4 ms·

This is not posturing. The FTC is independent of any given administration.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
djohnston 6y ago
Doesn't each administration appoint the chairman? That seems similar to saying the Supreme Court is independent. Maybe on paper, but certainly not statistically or in practice.
- SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
  The commissioners are appointed for seven year terms, there have to be at least two members from each party, and both Democrats voted yes on this action. So while you're right that it's not entirely independent, in general (and definitely in this specific case) it's not right to see it as an extension of partisan politics either.
  - offtop5 6y ago
    I'll admit when I was wrong, let's hope this does lead to some actual change. I do think social media is absolutely cancer but I've sort of accepted it's going to be with us.
  - syshum 6y ago
    So then not Independent. if it was independent it would not have members of either party. it is a bipartisan political entity used as a weapon by both corrupt and morally bankrupt political parties
    - dragonwriter 6y ago
      It is “independent” not of partisan politics, which is impossible for any organ of government, but independent of direct Presidential control despite operating within the executive branch.
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    > there have to be at least two members from each party Not true. There must be at most three members of any political party. There aren't required to be at least two of one party, and nothing in the law requires members of either major party. In practice, it's always 3-2 with either D or R being 3 and the other 2, but that's practice, not law. It could be 2 Republican Party, 2 Libertarian Party, 1 Constitution Party, under the law. Of course, if a President nominated toward that pattern, even if they had a friendly Senate to confirm them, they'd need a majority strong enough to be able to hold together without defections on other legislation, because the breach of convention would be punished mercilessly by even the least ideologically opposed members of the opposite major party.
    - SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
      Absolutely true, and I guess it is important to distinguish between established conventions and legal requirements these days.
kodah 6y ago
The FTC is a model of what bureaucrats should be. They are principled, patient, and protective in nature.
bosswipe 6y ago
Interestingly the commissioner that dissented is a Trump appointee.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

Doesn't each administration appoint the chairman? That seems similar to saying the Supreme Court is independent. Maybe on paper, but certainly not statistically or in practice.

SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
The commissioners are appointed for seven year terms, there have to be at least two members from each party, and both Democrats voted yes on this action. So while you're right that it's not entirely independent, in general (and definitely in this specific case) it's not right to see it as an extension of partisan politics either.
- offtop5 6y ago
  I'll admit when I was wrong, let's hope this does lead to some actual change. I do think social media is absolutely cancer but I've sort of accepted it's going to be with us.
- syshum 6y ago
  So then not Independent. if it was independent it would not have members of either party. it is a bipartisan political entity used as a weapon by both corrupt and morally bankrupt political parties
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    It is “independent” not of partisan politics, which is impossible for any organ of government, but independent of direct Presidential control despite operating within the executive branch.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > there have to be at least two members from each party Not true. There must be at most three members of any political party. There aren't required to be at least two of one party, and nothing in the law requires members of either major party. In practice, it's always 3-2 with either D or R being 3 and the other 2, but that's practice, not law. It could be 2 Republican Party, 2 Libertarian Party, 1 Constitution Party, under the law. Of course, if a President nominated toward that pattern, even if they had a friendly Senate to confirm them, they'd need a majority strong enough to be able to hold together without defections on other legislation, because the breach of convention would be punished mercilessly by even the least ideologically opposed members of the opposite major party.
  - SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
    Absolutely true, and I guess it is important to distinguish between established conventions and legal requirements these days.

kodah 6y ago

The FTC is a model of what bureaucrats should be. They are principled, patient, and protective in nature.

bosswipe 6y ago

Interestingly the commissioner that dissented is a Trump appointee.