stravinskian Member since Feb 24th 2003 12698 posts
Thu Dec-14-17 11:11 PM
53. "You still don't understand the basic logic of this." In response to In response to 52 Thu Dec-14-17 11:13 PM by stravinskian
Obama didn't make him chairman. Obama made Tom Wheeler chairman, and Wheeler's FCC came up with the rules that were repealed today.
Obama was required by law to appoint a Republican, and constrained by standard protocols to take a recommendation from the Senate leader of the other party. I don't know how you think he could have found the rare pro-net-neutrality Republican.
But it wouldn't have made any difference if he had! The board passed strong net neutrality rules DESPITE Pai's objection. When Pai was appointed as a minority member, his complaints were as toothless as the complaints from the Democrats on the board today.
There is now a Republican majority on the board, NOT because of any decision that Barack Obama made, but simply because a Republican is President. Trump could have nominated anyone he wanted to the chairmanship, just like Obama did. Obama's appointment of Pai to a minority seat had absolutely nothing to do with him now being chair.
We lost net neutrality because a Republican is in the White House, and no other reason. And a Republican is in the White House, in part, because a lot of ill-informed and logic-challenged 'progressives' were out there claiming there wasn't much difference between Donald Trump and Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.