FCC Commissioner Calls For A New Agency…

Wednesday, July, 22, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

When you work for an agency like the FCC you don’t walk down the hallway to communicate, you send a letter.  That’s what Commissioner Robert McDowell did.  In his letter to the new boss — Chairman Julius Genachowski, McDowell recommended a “thorough operational, financial and ethics audit of the commission.”  McDowell believes the audit “would be a meaningful first step on the road to improving the agency” and would like to take public comments and comments from commission staff and also allow commission staff to comment anonymously.  But that’s not all.  McDowell also says a potential restructuring of the FCC should be considered.  Okay, I’ll offer the first public comment.  Instead of sending a damn letter, walk down the hallway to communicate with other members of the commission or at the very least — pick up the phone…

Genachowski responded to McDowell with, and this should come as no surprise — a letter.  The new boss of the agency agrees that FCC reform ”is a matter of great urgency.”  He adds that he has appointed Mary Beth Richards as special counsel for FCC reform “to ensure high-level attention to this vitally important issue” and that the FCC’s general counsel and managing director will be working with Richards on a review of FCC processes and suggestions for improvement and reform.  Bloomberg News reports that the site — reboot.fcc.gov — will open to employees “this week” and “will later become publicly accessible”…

You can bet that Jay Rockefeller’s scathing rebuke of the agency forced the FCC to do something quickly to turn around the public’s poor perception of the agency after Rockefeller’s comments.  The West Virginia Senator, who heads the Commerce Committee, described the agency as “beholden” to the industries it regulates during a recent hearing and that was probably the kindest comment he made about the agency.  The restructuring has officially begun…  

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1916] They forgot the “un“: During a Preparedness Day parade in San Francisco, a bomb goes off killing 10…
2. 1931] O Solo Mio: American aviator Wiley Post completes the first solo flight around the world in 7 days, 18 1/2 hours…
3. 1934] Dillinger down: A man identified as bank robber John Dillinger is shot to death by federal agents in Chicago…
4. 1963] A Sonny day: Sonny Liston defends his heavyweight crown with a KO of Floyd Patterson(for the second time) in one round. The fight in Las Vegas was a rematch of a 1962 fight…
5. 1981] Justice served: Turkish extremist Mehmet Ali Agca is sentenced in Rome to life in prison for shooting Pope John Paul II…
6. 1991] He’s busted - we’re disgusted: Milwaukee police arrest Jeffrey Dahmer after finding the remains of 11 victims in his apartment. Dahmer confesses to 17 murders and is sentenced to life in prison…
7. 1994] Guilty as charged: O.J. Simpson pleads innocent to the murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman…1995] Susan Smith is convicted by a jury in Union (SC) of 1st-degree murder for drowning her 2 sons…
8. 2003] Welcome back: Months after her P.O.W. ordeal, Pvt. 1st Class Jessica Lynch returns home to a hero’s welcome in Elizabeth (WV)…
9. 2003] Saddam’s sons: Saddam Hussein’s sons Odai and Qusai are killed by U.S. forces when they storm their villa in Mosul, Iraq…
10. 2004] Grave report: The Sept. 11 commission issues a report saying America’s leaders failed to grasp the gravity of terrorist threats before 911…

Music Memories:

• 1967] Debuted on this date: Vanilla Fudge debuts in New York City…
• 1977] Curtains: Tony Orlando surprises everyone, including Dawn, when he announces on stage at Cohasset (MA) that he is retiring from performing…
• 1979] It’s evil - ooooooo: The Reverend Richard Penniman aka Little Richard warns his North Richmond (CA) congregation against the evils of rock and roll…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“: David Spade (45) Albert Brooks (62), Don Henley (62), Danny Glover (62), Bobby Sherman (66), Ron Turcotte (68), Alex Trebek (69), Chuck Jackson (72), Louise Fletcher (75),Oscar de la Renta (77), Orson Bean (81), Margaret Whiting (85) and Bob Dole (86)…

Timeline Countdown: One day until NFL training camps open, 47 days until Labor Day and 50 days until the NFL opener…

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