It is widely expected that the FCC will arrogate to itself a new power tomorrow: regulation of the Internet. It will be called "Net Neutrality."
(It's backed by the Communications Workers of America, by the way.)
Anyhow, there's a wider context here which AmSpec's Seton Motley essayed.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has in fact conducted the entire process leading up to this unelected bureaucrat Web power grab shrouded in shadow. One of the many authoritarian facets of this authoritarian procedure has been the lack of any public hearings on the new Internet order on which the FCC is about to vote.
And there's more, which appears to be unrelated. But maybe it's not.
Public hearings would instead be used to drag unfavorables like Rush Limbaugh before the Commission to "explain how they justify" their availing themselves of their First Amendment rights. And to threaten their stations' broadcast licenses should they fail the FCC's definition of "justification."
Al Sharpton (!!!) indicated that he'd visited with FCC Commissioners and, basically, demanded Limbaugh's head.
And Al was likely welcomed by a character named Mark Lloyd:
This particular portion of the FCC trend towards the totalitarian may be explained thusly -- they have in their employ as their inaugural Chief Diversity Officer Mark Lloyd.
Mr. Lloyd has scribbled a few essays and reports, synopses of which can be read at the link.
I noticed that this is in defiance of a court ruling. I wonder if the FCC will go rogue and ignore both Congress and the courts...
ReplyDeleteThe announcement will be tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteRyan's budget committee begins work 1/5/11
I look forward to Limbaugh telling them to go pound sand.
ReplyDeleteAnd the left wonders why they are likened to tyrants.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Republican appointees will undo anything the FCC does now.
ReplyDeleteMy political observations tell me that one political party grabs a new power and then the other one extends its reach. Been that way for decades now.
"...drag unfavorables like Rush Limbaugh..."
ReplyDeleteI'll believe it until I see it. Much ado about nothing.
The Pubbies are on probation, but have been given a very strong message.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey! Elections are only 2 years away.
Meantime, Paul Ryan will simply de-fund FCC's ops. We don't really need the FCC anymore, anyway.