400-21

Worse than a Broncos-Eagles score (sorry, Zogby-ites I had to!), our illustrious House has decided to roll back the clock and ensure that regulation stays mired in the 1950s.

I wrote a short column about Michael Powell last May. I put the FCC Chief as a great example of our "CEO President's" bringing the best and brightest to government.

Chairman Powell is Colin Powell's son. As much as I respect Dad, Michael's policy and beliefs comport better with mine, and he clearly is the better for spending fewer years with the striped-pants crowd at the State Department. He is pushing to bring FCC Regulations into the 21st Century. Regulations on ownership that were crafted when America got its news from Eric Sevareid can be relaxed now that many get news from Andrew Sullivan. Chairman Powell understands the effect of cable TV and Internet information sources and he believes in the free market enough to fight for a more modern approach.

He fought Republican appointees in his own Department to pass these reforms. Now the troglodytes in the House have voted 400-21 to overrule him.
The trouble is, circuit courts have already ruled these regulations' being illegal. This is not over. It is a good fight and it is important. Rolling back regulation is another tax cut to investors.

Posted by jk at July 24, 2003 08:38 AM