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Cable Lobbyist Tom Wheeler Confirmed As New FCC Chief
An anonymous reader writes "The U.S. Senate confirmed Tuesday the nomination of a new chairman to the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler is a former investor and head of telecommunications industry groups. President Barack Obama said, when announcing Wheeler as his choice in May, that 'for more than 30 years, Tom has been at the forefront of some of the very dramatic changes that we've seen in the way we communicate and how we live our lives.'"
may i have another?
The 'bundle' will be with us for a long, long time.
Dare to Hope; Prepare to be Disappointed.
Federal Cable Conflict of interest.
Sounds about right. Ugh, get ready for new price-gouging, option-limiting legislation.
Wikipedia:
Regulatory capture occurs when a regulatory agency, created to act in the public interest, instead advances the commercial or special concerns of interest groups that dominate the industry or sector it is charged with regulating. Regulatory capture is a form of government failure, as it can act as an encouragement for firms to produce negative externalities. The agencies are called "captured agencies".
Federal Communications Commission
Legal scholars have pointed to the possibility that federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had been captured by media conglomerates. Peter Schuck of Yale Law School has argued that the FCC is subject to capture by the media industries' leaders and therefore reinforce the operation of corporate cartels in a form of "corporate socialism" that serves to "regressively tax consumers, impoverish small firms, inhibit new entry, stifle innovation, and diminish consumer choice". The FCC selectively granted communications licenses to some radio and television stations in a process that excludes other citizens and little stations from having access to the public.
Michael K. Powell, who served on the FCC for eight years and was chairman for four, was appointed president and chief executive officer of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, a lobby group. As of April 25, 2011, he will be the chief lobbyist and the industry's liaison with Congress, the White House, the FCC and other federal agencies. Meredith Attwell Baker was one of the FCC commissioners who approved a controversial merger between NBC Universal and Comcast. Four months later, she announced her resignation from the FCC to join Comcast's Washington, D.C. lobbying office. Legally, she is prevented from lobbying anyone at the FCC for two years and an agreement made by Comcast with the FCC as a condition of approving the merger will ban her from lobbying any executive branch agency for life. Nonetheless, Craig Aaron, of Free Press, who opposed the merger, complained that "the complete capture of government by industry barely raises any eyebrows" and said public policy would continue to suffer from the "continuously revolving door at the FCC".
Help stamp out iliturcy.
Tom has been at the forefront of some of the very dramatic changes that we've seen in the way we communicate and how we live our lives
Changes? Like putting speed bumps on the highway?
Another crony appointee getting paid off for campaign contributions.
You know a government is corrupt when they don't even bother to hide it anymore.
How is this not a conflict on interest?? What a stupid thing to do.
At least we won't have to worry about any more lobbyists in Washington under this administration.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz earlier on Tuesday said he had removed a hold on Wheeler's nomination after the nominee reassured him during a meeting that regulation of campaign funding disclosures, without Congressional action, was "not a priority."
In other words, Cruz was concerned that this guy might increase regulations on politicians seeking re-election. Once he was assured that was not the case, Cruz had no problems with this cable industry lobbyist guy being appointed head of the FCC.
Thanks, Tea Party!
Of the industry for solving the lack of concurrency of internet service provides in US.
So Barry now has a minion running the FCC. That should go well.
Please accept this position for all past and all future help you will give my Campaign. Feel free to take the pen and whatever else you can find that isn't nailed down tightly. If you do find something nailed down you want, feel free to write some guidelines that will allow the removal of said fasteners. Feel free to use the FISA court to hide any transference of ownership, or anything else you'd like, for the sake of getting those Commie socialist terror subjects!!
'/sargasm'
My wireless carrier is Verizon Wireless, and my phone is on the 700 MHz LTE band. I wonder how long until Tommy decides to lift the open access / semi-net-neutrality clauses on the spectrum. Sure, that would be helping cellular carriers and not cable, but the whole industry is basically in collusion against consumers, in the interests of greater profit. The one extremely unusual exception to this is when the analog TV spectrum was sold for 4G wireless in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_2008_wireless_spectrum_auction#Google_involvement
I'm sure this guy would much sooner gain the approval, cooperation, and $$$ of cellular carriers by getting rid of this pro-consumer contract, than to actually stick up for something that benefits consumers. Then he can say that he's equally the friend of all large telecoms companies, not just cable.
Can't believe I voted for the guy who nominated Mr. Wheeler for his position.
Hope and Change.... woohoo!!!!!!!
Next up, we put bank robbers in charge of bank security, because who has more experience with bank security than bank robbers?
All these revelations and new about the fcc, nsa, tsa, etc etc all serve to hammer home the same point: rules are for suckers, rules are for idiots, rules are for everyone else.
As you as you reach a certain level of power, you ascend into a special clique where the only rules that matter are those that pertain to that clique. So break and bend the laws of the land, yes fine, but heaven help you if you transgress the pre-existing power matrix, that you commit some unforgivable faux pas at the dinner party, because then fuck you.
I know all this - I've known it for years: the world is a dirty place filled with filthy, corrupt, disgusting characters where morals and regulations and laws are put in place largely to maintain order, not justice. And yet stories like this still never fail to fill me with an indescribable loathing.
Obi-Wan: I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.
Well, the FCC is fucked in the near term. Not that it's been really great recently anyway. The FCC seems pretty impotent, and rubber stamp whatever the media industry wants. And yes, the media industry wants strange, inconsistent, byzantine rules regarding censorship. (Creates barriers to entry for small upstarts)
Are the republican raising hell about this appointment? No? Didn't think so.
Same as the old boss.
Really we should just move the capitol to someplace like Iowa and start fresh.
First I laughed. Then I cried when I realized this wasn't a joke but reality.
I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.
Ah, I must have misread the slogan. It was Hope for Change.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe this whatsoever. I distinctly remember our president campaigning on an end to the revolving door of industry lobbyists and executives to head political positions and vice versa.
A little googling later . . . : https://www.opensecrets.org/obama/rev.php
Oh. Well, then. . .
As being able to mod-up your own comments on Slashdot. I said almost
We appoint the fox to guard the hen-house.
Expect a wave of business-friendly rules coming out of the FCC as he writes in everything he's ever lobbied for.
Maybe Bernie Madoff could be considered to chair the SEC next?
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.... i love it, and this in now way shape or form conflict of interest, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
We the people hereby declare the FCC to be invalid.
Stay tuned for more on KCUF, the 100 Watt beacon of unlicensed truth in the Bay Area.
I really like the way you out that. It's not about "the rich" vs everyone else, because if you're not a part of a powerful clique, your wealth won't help you, and if you know the right people, went to the right schools, and can be useful, wealth will flow your way as a beneficiary of the corruption.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
I'll just leave this here... http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Guillotine
Obama said that he would not allow lobbyists to server in government posts, but he put in a waiver procedure that permits it. Did this person go through that waiver procedure?
FYI: Politifact information about the lobbyist promise. There haven't been any updates there regarding this position.
The sound of the Last Obama Fan On Slashdot's forehead hitting the desk.
Scruting the inscrutable for over 50 years.
Wow. If I fall off the wagon and break my promise, I'm like any other human. But when I do it over and over again with no sign of regret or shame, that's different. That's a matter of character, and you would be right to be slow to trust me in other areas.
Obama promised "change" but didn;t specify that we woudl like it.
Institute something modeled after the standard non-compete clause used by industry; except it would prevent any individual from holding a government position which directly regulates, affects or promotes the same sector or type of business they left the private sector for, to become a public servant.
Conversely, once leaving public service, the individual would be enjoined from contacting officials on behalf of, promoting, lobbying or attempting to influence legislation for any business or industry, for a period of three years.
A perfect clause would prevent someone from taking a job in any industry, after lobbying on its behalf, for a period of five years.
Which would stop crap like this.
Some days it's just not worth
chewing through my restraints.
This is not quite as bad as when Obama appointment the VP of Monsanto as a food safety Czar. Seems perfectly legit to me. http://investmentwatchblog.com/obama-appoints-monsanto-vp-to-food-safety-czar/
Tom has been at the forefront of some of the very dramatic changes that we've seen in the way we communicate and how we live our lives.
Taking inspiration from Jon Stewart's commentary last night about the recent trend in cable news (namely CNN) anchor questions:
I'll ask, "Is this a good thing or bad thing?"
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
Cruz holds up FCC nominee. Demands relaxed political ad donor to disclosure requirements
Is the way the article should read.
And Rand Paul is going to hold up Yellens nomination so we can recount all the Gold in Fort Knox.
You go GOP, That'll help the economy.
After bailing out car companies and banks, paying off Wall Street, and making sure that people have to pay vastly inflated prices to health insurers under ACA, and after shoving many billions in the hands of energy companies (green and otherwise), I guess Obama is now turning his laser sharp crony-capitalist intellect towards screwing over the American people with another all time favorite: telecommunications.
Is it too late to start a 'we the people' petition against this? At least to try to force some accountability in such a 'choice'.
Are you not glad that all of those crazy conspiracy theorists were just "crazy conspiracy theorists"? Sarcasm aside, while nothing is currently changing at least myself and others can say "Told ya so!" and watch more and more of the reality we were telling you about unfold.
For everyone now learning how bad reality really is, it may be worth making your own shiny new hat!
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
3, 2, 1.....
Faster than you could download "Gone in 60 seconds"!
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
He should have nominated FCC babe Jessica Rosenworcel.
Remember, the chairman-before-last was Michael Powell who hit the revolving door going the other direction, so Wheeler arriving through the same door shouldn't come as a shock. It should still piss you off to the point of beating your ploughshare into a sword and sharpening your pitchfork.
Could you possibly imagine the vitriol in a 1000+ post topic had this been a republican senate and/or president responsible for the nomination of this person? But it's a democrat president and senate, so while it's a bummer, life goes on.
It would seem that way to me...
Time to start working on the darknet in earnest.
Your fantasies contain the seeds of important concepts.
Regulatory capture is an old problem that continues to spread but has been around for decades - the direct proof of the corruption has been lacking due to the pathetic press which itself has been captured in a similar way so it can't serve it's regulatory role either.
THEY DO HIDE IT, the direct obvious unavoidable proof is not allowed out in the open and they will wage a political war against anybody who LEAKS such evidence (despite informed and reasonable people knowing all of it beforehand they didn't have the level of proof for the masses that leaks provide.)
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
Every time you say you don't believe the fine is really a tax, a fairy dies.
Maybe it's time to start splattering fairies with a big flyswatter.
what hypocrisy means? You DON'T choose a cable company lobbyist to chair the FCC. This elevates the term "conflict of interest" to a whole new level
They don't have to hide anything. The voters are just as corrupt.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Why don't we just make Satan leader of the Ecumenical Council? Or Charles Manson the Surgeon General. Wow, just wow. How far the mighty have fallen, sigh.
I'm old, not dead. Well that's my 2 cents worth, your mileage may vary. I say what I think, not what you want to hear.
We got hosed, Tommy. We got hosed.
Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
In that case, does the existence of tax deductions and tax credits transform income tax into a fine for earning money without doing the things that qualify one for deductions and credits?
No, that's World War IV. World War III was the Cold War.
Distributed systems have a downside just as powerful that works against them: Divide and Conquer.
The real issue is separation of powerful influences. Too much narrow thinking prevents people from thinking outside government.
Private political power is the #1 problem today. The founders did nothing to separate private powers, except they didn't have corporations (in name only, they were nothing like they are today - and certainly corporations were NOT people.)
Your small components of government might be more tangible and more connected to citizens; but they are much much weaker! My city got Walmart unwillingly; almost nobody wants them here. How? They spent 10 years harassing and trying to buy influence, ultimately resulting in a lawsuit attack in which the city quickly retreated (terrorism by broken legal system - terrorism is not limited to physical violence.) They probably even stacked the judges in their favor over the last decade... since ours run for office and each time 1 would have way more advertizing than in the past (nobody knew anything about the judges before, now you know 1 person's name for sure.) Local newspaper? Almost non-existent and done by part timers, rarely controversial or deep - and if it were... somehow... they'd be as toothless as our city is when going up against powerful national forces. Even wealthy locals push them around.
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
Since he's so close to the cable industry, I'm sure he'll be able to work with Comcast to fix my Netflix streaming issues. Funny how I can't even stream a standard definition show without regular buffering and poor image quality regardless of the device I use or time of day but I can (for now) stream "HD" content from Amazon (and many other content providers) without issue. Netflix streaming quality continues to drop while I get more and more offers from Comcast to buy their cable TV products. Kinda hard not to put on the foil hat.
Well, at least we know the rules haven't changed any, nor the outcome.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Could someone explain what this means for net neutrality? Lets assume he's opposed to it (evidently he's made some vague statements in favor of it in the past, but let's not be naive). As I understand it, there's a court case currently with Verizon trying to challenge the FCC's ability to regulate net neutrality period.
Can this lobbyist flat out give up on the court case? If the court case upholds the previous rules, can this guy immediately revoke the rules or are they staying?
Can Wheeler singlehandedly end net neutrality forevermore?
Isn't this a clear conflict of interest?
In the News today, Manson Family chanteuses Sandra Goode and Lynette Fromme start "Charlies Camp" , a daycare for toddlers 2-5.....
*Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
I would make a shiny new hat, but I'm afraid I'd get sued for infringing upon some patent or copyright.
"Cable Lobbyist Tom Wheeler Confirmed As New FCC Chief"
The nation is in the very best of hands.
You ninnyhammers that voted democrat, or didn't vote, better pull you collective heads out of your algore. The nation is going down the shitter faster than Monica can give head to a cigar.
mod parent further up...
Well can you say He was bought and paid for on a 30 year Mortgage by the same companies he is now appointed ( NOT Elected ) to oversee.And now that the Obamamafia have crippled the sunshine laws we will hear about the backroom dealing, "private" consultations from someone besides the FBI or others under the department of InJustice where there must be a full department protecting the interests, finances, and activities of all the "Friends" of Obama.