The FCC's broadband task force is tasked with developing our national broadband policy. This is a project that FCC Commissioner Michael Copps ranks of the highest importance:
"I'm enthused as I can be that this country is finally, finally going to develop a national broadband plan," Copps said Wednesday in an interview for C-SPAN's "The Communicators" series.(...)
"We're way behind in broadband," he said. "There is a need to do something now."
Copps said he is not underestimating the importance of the FCC's task: "It's the biggest thing that's come to the FCC since I've been there," he said.
And so, because our government is run by corporations and for corporations even when it is controlled by Democrats, a telecom industry shill, Scott Wallsten, was named as economics director of that task force. From a source close to the process, in the extended entry I proivde a thorough background on Wallstein's industry connections and long history of fighting against American consumers:
Has spent the last five years at three different coin-operated think tanks.
Most recently with the Technology Policy Institute whose supporters include AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Verizon
He previously worked for the Progress and Freedom Foundation whose primary funders include AT&T, Comcast, Cox, NCTA, Time Warner Cable, Verizon. (Source)
Before that he worked for the American Enterprise Institute/Brookings Institution whose funders include AT&T, SBC, Verizon. ((Source)
Doesn't believe there is a broadband problem in America . Point 1 would explain this belief, Here's some of the industry and GOP-friendly positions he's taken
"... the U.S. does not have a broadband problem. The remarkable investment in broadband infrastructure and rapid increases in subscribership that have taken place suggest the market is working well. Any policy or regulation intended to further accelerate deployment should clearly identify and target the market failure it is intended to mitigate:"
(Source)
"The wireless industry exhibits no evidence of a market failure, and regulations - especially sweeping ones of the type [Tim] Wu would like us to consider - are likely to impose significant costs on society and ultimately harm consumers." (Source)
He frequently uses long discredited FCC data to state the broadband market is full of competition and advocates for the fingers-crossed approach to competition. (Source and source).
Has published numerous editorials and papers that have rejected Net Neutrality and Open Access, in direct opposition to both President Obama's and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's positions on the issue. For ex:
here and here.
Has lectured across Washington frequently using a PowerPoint presentation that parrots every GOP and industry talking point regarding the U.S. Int'l Rankings. (Source)
Given his loyalty to the industry agenda, Wallsten is a frequent choice of GOP members of Congress when assembling witnesses to testify in committee. He is also routinely cited by industry in their comments to the FCC:
Comments of AT&T, 07-45 (706) (May 16, 2007)
Comments of Verizon&VZW, 07-45 (706) (May 16, 2007)
Comment of NCTA, 07-45 (706) (May 16, 2007)
Comments of Verizon&VZW, 07-52 (NN) (June 15, 2007)
Reply Comments of Comcast, 09-51 (NBP) (July 21, 2009)
Reply Comments of Time Warner Cable, 09-51 (NBP) (July 21, 2009)
Has advocated for a return to metered billing in opposition to Rep. Eric Massa's recently introduced legislation Source)
Has opposed the openness conditions on the 700 MHz spectrum. (Source)
In a way this is actually a relief. Given that our financial policy, climate change policy, and health care policy are all working to reward the same companies that were responsible for the crises we face in those areas, it would be a shame if our plan to catch up to the rest of the world on telecommunications wasn't also designed by lobbyists from the industry that helped us fall behind. Otherwise, stockholders might lose their constitutionally guaranteed rights to run the country.
Snark aside, WTF?! Too many Democrats keep letting foxes into the henhouse. How many of our policies have to be dominated by bad-faith industry negotiators before we realize that continuing to give industry a seat at the policy table will never allow us to break away from our corporate kleptocracy? There better be a huge policy pay-off for consumers coming from this, but I am not holding my breath.
The legislative happenings of 2009 have brought the need for publicly financed elections and severe lobbying restrictions much closer to the forefront of my political thinking. I don't know how much support publicly financed elections might have in Congress, but there are good reasons to think that the situation will get worse before it gets better. The Supreme Court recently heard a case that could strike down the ban on corporate contributions to federal candidates. As a party, we really need to start dumping bipartisanship and adopting a more populist attitude.
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