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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.'"

10 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. thank you sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    may i have another?

  2. Dare to Hope by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Dare to Hope; Prepare to be Disappointed.

    1. Re:Dare to Hope by ApplePy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Hey now... we were promised transparency by the Precedent, and we got it! All the corruption is completely out in the open now!

      --
      That I'm right, and you don't like it, doesn't mean I'm a troll.
  3. Re:Regulatory capture by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is why a lot of people say it's better to do government operations as close to the people as possible. That is, if it can be done at a city level, do it at a city level. If it can be done at a state level, do it at a state level. Only a few things should be done at the national level.

    The farther things get from the people, the easier it is for them to be corrupted (or rather, if some town gets corrupted, it doesn't affect people outside that town).

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  4. Like Wile E Coyote named head of Roadrunner rescue by JoeyRox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You know a government is corrupt when they don't even bother to hide it anymore.

  5. Re:Regulatory capture by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "Regulatory capture", what a nice sounding name for Graft: ", a form of political corruption, is the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain."

    I guess that is what you have to call corruption and graft now it is so common/the norm amongst our ruling elites. Brings new meaning to the phrase "politically correct"...

  6. Re:Regulatory capture by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Problem is, this central agency is already bought and paid for.

    At risk of pointing out the obvious, that's a good part of why you don't have a chance of doing it centrally.

    You think it sounds easier centrally, because you think, "If I were in charge, we could........." but you are not in charge, and good luck getting a non-corrupt person in charge and keeping him there. Do you REALLY think you have a chance of getting a less-corrupt president than Obama in the next election?

    However, if your goal is to get a less-corrupt mayor......that is a lot more achievable for someone like you.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  7. Re:from TFA by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm not a fan of Cruz, but he was the only one to show any concern that this appointee might use his power for political purposes. Considering the choice, its not a stretch, whether you agree with his position or not. And to be fair, Neither Obama or any other senator, Democratic or Republican "had any problems with this cable industry lobbyist guy being appointed head of the FCC" either.

  8. A new clause needed for "public service" by oDDmON+oUT · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.
  9. Re:Thud! by sideslash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A lot of people will be mad at me for saying this, but President Obama has gotten a free pass for lots of bad stuff because of his race. If a white Republican congressperson started a movement to impeach him for (just to pick an easy example) waging war in Libya without congressional authorization, they would be called racist faster than you can say the words "colorblind society".