Neal Boortz
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002

One of the provisions being tossed about in this campaign finance reform bill is a requirement that television stations sell advertising minutes to political candidates for a small percentage of their market value. Right now the requirement exempts radio – but it would only take one simple amendment to change that in future years.

Government seizure of private property.

Broadcasting operations are not inexpensive. Operating a major-market television station costs tens of millions of dollars a year ... and that's after the initial capital investment.

How do television stations generate the income to cover their capital investment and operating costs … and even make a profit? One way. They sell time. Commercials.

Funny thing about time; there are only so many minutes in each broadcast hour and thus far no television executive has figured out a way to manufacture more time.

Now … here come our wonderful politicians with a plan to seize some of this valuable time. They want a law – that is, they want to use the police power of government to compel these television broadcast operations – to sell inventory to political candidates at a fraction of the price they could get from regular private commercial enterprises.

Essentially, the politicians want to force television stations to sell them advertising time at below cost.

Would you support a law whereby politicians could force printing companies to print campaign brochures at below cost? What about forcing billboard companies to sell billboard space at a 75 percent discount? If not printing and billboard companies – why television stations?

It's just another part of the government attack on and animosity toward capitalism and free enterprise. I guess it's that word "free" that bothers them.

American Flag Is Becoming Politically Incorrect

One of the things the left hates the most about Sept. 11, and the resulting War on Terrorism, is that so many Americans are now expressing pride in America. Some of these Americans are even displaying public expressions of patriotism! And (gasp!) some are actually wearing American flags on their clothing!

Leftists don't like expressions of patriotism because there is a danger there that people might actually go back to the days of our founders to discover just exactly what it was that made America great.

(Hint: America is not great because of its government, no matter how much the leftists would like for you to believe that this is so.)

Now we have some leftists and university professors (I know – redundant) who are complaining about those American flag lapel pins that are being worn by so many television news anchors.

One leftist complained that sooner or later these flags were going to go back to their original meaning ... that being "I'm a conservative Republican and I love America more than you do."

Actually, when I wear an American flag pin I'm not telling leftists that I love America more than they do. I'm telling them that I love the ideals upon which this country was founded more than they do.

Johnny Taliban – on His Way to Great Riches and Celebrity

Johnny Taliban is going to be arraigned in federal court in Virginia today. He'll plead not guilty. Meanwhile, his lawyers are busy with their public relations campaign in his behalf.

I just want to renew my application for a huge "I told you so" today. This kid is on his way to a quick plea bargain, a book, television appearances … and a lot of money. There's profit in hating America.

France and Russia Trade a Vote?

It seems pretty clear now that there was some sort of collusion between Russian and French figure skating judges at the pairs competition in Salt Lake City. The word is that the French judge made a deal with the Russian judge to trade a vote for a vote … all to guarantee that the French couple would make it to the finals?

French and Russians. Who's surprised?

Be a Smart-Ass With Airport Security, Spend the Night in Jail

It happened Monday at Hartsfield Airport. Some clown named Michael Rousseau from Columbus, Ohio, asked two National Guardsman what would happen if he stepped over a red line.

The red line and the words "Do Not Enter" are located at the top of those now-infamous escalators where passengers exit from the boarding areas. Yeah … the very same ones that Michael Shane Lasseter ran down, resulting in a financial disaster for passengers and airlines alike.

OK ... so Rousseau is told that if he steps over that red line he will be arrested. And what does he do? Like some macho idiot, he steps over the line. He's arrested. He spends the night in jail and is released. I wonder if he thinks it was worth it.

Georgia Shines

The State of Nevada said that Tyson was too sleazy to fight in Las Vegas. Now, that's some kind of sleazy – when you can't even get a license to box in Las Vegas.

The National Association of Boxing Commissions seems to think that Tyson is pretty sleazy, too. They have recommended against any state granting a license to this pig-animal.

Now Tom Mishou, the Georgia boxing administrator, has informed the entire world that we in Georgia will open our arms to welcome the garbage that the rest of the world doesn't want. He has issued Tyson a license to box here.

Thanks, Tom.

Ted Turner Quotes Bill Mahr

It's amazing that Ted Turner ever manages to say anything with his foot so firmly planted in his mouth. Monday night he was speaking at Brown University in Rhode Island (where he was expelled in 1960 after he was caught living with his girlfriend in his dorm ... not that there's anything wrong with that).

During a question-and-answer session afterward, he showed once again his knack for making PR people break out in hives.

• On the 9-11 hijackers: "I think they were brave at the very least,'' adding that they "might have been a little nuts.''

• On the 2000 election: "A few more votes in Florida, and we could have had the best environmental president we ever had. Now we've got an oil man. He [President Bush] is like another Julius Caesar. Just what we need.''

• "The reason that the World Trade Center got hit is because there are a lot of people living in abject poverty out there who don't have any hope for a better life.''

"Can I live in your home with you? We believe in private property in this country. You buy it and you can share it,'' he said.

Tomorrow Is V-Day ... Vagina, Violence and Victory Day

That is the desire of PC feminists across the country. When they say "violence," they mean "by men against women." They also plan to celebrate V-Day with the performance of "The Vagina Monologues" on many college campuses across the country.

But not the original play. That included a scene in which a 24 year-old lesbian got a 13-year-old girl drunk and raped her. The "new" version omits that portion.

Now that word of that hypocritical celebration of female-female rape has gotten out, the feminists are trying to tone it down.

"You must use the version ... that is included in the Performance Kit that you will receive. No other version of the play is acceptable for your production. Do not use the book of the play or versions of the script from previous College Initiatives."

Neal Boortz is the hugely popular nationally syndicated radio host.