Deadwood, Season 3? Maybe not

...if Senator Ted Stevens gets his way.

The latest go-round comes courtesy of the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). At a meeting of state broadcasters gathered in Washington by the National Broadcasters Association on Tuesday, he dropped the bomb that he, along with several other senators, are looking into extending "to cable and satellite TV and satellite radio the same indecency regulations faced by broadcast radio and TV," according to Mediaweek.

If the bill were to pass it would mean that the FCC would have the power to censor programming that we pay for. As the CJR editorial continues, what's next? Magazines? Books?

It's amazing, really. For years we've heard conservatives criticize liburuls for trying to create a "nanny state" by legislating against unsafe products and polluters, and for trying to create a marketplace where caveat emptor is not the watchword.

But when it comes to intellectual content and artistic expression, conservatives' inner nanny and nose-wrinkled outrage emerge. Unfortunately, they now have the power to act on those urges. Nevertheless (though I don't find myself using the words "fortunately" and "corporate muscle" in the same sentence too often), fortunately, the corporate muscle of the cable channels will probably kill this legislation in utero.

Though it would be fun to watch Ted Stevens take on fans of "The Sopranos."