Again we have a White House that is working to protect America from evil-doers:

Complaining that television and radio shows in recent years have “too often pushed the bounds of decency,” President Bush signed legislation yesterday to escalate dramatically the penalties against broadcasters who violate federal standards.

“The language is becoming coarser during the times when it’s more likely children will be watching television,” Bush said, citing a study of nighttime programming. “It’s a bad trend, a bad sign.” He noted that complaints to regulators have exploded since he took office. “People are saying, ‘We’re tired of it, and we expect the government to do something about it.’ “

Yes – television is what is causing our problems. Television is what caused the violent crime rate to soar last year to its highest level in more than 15 years. It wouldn’t have anything to do with Americans struggling harder, children being left alone at a younger age, or poverty rising.

So what happens to the companies that violate the decency standard now? Well here you go-

The decency act, coming two years after one of singer Janet Jackson’s breasts was exposed in a “wardrobe malfunction” during a Super Bowl halftime show, increases the maximum penalty for broadcasting indecent material on radio or television between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. from $32,500 to $325,000. The new law does not change the standards of indecency, which is defined as “patently offensive” sexual or excretory content.

That is a fine that could easily force some smaller stations to close their doors. What really strikes me here is that one of the hottest debates in the country is over illegal immigration. In order to fight it, the Senate has decided to raise the fines for businesses violating hiring laws from $10,000 to $20,000. They doubled that fine but this one is worth increasing ten-fold? This is the typical logic of the Republican leadership and the reason our country is so screwed right now.