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... which will be erased by an Executive Order on January 2nd. Still, enjoy it for the next 27 days. Whoops, I'm unclear, is this against the rules?

dragonwriter 10y ago
Yes, an FCC rule would have to be repealed by the FCC. The FCC Commissioners serve staggered five year terms (not at the pleasure of the President), one ending June 30 (or, IIRC, when the replacement is confirmed, if later, but not beyond the end of the Congressional term) of each year. Because it's a Democratic commissioner's term expiring, the FCC will almost certainly flip from 3-2 Democratic to 3-2 Republican and stay that way (because of the limit of 3 per party) for the remainder of Trump's term. So, a reversal of an FCC rule due to the change in administration would most likely occur this summer or later, not in January.
- taneq 10y ago
  I read "against the rules" as meaning "against HN rules due to political snark" but I could be wrong. Either way that's interesting, thanks!
- tzs 10y ago
  > Yes, an FCC rule would have to be repealed by the FCC. It could also be reversed by Congress. Ever since Wheeler's Open Internet Order was adopted, on a 3-2 party line vote by the Commission, Congress has been making a lot of noise about taking away much of the FCC's power and the regulations made under that power. They never got to the point of putting a bill on the President's desk, as far as I recall, but I suspect that was due to their knowledge that it would have been vetoed and they could not have overridden the veto. I wouldn't rule out the new Congress quickly putting some kind of "reverse everything that Wheeler did" bill on the new President's desk well before the new President gets to flip the Commission from a 3-2 Democrat majority to a 3-2 Republican majority.
5555624 10y ago
An Executive Order would not do it, it would take a new FCC ruling or Congress. Besides, Obama will still be President on 2 January. The Inauguration is 20 January.

dragonwriter 10y ago

Yes, an FCC rule would have to be repealed by the FCC. The FCC Commissioners serve staggered five year terms (not at the pleasure of the President), one ending June 30 (or, IIRC, when the replacement is confirmed, if later, but not beyond the end of the Congressional term) of each year. Because it's a Democratic commissioner's term expiring, the FCC will almost certainly flip from 3-2 Democratic to 3-2 Republican and stay that way (because of the limit of 3 per party) for the remainder of Trump's term. So, a reversal of an FCC rule due to the change in administration would most likely occur this summer or later, not in January.

taneq 10y ago
I read "against the rules" as meaning "against HN rules due to political snark" but I could be wrong. Either way that's interesting, thanks!
tzs 10y ago
> Yes, an FCC rule would have to be repealed by the FCC. It could also be reversed by Congress. Ever since Wheeler's Open Internet Order was adopted, on a 3-2 party line vote by the Commission, Congress has been making a lot of noise about taking away much of the FCC's power and the regulations made under that power. They never got to the point of putting a bill on the President's desk, as far as I recall, but I suspect that was due to their knowledge that it would have been vetoed and they could not have overridden the veto. I wouldn't rule out the new Congress quickly putting some kind of "reverse everything that Wheeler did" bill on the new President's desk well before the new President gets to flip the Commission from a 3-2 Democrat majority to a 3-2 Republican majority.

5555624 10y ago

An Executive Order would not do it, it would take a new FCC ruling or Congress. Besides, Obama will still be President on 2 January. The Inauguration is 20 January.