The Wall Street Journal is not generally known for its proletarian leanings. So it may come as some surprise that an editorial on Friday courageously attacks Democrats it says are “carrying water for rich special interests.” What a relief that the Journal is here to keep those wealthy ne’er do wells from exploiting the masses. Wall Street once again comes to the rescue of the working stiff.
The Democrats at the receiving end of this smack down are the two commissioners at the FCC who are holding up the merger of AT&T and Bell South. According to the Journal, this merger would benefit labor and increase competition. That’s obvious because everyone knows that an $80 billion merger of giant corporations is really only being done to help the little people.
The Journal correctly reports that Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein object to the merger because they want to secure the protection of Network Neutrality. Then the Journal gets everything else wrong. First they fail to understand that Network Neutrality requires that big Telecom companies not discriminate in providing services to Internet enterprises. Imagine if you were to call information to get the number for Applebee’s, but the operator said you could only have the number for Denny’s. Without Network Neutrality, Telecoms could do that on the Net by discriminating against, for instance Google, in favor of their own search engine, or charge more if you wanted to reach Google instead. Contrary to the Journal’s assertion, the Telecom’s ability to set market prices for the use of their series of tubes would not be restricted. They would just be required to set them in a non-discriminatory fashion.
One of the Journal’s justifications for opposing Network Neutrality is that it was defeated in the just concluded session of congress. What they neglect to mention is that the majority Republicans of the just concluded session of congress, who opposed Network Neutrality, were also defeated. And if losing a vote in congress meant that the issue was forever decided, then I suppose the Journal will editorialize against any more votes on gay marriage or flag burning.
The Journal goes on to complain that the tie vote at the FCC is putting undue pressure on Commissioner Robert McDowell, who properly recused himself because he previously worked for one of the parties connected to the merger consideration. The Journal implies that he would be subject to “trumped-up” ethics charges were he to vote on the matter. But McDowell voluntarily recused himself and the only pressure he’s received is from the Republican Chairman of the commission, Kevin Martin, who is trying to force him to un-recuse himself and vote. The Journal then makes the spurious allegation that members of congress are laying in wait for McDowell should he cross them. They issue this ominous warning of the danger that lurks:
“The likes of John Dingell and Ed Markey could make life miserable or worse for Mr. McDowell, as they did for so many others back when they ran Congress before 1994.”
Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Thank goodness we have a champion to take the side of the people and against those big, bad corporations. We all owe the Wall Street Journal a debt of gratitude and, if we’re lucky, they won’t foreclose on us.
