4 ms·

Obama appointed Wheeler. It's not exactly a tactic that only the current administration uses.

jandrese 9y ago
Many people were worried when Wheeler was appointed, but Obama told us not to worry. Later his statement would prove justified when Wheeler turned out to be a strong advocate for consumer protection at the FCC.
- nitrogen 9y ago
  Wasn't Wheeler part of the cable industry at a time when cable was the scrappy upstart?
  - jandrese 9y ago
    IIRC his previous job before joining the FCC was as a lawyer for Comcast.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
maxxxxx 9y ago
Very true. I just think this administration is taking it to a whole new level.
croon 9y ago
Wheeler came from the industry, yes. But that's where the comparison ends. Not sure what you're trying to say. Wheeler was pretty consistently pro-consumer. Pai has shown the complete opposite in each decision.
- dforrestwilson 9y ago
  ... a little more nuanced than that... Pai is pro-consumer, but believes the consumer is best-served by more competition, which he believes needs to be kickstarted. A couple of interviews with him: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/05/05/526916610/fcc-chief-net-neutrality-rules-treating-internet-as-utility-stifle-growth http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/05/05/526... https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15560150/transcript-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-net-neutrality-merger-recode-decode https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15560150/transcript-fcc-chai...
  - dmschulman 9y ago
    believe his actions, not his words
  - croon 9y ago
    Words mean nothing. Here's a parallell: https://theintercept.com/2017/06/04/paris-accord-trump-lobby-ceo-withdraw/ https://theintercept.com/2017/06/04/paris-accord-trump-lobby... What matters is the effect of what you're doing.
  - yahna 9y ago
    Excuses for anti-consumer policies.
afarrell 9y ago
The problem is a general one with government agencies hiring folks other than career civil servants. How do you find people who are highly knowledgeable about he telecom industry but who haven't on the payroll of a telecom company and don't hope to be?
- tracker1 9y ago
  I think the point is it's incredibly lopsided considering the target of the decisions, and who they appointed, and didn't.
ryguytilidie 9y ago
Ah yes, the "yeah one person has done many things that are bad, but this other person is just as bad because I am able to cherrypick a bad thing they did". As someone with no horse in the political game, this line of debate is very bad.

Many people were worried when Wheeler was appointed, but Obama told us not to worry. Later his statement would prove justified when Wheeler turned out to be a strong advocate for consumer protection at the FCC.

nitrogen 9y ago
Wasn't Wheeler part of the cable industry at a time when cable was the scrappy upstart?
- jandrese 9y ago
  IIRC his previous job before joining the FCC was as a lawyer for Comcast.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

maxxxxx 9y ago

Very true. I just think this administration is taking it to a whole new level.

croon 9y ago

Wheeler came from the industry, yes. But that's where the comparison ends. Not sure what you're trying to say. Wheeler was pretty consistently pro-consumer. Pai has shown the complete opposite in each decision.

dforrestwilson 9y ago
... a little more nuanced than that... Pai is pro-consumer, but believes the consumer is best-served by more competition, which he believes needs to be kickstarted. A couple of interviews with him: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/05/05/526916610/fcc-chief-net-neutrality-rules-treating-internet-as-utility-stifle-growth http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/05/05/526... https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15560150/transcript-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-net-neutrality-merger-recode-decode https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15560150/transcript-fcc-chai...
- dmschulman 9y ago
  believe his actions, not his words
- croon 9y ago
  Words mean nothing. Here's a parallell: https://theintercept.com/2017/06/04/paris-accord-trump-lobby-ceo-withdraw/ https://theintercept.com/2017/06/04/paris-accord-trump-lobby... What matters is the effect of what you're doing.
- yahna 9y ago
  Excuses for anti-consumer policies.

afarrell 9y ago

The problem is a general one with government agencies hiring folks other than career civil servants. How do you find people who are highly knowledgeable about he telecom industry but who haven't on the payroll of a telecom company and don't hope to be?

tracker1 9y ago
I think the point is it's incredibly lopsided considering the target of the decisions, and who they appointed, and didn't.

ryguytilidie 9y ago

Ah yes, the "yeah one person has done many things that are bad, but this other person is just as bad because I am able to cherrypick a bad thing they did". As someone with no horse in the political game, this line of debate is very bad.