Collarspace Discussion Forums


Home  Login  Search 

FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolving door is still spinning


View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
 
All Forums >> [Community Discussions] >> Dungeon of Political and Religious Discussion >> FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolving door is still spinning Page: [1]
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolving d... - 5/22/2011 8:23:49 PM   
Brain


Posts: 3792
Joined: 2/14/2007
Status: offline
They probably won't be able to prove anything wrong but I think she was involved with approving the merger when she also made commitments to accepting her new position. I must say I am surprised that Republicans are investigating the matter. For me to have complete confidence in the investigation it requires investigating by someone arms length or independent from the political process but this is better than nothing.


FCC commissioner's move to Comcast shows the revolving door is still spinning
Meredith Attwell Baker's new employer is the corporate entity whose merger with NBCUniversal was blessed by the FCC in January.

"You have to be a little surprised Comcast was still interested in me after I told them all the things I would be recused from," Baker told me. But that's disingenuous, and her job change is a scandal. The rules she complied with are designed to place a white dusting of powdered sugar over what is deep down a grimy Washington institution — the revolving door.

The restrictions she faces are hardly stringent, their effects easily circumvented. She's not prevented from lobbying Congress or from strategizing with her new colleagues about how they should present Comcast's case to regulators. Comcast will be able to make full use of all her experience as a regulatory veteran, thank you very much.

“The system is fundamentally flawed," says Andrew Schwartzman, policy director of the Washington-based Media Access Project. Thanks to the revolving door, "People attain expertise which is extremely valuable to the regulated companies and turn around and make that expertise available to them at the expense of the public."

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20110522,0,966734.column


Issa says it doesn't appear Baker's departure violated any rules, but he still wants information. | AP Photo





Attachment (1)
Profile   Post #: 1
RE: FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolvi... - 5/22/2011 8:33:11 PM   
tazzygirl


Posts: 37833
Joined: 10/12/2007
Status: offline
The man told me about this. I do think answers are in order.

_____________________________

Telling me to take Midol wont help your butthurt.
RIP, my demon-child 5-16-11
Duchess of Dissent 1
Dont judge me because I sin differently than you.
If you want it sugar coated, dont ask me what i think! It would violate TOS.

(in reply to Brain)
Profile   Post #: 2
RE: FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolvi... - 5/23/2011 2:29:36 AM   
Termyn8or


Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
Status: offline
Things like this have been going on for a long time. I remember when a single entity could only own the majority in one TV, FM and AM station in any given market. Two stations in the Cleveland market have merged their news departments, 35 years ago they wouldn't dare to even think of doing that. And now for the most part your favorite radio station probably doesn't pick the music. It's done by a programming company. Yeah, "programming", sounds about right.

Eventually all the gas stations will be company owned as well. That's the trend, to crush smaller businesses in any given endevor. In time it's going to be like that "Dinosaurs" TV show in which there is one company running everything - the "We Say So" corporation.

We know who "they" work for, and it ain't us.

They did at one time. When some of the larger railroads colluded and operated at a loss to put the smaller ones out of business the government hit them with the Sherman Antitrust act. We won't see any such actions these days. Of course the railroads were going to raise prices back up to profit making levels - and beyond. How Walmartesque, way beyond their time. These days they would probably get a tax abatement for doing that.

T^T

(in reply to tazzygirl)
Profile   Post #: 3
RE: FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolvi... - 5/23/2011 6:12:52 AM   
MrRodgers


Posts: 10542
Joined: 7/30/2005
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

Things like this have been going on for a long time. I remember when a single entity could only own the majority in one TV, FM and AM station in any given market. Two stations in the Cleveland market have merged their news departments, 35 years ago they wouldn't dare to even think of doing that. And now for the most part your favorite radio station probably doesn't pick the music. It's done by a programming company. Yeah, "programming", sounds about right.

Eventually all the gas stations will be company owned as well. That's the trend, to crush smaller businesses in any given endevor. In time it's going to be like that "Dinosaurs" TV show in which there is one company running everything - the "We Say So" corporation.

We know who "they" work for, and it ain't us.

They did at one time. When some of the larger railroads colluded and operated at a loss to put the smaller ones out of business the government hit them with the Sherman Antitrust act. We won't see any such actions these days. Of course the railroads were going to raise prices back up to profit making levels - and beyond. How Walmartesque, way beyond their time. These days they would probably get a tax abatement for doing that.

T^T

Oil and RR were the only two industries against which the Sherman anti-trust laws have been successfully used. However true blue rapacious capitalism survives in spades. The oil companies prior to the latest when there were 7, were each allowed to become bigger than all of standard oil was prior to but after the lawsuit and even those have been allowed to merge.

Then the typically risk averse, rent-seeking capitalist got the federal govt. to pick up the tab for all RR medical care and retirement. Don't you love the so-called free market ? [sic]

People, this IS capitalism. Govt. regulators are quick in selling out the country to do what...make some fucking money. That's America.

Govt. and society exist to serve the profiteers...not the other way around.

How many financial regulators have gone to work for Goldman, JP Morgan or BOA ? Anybody know ?


< Message edited by MrRodgers -- 5/23/2011 6:15:51 AM >

(in reply to Termyn8or)
Profile   Post #: 4
Page:   [1]
All Forums >> [Community Discussions] >> Dungeon of Political and Religious Discussion >> FCC commissioners move to Comcast shows the revolving door is still spinning Page: [1]
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy

0.047