
Ajit Pai confirmed as new head of the FCC - electic
https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/23/ajit-pai-confirmed-as-new-head-of-the-fcc/
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doctorshady
Thankfully, his anti-regulation stance is going to have a lot of opposition,
particularly from the net neutrality crowd (including powerful allies like
Google). But still - it's not like any of the other agencies like the EPA got
a better head.

Particularly with the federal hiring freeze, I wonder what DC's workforce is
thinking right now.

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cwisecarver
I think DC's workforce is thinking about getting into contracting or
consulting. Anytime Republicans cut into the actual federal workforce they
just make up for it with outside contracting. Then they can say they cut the
workforce while still paying 2.5X+ the amount they would if they just hired
someone.

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acdha
This is very trhe but you left out the key part: contracting companies are
usually very profitable and that can translate into political funding.
Government agencies are prohibited from direct support and the non-defense
workforce has been the punching bag for so long that they're not going to
donate personally to the party which has been attacking them.

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lightedman
We can be guaranteed almost nil technological progress or freedom with this
guy in office. Watch. Net Neutrality first, then more DMCA-like restrictions
coming afterwards.

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CoffeeDregs
I'm generally for Net Neutrality but you seem to be suggesting that regulation
drives technological progress. Modulo things like natural monopolies,
unaccounted-for externalities, etc, isn't the opposite usually true?

Also, are you suggesting that Ajit Pai represents "regulatory capture" and has
no regard for the consumers of the industry he helps regulates? Perhaps it is
the case that he's a terrible person, but it might also be the case that he
has a different perspective on how best to drive innovation in the telecom
industry.

I'm not sure how I feel about Trump but he's a new President and I'm going to
root for him and for his team until he makes an _actual_ mistake and not a
maybe-could-turn-into-a-mistake-someday choice.

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wmf
Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress: they want
faster speeds but no other "innovation" from ISPs. So regulation is the
perfect tool.

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dragonwriter
> Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress

Untrue of any of the net neutrality advocates I know.

Net neutrality advocates don't see the oligopolistic (and often regionally
monopolistic) market for internet access as one that positions ISPs in the US
to be agents of rapid technology change in any circumstances.

Assuming that those who disagree with you about policy must agree with you
about facts (e.g., what would happen in the absence of their preferred policy)
is a good way to assure that your inferences about their motivation will be
wildly incorrect.

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wmf
Note that I am mostly a net neutrality advocate. I agree that ISPs aren't very
innovative and I would further add that virtually all of their "innovations"
are anti-consumer.

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ErikAugust
Does this signal "bye bye" to Net Neutrality?

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kevin2r
I have opened this link two times thinking it was related to FreeCodeCamp
(www.freecodecamp.com) lol

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revelation

        Tidal, Jay Z’s Streaming Service, Sells a Stake to Sprint
    

Shame on him who thinks evil of it.

~~~
Apocryphon
Shawn Corey Garter?

