Fuck Michael Powell.

[jsr]

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-net-neutrality-20140114,0,522106.story

Net neutrality is dead. Bow to Comcast and Verizon, your overlords
By Michael Hiltzik

Who deserves the blame for this wretched combination of monopolization and profiteering by ever-larger cable and phone companies? The FCC, that's who. The agency's dereliction dates back to 2002, when under Chairman Michael Powell it reclassified cable modem services as "information services" rather than "telecommunications services," eliminating its own authority to regulate them broadly. Powell, by the way, is now the chief lobbyist in Washington for the cable TV industry, so the payoff wasn't long in coming.

[octoberlib]

1. K&R!

[freshwest]

2. Yes, I remember this dillweed during the Bush years when he pushed more consolidation. He said about

his plans for running the FCC:

'The Free Market is My GOD!'

Ayn Rand was likely his goddess.

His rulings favored the predatory monopoly capitalist model. He's Colin's son, and it's part of the reason I have no use for him.

I remember the hearings where we went to protest according to law, that the spirit of the FCC was not being followed with what he was doing. They listened to people from across the country. Powell went right ahead and did it anyway.

Thanks the connection, but I knew this was his work years ago.

[okaawhatever]

3. Luckily it was just a FCC administrative move, so it hopefully can be an administrative move to

put it back. I'm sure there will be a court challenge, but as long as we get rid of the conservative scotus majority before it gets there we should be fine.

[hedda_foil]

4. It's not over til it's over...

The ruling was from a 3 judge panel. The government can still appeal to the full DC circuit sitting en banc. That court is now dominated by judges appointed by Democrats, thanks to the recent changes in Senate filibuster rules. Hopefully they'll rule in the FCCs favor. Of COURSE it will be appealed to the Supremes, but who knows ... maybe Scalia's or Thomas's longevity in office will have run its course requiring President Obama to appoint a new justice before then.

[freshwest]

7. Most hopeful POV on this yet... Thanks hedda foil. n/t

[BrotherIvan]

5. And nepotism

[Lint Head]

6. What a smug looking asshole.

[laundry_queen]

8. I was just thinking

that asshole couldn't look any more smug if someone said to him, "Hey, try and look like a smug asshole!"

[Wilms]

9. ^