1 Simon Rosenberg-- the head of New Democrat Network, one of many so-called "527" organizations operating under the latest tax code--- appeared recently on C-span. Near the end of his interview he sorta inadvertantly revealed the thinking of the Democratic Party in exploiting the 527 loophole when he bemoaned the sorry state of the Party's finances and ascribed that to (you're going to LOVE this...) the strength of FOX NEWS and Rush LIMBAUGH!!!!!!! Okay, I get it. ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and the largely tax-payer-funded Public Broadcasting System are unable to counter the schemes of the Vast RightWing Conspiracy. The evil Republicans have managed to compel twenty million unsuspecting citizens to chain themselves to their radios to listen to Rush, and uncounted other millions to sit in thrall to the demented rantings of Fox News, long known to be the unofficial propaganda organ of the Bush juggernaut. Fox and Rush are therefor part of the official fund-raising apparatus of the Republican Party, so they should be subject to appropriate restrictions and penalties. Simply, the groundwork is being laid by the Democrats to compel funding for their own propaganda from the national cookie jar.

2 Of course, as you point out that's really already happening on PBS and public radio. (I happen to have a soft spot for public radio, but it is rather relentlessly lefty.)