Intent on reliving the Cold War, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ramping up military spending in response to an anti-missile defense system proposed by the United States for the Czech republic and Poland. A system that Putin chose to not be a part of. And now Putin has kicked out the BBC from Russian FM radio. The pattern here is that to Putin, the concept of freedom is evil and dangerous. Something to be squelched at all cost.

Earlier this summer Mr Putin upped the ante by threatening to target US strategic nuclear sites in Europe. Tensions with Britain over the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have prompted tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, while on Friday the BBC’s World Service was thrown off Russian FM radio.

As far as freedom of speech goes, Vladimir Putin (Russia) and Hugo Chavez (Venezuela / Citgo) are fully on board with the Fairness Doctrine and execute (no pun intended) it perfectly. And the domestic media doesn’t so much as shrug its shoulders over it. Doesn’t fit the template. The left wants the fairness doctrine as the tool that will effectively gag the right when it comes to radio. Secretly, they’re jealous at the way Putin can do it. They both have similar views on freedom of speech. Which is, if we agree with it then its OK. If we don’t then its hate speech, or in Putin’s case, treasonous speech. There is no debate, just shut them down. That’s the purpose of the so-called Fairness Doctrine.

In true liberal fashion, the Fairness Doctrine goes like this. Because we can’t beat them in the marketplace or the arena of ideas, we’ll get the government to take our side and force them to put us on their airtime. That’s not my idea of freedom of speech.