FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators
by Capitol ConfidentialAs the Federal Communications Commission pushes forward in crafting its national broadband plan—anticipated to encompass controversial net neutrality provisions— the agency is attracting newfound criticism from key members of the U.S. Senate, reports Congress Daily (via nextgov).
Setting aside tersely-worded warnings from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John (Jay) Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) regarding the prospect of the FCC submitting a broadband plan that is “complicated, esoteric, filled with grandiose ideas and dependent on protracted rulemaking to implement,” the Committee as a whole is reportedly concerned about the overly highbrow nature of discussions regarding the plan:
“There’s growing concern within the Senate Commerce Committee that the process has become too academic. Dozens of workshops designed to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the plan and interact with the agency have featured Ph.D.-level policy discussions that even some telecom experts have difficultly understanding.”
The FCC contends that it has ordinary Americans, the vast majority of whom lack PhD.-level comprehension of broadband issues, firmly in mind. This is despite Blair Levin, an FCC official, admitting that complex dialogue unlikely to be easily understood by the average man on the street is being used in the course of said policy discussions.
Mr. Levin contends such complex language is necessary, in view of the technical subject matter involved. However, critics charge that the FCC’s evident inability, or unwillingness, to discuss broadband policy in terms that the majority of concerned citizens can understand may be aiding net neutrality advocates within the agency—including Chairman Julius Genachowski—in pushing the policy through with limited public scrutiny of what is being contemplated.
Net neutrality opponents say that the policy amounts to an effective government takeover of the internet that would stifle innovation, diminish the quality of broadband services provided to most customers, and impact the economy negatively. They charge that these implications of net neutrality will not, given the complex and technical nature of the ongoing discussions, be apparent to those who would be negatively impacted by a rollout of a broadband plan that includes it.
The FCC maintains that it is taking steps to make its process with regard to the broadband plan open and transparent. However, more may be required to satisfy Senators concerned about obscure and technical language serving to complicate debate and make it incomprehensible to the average American—and observers say a shift in language could have a big impact on the ultimate formulation of the broadband plan.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
25 Comments
Of course they are going to muck it up with academic jibberdash. It's the leftist and Obama way. No such thing as "common understandable language" for Americans to relate to. The intent IS to complicate it (PelosiCare ?) so its interpretive result can onlu innure to the benefit of the Marxists. This is a war about free speech. Get ready to do battle !
OH ! And you Congresspeople….heh..heh.. We are watching you like hawks…over this issue. Please give us more reason to vote your sorry butts out in 2010. We ar looking over your shoulders…heh..heh..heh…
[...] Slate – A Guide to Shifting Health Care Factions Byron York – The Top Issue is Jobs National Review Online – The Road Ahead for Health Care Breitbart – FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Courtney Somers and Big Government, DNC Fail!. DNC Fail! said: #tcot #sgp #orca FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators http://url4.eu/j7UE [...]
Jay must go! He DOES NOT represent his constituency!
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by dncfail: #tcot #sgp #orca FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators http://url4.eu/j7UE...
These self-important blowhards make me sick. But this is exactly what we get when we elect a bunch of liberal elitists to offices of governance. They go in thinking they have a mandate regardless of how close a vote is & behave as if they have been all but begged by the unwashed masses to please take control of their lives. They are Marxists. I'm don't playing nice. They are not liberals to be agreed with or to compromise with. They are enemies to the Constitution who need to be defeated @ the ballot box.
Just another attemp at government controlling private business property and policy… i.e. an attempt to control a free market.
To FCC… STAY OUT! You're NOT wanted! You're NOT needed!
Blue doggie will realize that they are just useful idiots to Obama. Who cares if they never get reelected. The Marxists hardcore are willing to eat their own. Blue doggie got what they deserve. Now, the wrath of voters will be there to VOTE them OUT.
"…have featured Ph.D.-level policy discussions that even some telecom experts have difficultly understanding.”
Yeah right the Ph.D's are teaching the implementors something about build out etc, what a crock, I have hired and fired more Post Hole Diggers than the majority of politicians have ever met, many of them live in a theorehtical world that not only shoudn't be implemented but can't be implemented.
I doubt any of the telcom experts really thought that the Pd.D's were not understandalbe (unless we are talking about CEO's heh) the response was more likely "that will never work you bunch of dumb asses" Ph.D's certainly have their uses in cutting edge applied science, but policy, oh come one.
Furthermore I doubt the FCC has the best or the brightest on this since this is all just theatre with the intent to intimidate people out of participating, the Ph.D's are probably in womens studies, or Economic Justice or something else unrelated.
The implementors and engineers would be the one's the FCC had on the panel if they were attempting anything other than intellectual intimidation.
These things are truly wonders to behold, they have made up languages, concepts etc. and they can drone on for ages about nothing and put grand standing politicians to shame.
Eh, it's all a crock
Blue Dogs should switch to the Republican Party. That'll stop this runaway train before it's too late.
The government is doing nothing more than ensuring the Internet doesn't turn into the NY Times and CNN.
This whole "government taking over the Internet" is fear-mongering.
Any thinking person who is a Conservative should support net neutrality.
Is anyone the least bit surprised an elitist Rockefeller is astro-turfing the FCC's plans, which all sane Conservatives should support.
It's bullcrap. They are trying to hide things in techno-speak. If Stephen Hawking can explain unification theory into language I can understand, these bozos can too.
"The government is doing nothing more than ensuring the Internet doesn't turn into the NY Times and CNN"
Why would it except for government interference and censorship. Not everyone has to use a Google Search. I don't want government regulation here.
[...] The ACLU: Obama Advisor Linked To Boycott Of Glenn Beck Show Capitol Confidential, Big Government: FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators James Hudnall, Big Hollywood: Beck Derangement Syndrome The Foundry: Video: Chief Diversity Officer [...]
[...] Big Hollywood: Incoming FCC Chairman: No Censorship. Capitol Confidential, Big Government: FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators Mediaite: Blogger Yoani Sánchez Says She Was Beaten by Cuban Authorities John Nolte, Big [...]
[...] reading: Capitol Confidential, Big Government: FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators From the Pen: The Fairness Doctrine: Welfare for Sub-Prime Liberal Broadcasters Brian Jennings: [...]
Net Neutrality is not controversial. If there is not NN your service provider can legally block you from this site. This the Telecom's cause Americans doubt they really want to be able to access the full internet or just the internet that your ISP thanks you should have access to.
[...] so frightening, in fact, that Senate Democrats think the FCC needs to be more plain spoken about their plans, currently being hidden in overly-fancy language. It’s not impossible to speak about Internet [...]
Oh, Oh, I know, I know….A few high level public workers got together and voted to create new “rules” and that’s why elected officials get upset. Laws, which are more powerful than rules, are normally written by lawmakers whom are elected by the people to represent them (the people). This would kind of be like the Post Office changing which side of the vehicle the driver sits on – you’d have to move your mail box and so would your elected representative.
But NN is so much common sense, you say, why would anyone object?
Well, besides the “codify”, “discrimination” and “disclosure” things, try to remember it is the FCC who fines people for say; flashing a boob on TV, saying poop in an impolite manner on the radio (radio-telephone), or even being on the telephone (party-line) too long. If you don’t like your evil (in it for profit) ISP, you can file a complaint with the FCC, but if you have a complaint about the FCC who are you going to call?
"if you have a complaint about the FCC who are you going to call? "
Your congressman. Your senator. The White House. Your local government. Your representatives. THE BALLOT BOX.
THE GOVERNMENT IS E-LEC-TA-BLE
Dumbass.
[...] so frightening, in fact, that Senate Democrats think the FCC needs to be more plain spoken about their plans, currently being hidden in overly-fancy language. It’s not impossible to speak about Internet [...]
[...] so frightening, in fact, that Senate Democrats think the FCC needs to be more plain spoken about their plans, currently being hidden in overly-fancy language. It’s not impossible to speak about Internet [...]
I believe FCC do only their job, they have the right to speak in-behalf of what the constitution bested to them,
Ca Homes For Sale
Ca Foreclosures
SENATOR POTTY MOUTH "LEVIN" IS A SH*&$Y SENATOR TOO. MICHIGAN, YOU CAN DO BETTER. SO CAN ANY STATE WHO HAD A SENATOR PERFORMING FOR THE CAMERAS, YESTERDAY. THEY THINK WE ARE IDIOTS.
You must be logged in to post a comment.