Life Sentence for DWI- Fairness Doctrine Edition

A recent poll shows that 31% of Americans want the government to regulate blog content via the “Fairness Doctrine”. The FD would force blogs to provide equal time to opposing viewpoints. Let’s see how this would work in practice. Recently, a Wichita Falls man was sentenced to 99 years for DWI. I’ll provide equal time to different viewpoints on the issue.

First up is the DUIblog by Lawrenence Taylor.

So what do you do with someone who has the genetic disease of alcoholism – and continues to drink and drive? Get him treatment for his disease? Or maybe you throw him in prison for the rest of his life.

Wichita County Man Gets Life Sentence for 10th DWI
Wichita Falls, TX. Aug. 8 – A man with nine previous drunken driving convictions was sentenced to life in prison. Kenneth Chris Oneal, 58, received the maximum sentence Thursday after jurors convicted him of driving while intoxicated-repetition, his 10th drunken-driving related offense…

Well, you say, he may be an alcoholic, but he didnt have to choose to drive. But that’s a Catch-22, isn’t it? I mean, part of the legal definition of driving while intoxicated is impaired judgment – the inability to make rational and intelligent choices.

This sentence is far from an aberration. See, for example, Third DUI = Life in Prison and 99 Years for Drunk Driving.
A Texas man with nine previous drunken driving convictions was sentenced to life in prison.

For 15 years now, the DUI fatality rate has remained fairly stable (see MADDness and Latest Figures in MADD’s War on Drunk Driving). In view of the fact that most fatalities are caused by recidivists — usually alcoholics — isn’t it time to consider alternatives to MADD’s hysterical vengeance/prohibition approach? Read Time for a Change .

Now for the counter point, here is MADDs blog-

A Texas man with nine previous drunken driving convictions was sentenced to life in prison. Read the complete story from KTVT.

The goal of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving is to end drunk driving permanently through:
1) High-visibility law enforcement, including sobriety checkpoints
2) Ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers
3) Advanced vehicle technologies that will prevent drunk driving
4) Public support

Which blogger provides better content and a unique viewpoint? Which post is cut and paste blog drivel? The FD would force blogs like mine to provide equal time to hopelessly untalented bloggers.

The Fairness Doctrine may or may not come back. If it does I will become the Al Capone of blogging. I wouldn’t subject my viewers to crap police state bloggs like MADD or Pushingback. These tax payer funded blogs can’t earn an audience. We should not allow the government to mandate an audience for them.