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You are here"Muggers crying foul "on the AT&T-Bell South Merger
Submitted by Scott Cleland on Mon, 2006-12-04 19:14
Like a mugger who cries foul when his victim manages to wriggle free from their well-planned ambush and pummeling, net neutrality proponents are now crying foul that Chairman Martin is excercising his legal authority to engage Commissioner McDowell to vote to break the 2-2 impasse and vote on either approving or disapproving the AT&T-Bell South merger. Can you believe the unmitigated gall of net neutrality proponents playing the "victim" when they were really the mugger here? I guess we should not be surprised then when these same folks impugn the integrity and ethics of public servants who have assiduously followed the legal, procedural, and political processes. Any fair-minded person should be disturbed at the "ends justify the means" tactics of many net neutrality proponents in this proceeding.   Let's review the facts.
Any fair-minded person, who believes in the rule of law, respects following longstanding bipartisan processes, values political consultation, and expects parties to resolve their differences in a civil fashion, should be offended by those who resort to personnally attacking the integrity and ethics of those who are just doing what they were appointed and confirmed by the Senate to do: make the tough decisions after following the law and process.  What is really going on here is that net neutrality proponents and other comercial interests are engaged in a good old-fashioned mugging. This isn't about the "public interest," this is about wanting something that the other has and being willing to do whatever it takes to try and take it from them.
Everyone should watch to ensure that this merger follows the law, procedure and political comity. If it does, as it certainly has to this point, let the process work to provide a definitive yes or no answer in a reasonable time frame.  » |