Tuesday, March 21, 2017

FCC Chairman

From this morning's NOW column...

Ajit Pai, new FCC Chair, finally says it in writing – “the media” is not the enemy of the people. NOW told you that Chairman Pai “wriggled and twice refused to answer Democratic Senators” during his first oversight hearing. Their point-blank question from Senators Tom Udall and Maggie Hassan was, Do you agree with President Trump’s assertion that the press is the enemy of the people? Pai clearly didn’t want to go on record at the hearing, disagreeing with the man who elevated him to Chairman. But Broadcasting & Cable says that in Pai’s written followup – requested by the Senators – he said he doesn’t believe the media is the enemy of the American people. B&C says the response was “short on elaboration.” And Pai mostly sticks to what he said at the open hearing, that he’s committed to the First Amendment. And responding to a letter form the Senate Commerce Committee’s ranking Democrat, Bill Nelson of Florida, Pai states that he wouldn’t penalize free speech “even if requested by the Administration.” But Pai definitely wants to stay clear of open partisan politics as much as possible – something he probably feels his predecessor Tom Wheeler should’ve done more of.

OK, I have two comments here. One--to say that Wheeler was engaged in partisan politics because he supported keeping the FCC laws from being gutted (and supported Net Neutrality which the entire country supports) is nonsense. Two--Pai is the chairman of the FCC for cryin' out loud. If saying the media is NOT the enemy of the people is partisan politics, it's time to blow up this country and start all over.

Sheesh, that pissed me off this morning.

That was a gimme question. A duh question. If you can't answer that one immediately and without hesistation, get the hell out of this job. You are not qualified.