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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?
Dare to Hope; Prepare to be Disappointed.
If you like your cable plan, you can keep your cable plan.
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?
You know a government is corrupt when they don't even bother to hide it anymore.
At least we won't have to worry about any more lobbyists in Washington under this administration.
Strange, I just got a letter from my provider saying my current plan doesn't meet Federal minimum requirements and they can't legally offer it anymore...
Understanding the scope of the problem is the first step on the path to true panic.
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.
I just got a letter saying that I have to pay a fee for not subscribing to a cable television plan...
"His name was James Damore."
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.
First I laughed. Then I cried when I realized this wasn't a joke but reality.
Every time you say you don't believe the fine is really a tax, a fairy dies.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
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. . .
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.
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.
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. . . .
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.
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.
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