The nomination of Janet Yellin is important and got a lot of attention, perhaps out of proportion to her importance. The nomination of the head of the FCC got almost no attention, and his job is pretty important. So it’s no surprise that Tom Wheeler, who was just confirmed, has the following resume:
Wheeler was the president of the cable industry lobby about 30 years ago and later led the lobbying group for the cellphone carriers. In recent years, he has worked at venture capital firm Core Capital, investing in technology start-ups.
Putting a former lobbyist in charge of the regulatory body overseeing a set of industries that already have precious little regulation is an unfortunate decision by President Obama, and I can’t see how it be anything but a setback for consumers.
Corner Stone
Just another pragmatic and savvy business leader. I’m sure if Obama nominated him he’ll turn out pretty ok.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
What policy has he implement or advocated that you disapprove of?
Rex Everything
Mistermix wants more effective regulation for corporations. But he mildly criticized Obama, so he’s a libertarian.
Baud
I’ll wait to see what he actually does. I don’t think the FCC had ever been led by a strong liberal.
Cassidy
NOT PURE! NOT PURE! NOT PURE!
KG
From the first linked article:
Some positives and negatives there. But from the article he doesn’t strike me as the Grade A Robber Barron that a Romney Administration would have appointed. Also, he was on Obama’s transition team, so maybe, just maybe, he’s more in line with the president’s world view.
Xboxershorts
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Not all lobbyists are bad but the industry’s reputation is such that they deserve mucho extra scrutiny
cleek
“about 30 years ago”
30 years ago is too recent for you?
PeakVT
…perhaps out of proportion to [the job’s] importance.
Probably not. The Fed’s activities are critical right now because half of Congress is controlled by medievalists bent on destroying the economy (and the middle class, and the poor, and pretty much everything that is right in the world). It was important to prevent a banker whore with a clear record of failure from heading the thing. Apart from that, Yellin is the best candidate that could be confirmed.
It would be nice to have a strong advocate for consumers in the FCC job for a change, but not having one (if that’s the case) won’t change much.
Jane2
“Unfortunate” decision? Somehow I don’t think this guy is going to do much about the ridiculously expensive, unduly restrictive cable/mobile environment to which Americans are subjected.
Baud
@KG:
IIRC, some of the public interest groups that work in this area endorsed him.
Anya
To use an old cliché, sounds like the fox is guarding the hen house.
Chris
@PeakVT:
Destroy the poor? Perish the thought! Much the contrary, they want to make as many of them as possible!
me
He ran the CTIA until 2004 so he’s been a lobbyist much more recently and AT&T cheered the pick. On the other hand Public Knowledge supported him as did FCC critic Susan Crawford so let’s give him a chance.
JPL
Mayor Kasim Reed’s PAC accepted a large donation from the Koch brothers and one has to muse, what’s in it for them. GA Pacific is located here but their factories are elsewhere.
@KG: so maybe, just maybe, he’s more in line with the president’s world view. Although, I’m thrilled to have Obama in office, I don’t know his world view.
JasonF
The list of people who are sufficiently well versed in telecommunications issues to head the FCC probably doesn’t include many people who haven’t spent their career in the telecommunications industry. So I’m not going to get up in arms about this. And I would point mistermix and others to profiles such as this one and the links embedded therein, which suggest Mr. Wheeler is not in the industry’s pocket, or note that Mr. Wheeler supports pro-consumer measures like phone unlocking.
Cassidy
@JasonF: Mix is not going to let facts get in the way of his poutrage.
Strandedvandal
Holy crap! When did you become possessed by the demon Susie Madrak?
Corner Stone
@JasonF:
In your estimation, how “many” would the “many people” include on that list?
Rex Everything
@Cassidy:
OH I KNOW!! He called it “unfortunate” and “a setback.” SERIOUS poutrage. We’re one step from Godwin here.
Cassidy
@Rex Everything: Ahhhh, so I see you’re going with the Republican/Libertarian “PAY NO ATTENTION TO ANYTHING I’VE SAID IN THE PAST STARTING YESTERDAY” defense. Very Todd Akin of you.
Rex Everything
@Cassidy: Yeah, I know the truly honest & righteous way to address a post is to talk endlessly about which candidate the FPer supported in the 2008 primary, or the FPer’s position on the Gulf War 10 years ago.
PIGL
@Cassidy: go boil your bottom.
Cassidy
@Rex Everything: Ahh, hyperbole, how Rex loves thee.
Rex Everything
@Cassidy:
Not as much as Mistermix, with his Chicken Little invocation of setbacks and less than fortunate occurances.
Botsplainer
Meh. It’s just the first time a woman (with fairly explicit leanings which align toward progressive thought) has been named to an incredibly important quasi-independent financial position in order to set monetary policy which deeply affects the day to day existence of all 7 billion people on this spinning rock.
What is really important are the shallow glibertarian leanings of a bunch of dudes who work in tech, most of whom are about a razors edge away from a bout of career-ending Asberger’s symptoms sparked by vague paranoia that their Cosplay or anime fantasies are accessible to the NSA.
The Raven on the Hill
unfortunate decision – sellout, betrayal
Gods, I hate having an economic conservative as president.
ruemara
You know, it’s possible he’s going to do some things you agree with and some you won’t. As of yet, I have seen nothing that will put people like my local public access non-profit in charge of the FCC. They always seem to go for someone with industry experience.
Let’s look at your comparison nominee, Janet Yellin. I know she was the choice of the progressive blogosphere, but beyond not being Larry Summers, I didn’t really see much bold progressive policy in her background. Mind you, I’m happy it’s not Larry Summers too. But I keep wondering what’s the real choice difference between industry types preferred by liberals and the ones preferred by Democrats?
Can anyone tell me what progressive policy at the FCC would even be? Besides enough skin on late night programming to match the UK.
WereBear
Not lately.
The Wasteland Speech
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I don’t think this is even a parody, at least not a conscious one.
Cassidy
This is mix, we’re talking about.
Feudalism Now!
I think this is a ‘will watch’. He was a lobbyist for cable when they were trying to beat the dominance of broadcast. His cell lobbying is a bit more worrying. I guess the question is ‘Is a former lobbyist better than not having an FCC head in place?’ Maybe I am too cynical, but I don’t see any FCC nom who will be a deterrent to the Cell industry or Cable.
Corner Stone
“Someone on the intertrons said a decision by President Obama was unfortunate! To the walls, boys! To the walls!!”
gene108
If Wheeler does not bring back the Fairness Doctrine it just means Obama’s the same as Bush (either one) and we should all vote Libertarian, so we can go back on the gold standard and abolish the Fed.
Corner Stone
@Feudalism Now!:
I’m not making any comparison about individuals, but the decision by the person he is nominated to replace to *not* allow the AT&T and T-Mobile merger is a pretty clear deterrent. At least in the short term.
Of course, Genachowski is resigning to join The Aspen Institute, which all by itself is interesting.
Rex Everything
@Cassidy: Yes! Yes yes! You did it! You called Mistermix a glibertarian in a post EXPRESSLY IN FAVOR of corporate regulation! You Obots are so much better than a 3-act farce.
Thank you. Thank you for the lulz. Oh, God, you made my weekend.
Jeremy
I find it funny that hardly anyone talks about the number of liberal appointments the president has made yet they focus on some appointments that are not 100 % pure.
I even recall a few liberals complaining about Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination though she has been a consistent judge on the liberal side
raven
ya’ll some boring motherfuckers
gussie
My single favorite thing about Balloon Juice is how the Wheel of Cole keeps turning. Fucking mistermix, saying ‘unfortunate’ about a political decision! He’s such a Jennifer Rubin of the right.
Corner Stone
@Jeremy:
I am interested to hear more about this. How many liberal appointments has the president made?
Cacti
This daily update of brogressive shit nobody cares about has been brought to you by Mistermix.
Corner Stone
@raven: It’s a couple hours til Georgia loses to Florida. We have to do something.
Go Cocks!
James E. Powell
Other than issuing relatively small fines for saying “fuck” and for wardrobe malfunctions, what does the FCC do?
Cassidy
@Rex Everything: I realize you are incapable of viewing things as a whole. Oh if only I could be as simpleminded as you to pretend every previous mix post doesn’t exist. Are you able to tie your shoes and breathe at the same time?
gussie
@Jeremy: It’s like the Iraq War, when the lamestream media always focused on the bad news.
Cacti
@Corner Stone:
Or in other words, how many true Scotsmen.
Rex Everything
@Cacti:
That was awesome the way you used the very title of Mistermix’s post against him. Like judo. Super lazy, braindead, got-nothing judo.
(And “brogressive”? Ouch!)
dpm (dread pirate mistermix)
@Corner Stone: The denial of the T-Mobile/AT&T Merger was a huge regulatory step that has made, and will continue to make a real difference in the mobile market. Since the merger was denied, T-Mobile has offered a number of pro-consumer plans that AT&T would never dream of.
Other points: There are plenty of long-time consumer advocates who could run the FCC. You don’t need to appoint a lobbyist to that position, even if he makes some of the right noises.
I was pretty happy with Julius Genachowski, Obama’s first FCC chairman, and I was hoping for another good pick.
And do some of you even know what “libertarian” means? I’m asking for more government regulation of communication corporations, not less.
Cacti
@Rex Everything:
Still witty and clever as ever. Just like all the other hipsters.
Rex Everything
@Cassidy: I’ve been reading Mistermix’s posts for a long time. I’ve never seen him articulate a position that could be called Libertarian.
Also, Cassidy: you are a boob.
Cassidy
@Rex Everything: I already said you were simpleminded. There is no need for you to repeat it.
Corner Stone
OT but two quick points:
MSNBC’s Kristin Welker just made “Presidential 2nd term fiascoes” by linking Iran-Contra, Clinton’s impeachment, and Obama’s ACA website. No, I am not making that up.
To all the fucking stupid pundits trying to flog the “Double Down” BS about Hillary for Biden as VP? GO. FUCK. YOURSELVES.
Rex Everything
@Cacti: I was into thinking Cacti sucked colon before it was popular!
Cacti
@dpm (dread pirate mistermix):
Maybe you should e-mail the White House your appointment recommendations.
Cacti
@Rex Everything:
Score!
Total pwnage dudebro!
Corner Stone
@Cacti: Clearly Jeremy has a list he’s interested in discussing. Or else why would he make the statement he did?
I am also interested in hearing his list.
Jeremy
@Corner Stone: Tom Perez the Secretary of Labor, Gina McCarthy EPA administrator, Richard Cordray the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau( which was created by Dodd Frank), Anthony Foxx transportation secretary, Sally Jewell secretary of the interior.
I can give more examples from the first term and the second. And that doesn’t include the judges that have been nominated over the years.
Jeremy
Ray Lahood who was the past secretary of transportation was the most progressive Transportation Secretary in decades and he was a republican. Hilda Solis the former secretary of labor was pretty liberal, and so was the former head of the EPA Lisa Jackson.
tybee
@Cassidy:
you’ve met and exceeded your desires.
Corner Stone
@Jeremy: I like what I know of Perez, and what I have seen. He definitely seems to present his case better than I can ever remember Solis doing.
I think some Executive Branch decisions have weakened the EPA during Obama’s term, but the speeches/language I’ve seen McCarthy use on global warming has been interesting. I don’t remember where but I recently saw an interview with her that left me unsettled. I’ll have to think about what it was.
I love Rob Corrdry!
Pretty good starting list, IMO. The list of judges that I am aware of has been a decidedly mixed bag but I guess that’s the way it is.
raven
@tybee: Gumbo does NOT require okra.
Cassidy
@raven: Are you having another prune juice crisis?
MomSense
@dpm (dread pirate mistermix):
Ok, but how many long-time consumer advocates would be confirmed?
Botsplainer
@raven:
Isn’t the stuff you use instead of okra kind of poisonous?
pseudonymous in nc
I have a few contacts in the telco industry, and they all have good things to say about Wheeler — not as a defender of corporate profits and regional monopolies, but as somebody who has spent his career thinking about the future of the industry, rather than trying to lock in an increasingly obsolescent past. That ‘wonky nerd’ epithet fits well: he wrote a book about Lincoln’s use of the telegraph.
You could appoint a consumer advocate, but a lot of the FCC’s work involves things that happen on a commercial level, like spectrum allocation: particular consumer-level outcomes can be achieved through a number of different commercial settlements, and some of those settlements have better long-term consequences than others.
If you want a sense of how he’ll approach his job, then this discussion on network change in relation to the Arab Spring is a good place to start:
raven
@Botsplainer: Hot smoke and sassafras!
Arclite
I hang out on a gaming/tech blog that has mostly moderate/liberal members, but also a few wingnuts. This choice was actually reviled by pretty much everyone.
The only other thing we agree on politically is that NSA spying is out of control.
Ripley
You are Hitler.
Happy now?
Corner Stone
@Ripley: You know who else was happy to talk about Hitler?
Omnes Omnibus
@Corner Stone: Illinois Nazis.
tybee
@raven:
yes, it does. no okra, no gumbo.
tybee
@Omnes Omnibus:
your link to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgkTtQRPLHw
led me to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsixWMdScUI
James E. Powell
@raven:
Gumbo does NOT require okra.
I thought the word gumbo was an African language word for okra. Is that a rural legend?
Raenelle
“set back for” consumers? No. This was a fucking attack on consumers. Look. I know Obama is better than anything the Republicans, or maybe even the Democrats, have to offer. But that doesn’t mean that we should willingly blind ourselves to his agency. Obama approves of capitalism and, even within that, he seems to prefer Milton Friedman to Keynes.
Corner Stone
@Raenelle: This is an unfortunate comment.
Cervantes
Interesting set-up:
Frankly, I don’t think Yellin’s nomination got enough attention. But yes, Wheeler’s appointment is cause for concern.
The FCC is supposed to safeguard and serve the public interest. But here’s why Wheeler got the job: (1) he’s qualified, in the less-than-encouraging sense that (a) he has represented FCC-regulated corporations before the commission and in dealings with Congress; and (b) as a venture capitalist he knows the industry and has helped shape it; and (2) he raised money for Obama. He did not get the job because he’s got a track record of fighting for the little guy.
Notice also that Wheeler spent more than 2 years as a member of Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board. It would be very, very nice to know what he said in that capacity.
Cervantes
@Baud: I don’t think the FCC had ever been led by a strong liberal.
I wouldn’t quibble with that, but some members of the Commission have been more progressive than others. (I’m thinking of people in the 60s and 70s.)
Joel
@Cervantes: It only took 76 posts before I learned something.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
You don’t seem to know much about Friedman, Keynes or Obama.
ETA: Or the American political system, or the American electorate.
fuckwit
FTFY.
fuckwit
@Omnes Omnibus: I hate Illinois Nazis.
Raenelle
@Corner Stone: My comments were “unfortunate” because?
Corner Stone
@Raenelle: You suggested that we should not “willingly blind ourselves to his (Obama’s) agency”.
That is the unfortunate part.
tybee
@James E. Powell:
well, raven posted this:
but i suspect that “choctaw” word is an error. creek indians, the dominant tribe in the areas in question, pronounced the word for sassafras as “wiso” (wee’-so) or “wassaw”. and since i’m part of the creek nation, his claim of “file'” as “gumbo” is overruled. and, quite frankly, file’ is used in seafood dishes by those who don’t know how to cook. :)
Raenelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: You say I don’t seem to know much about Friedman, Keynes or Obama. Care to back that up with at least one specific. I know that you must have more than an argumentum ad hominem in mind. I’m certainly lazy, and the last thing I like to do is get in a thread and make concerted arguments about anything. So, just one specific please.
Or, if you just disagree because tribalism, then a simple fuck you is a bit more honest. Disguising a personal attack on the basis of undemonstrated superior understanding is a bit grandiose.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Raenelle: Obama passed an 800 billion dollar stimulus package, it was the first thing he did as president, bailed out the US auto industry to the tune of $250 billion dollars, and has repeatedly tried to pass infrastructure and jobs bills with the goal of strengthening the economy and putting people to work. These are Keynsian measures
and if you’re planning to respond with “THE STIMULUS WAS TOO SMALL BECAUSE KRUGMAN!”, I suggest you watch this, I wish Krugman would too.
He wanted to repeal the Bush tax cuts on top income brackets, he compromised on that goal in order to extend unemployment benefits. His health care bill which is a betrayal of all things good and true is based largely on an expansion of medicaid, and government subsidies to people not poor enough for Medicaid. These are not exactly Friedman-friendly policies.
as to your (apparent) condemnation of Obama for believing in capitalism…. What fucking country do you live in?
Raenelle
@Corner Stone: That is puzzling to me. You think we should willingly blind ourselves to his agency?
randy-khan
The comment that you need someone who understands the communications business in the job of FCC chair is completely true. I work in the field, and can tell you that commissioners who come into the FCC without background in the field tend to be lost for quite a while, and some never get their footing. It would be akin to nominating someone with no experience in securities to be the head of the SEC.
That doesn’t mean that there wouldn’t have been more progressive choices than Tom Wheeler who also are qualified. (Susan Crawford, to mention a name already mentioned for other reasons in this thread.) However, the pool actually is pretty shallow for this particular job, especially on the D side, so Wheeler was probably in the top 20% of potential choices.
Raenelle
OK. Fair enough. Those are good arguments, and so I concede that Obama is Keynes-lite. Does that seem fair to you?
As to my apparent condemnation of Obama for believing in capitalism, that was exactly what I meant. I tried to be a Democrat–easy when they had social programs like Johnson’s (though I fucking hated him for Vietnam, of course)–but then I watched them undo the New Deal and labor gains piece by piece with the advent of Reagan. Then I tried being a social democrat–capitalism with democratic reform. I’d still be there, I guess, if I thought that was possible. But what I see now is the triumph of the plutocrats. The way I read the Declaration of Independence, the government is supposed to protect our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Under the reign of big money, protection has been reduced to foreign invasion. But I think the government has the obligation to protect its citizens against internal depredations. It really doesn’t do that much, or very well, any more.So, though I don’t advocate revolution, because I totally embrace the philosophy of non-violence, I am, I think, a communist. I think Marx nailed capitalism.
As for the country I live in, I though that, since the Smith Act was repealed by the Supreme Court in the 1950s, being an American was mine by virtue of my citizenship, not by virtue of my beliefs.
And, what prompted my accusation of Obama kow-towing to Friedman was Tom Wheeler’s confirmation. If we-all hadn’t screamed to high heavens, we’d have Larry Summers in charge of the Fed–IMO. Obama also seems to have something of a hard-on for cutting entitlements, with inflation at 1.4%. Riddle me that.
So, yeah, what else do I expect from the president besides a capitalist? Of course Obama’s a capitalist. He leader of capitalism central. See. That’s why I’ve given up on social democracy.
Corner Stone
@Raenelle:
Yes. If we do not want to make unfortunate comments here, we must do exactly that.
Raenelle
@Corner Stone: OK. If I’m catching your meaning correctly, I’d have gone with uncomfortable rather than unfortunate. Is that what you meant? Uncomfortable? Or am I still missing something?
cleek
@Jeremy:
it’s important to pout, and to be seen pouting.
Nick Velvet
I think you meant to say “is a CONSISTANT action by President Obama”. There. Fixed.
This isn’t going to become a Hilary cheerleading site, is it?
-Mutt