “frankly disgusting.”  Disgusting?  Yes…their lack of honesty and balance is often disgusting.  But just because they are dishonest does not mean they should not have freedom of speech.  Implied licensing threats against a free press?  This should cause all Americans to be alarmed.  The government should not threaten to “revoke the licenses” of any media outlet because a particular President doesn’t like their contacts.  Attack them if you will, and point out their failings and bias.  But conservatives should not cheer threats against the free press, which are inherently threats against the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

If the media is unbalanced or inaccurate — which they undoubtedly are — the marketplace will sort that discrepancy out.  We don’t have to violate the constitution to get our conservative points across.

The next time you hear a member of the mainstream media complaining about how the conservative media marches in step with Trump, just consider it another source of fake news… and remember they are the problem.

Hat Tip: Hot Air