In a counterfactual world where Hillary Clinton wins the election, the Federal Communications Commission goes after AT&T for “zero-rating” DirecTV Now. What’s more, the agency uses the fact that Time Warner has licenses for the operation of satellites to force AT&T to submit its proposed $85 billion merger, and then, leans on the telecom giant to accept as a condition for approval, that it will no longer exempt the consumption of its owned content from consumers’ data caps.
Category: US Politics
Wheeler: Keep net neutrality rules
Outgoing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler fired shots at anyone looking to repeal net neutrality measures during his farewell speech on Friday. Speaking at the Aspen Institute, Wheeler said that repealing the open internet or net neutrality policies would be a mistake.
Republican FCC member blasts leadership for ‘midnight’ regs without warning
The longest-serving Republican commissioner in the Federal Communications Commission criticized the Democrat-controlled agency for what he called a “regulatory spasm” in its final days after it issued a report Wednesday scolding AT&T and Verizon for their “zero rating” strategies without the approval of the majority of the agency. “It is disappointing that the FCC’s current leadership has yet again chosen to spend its last days in office the same way it spent the last few years – cutting corners on process, keeping fellow Commissioners in the dark, and pursuing partisan, political agendas that only harm investment and innovation,” wrote Commissioner Ajit Pai.
Trump’s Homeland Security pick is seen as the best man for the…
Despite the acrimony around many of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet selections, the confirmation hearing for one of them, Homeland Security Secretary candidate Gen. John Kelly, appears to be going smoothly.
Senators Split Over Tillerson and His Ties to Putin
President-Elect Trump’s pick to be Secretary of State suggested that Russia “poses a danger,” responding to concerns that he is overly cozy with the Russian President. Lawmakers on Wednesday were deeply divided over whether President-elect Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson would be right for the job, with many senators raising concerns about his overly cozy ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Schumer Urges FCC To Protect Broadband Funds
Many telecommunications companies gained access to the Connect America Fund, a federal investment that helped them enhance broadband access.
Obama Farewell to Nation Draws Not-So Subtle Contrast With Trump
President Barack Obama blasted “zero-sum” politics as he drew a sharp contrast with his successor in his farewell address Tuesday night, acknowledging that despite his historic election eight years ago his vision for the country will exit the White House with him. Obama’s prime-time address was a call for political engagement after a grueling election won by Republican Donald Trump, who made undoing Obama’s achievements the centerpiece of his campaign.
Hungary Plans to Crackdown on All Soros-Funded NGOs
Hungary plans to crack down on non-governmental organizations linked to billionaire George Soros now that Donald Trump will occupy the White House, according to the deputy head of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party. The European Union member will use “all the tools at its disposal” to “sweep out” NGOs funded by the Hungarian-born financier, which “serve global capitalists and back political correctness over national governments,” Szilard Nemeth, a vice president of the ruling Fidesz party, told reporters on Tuesday.
Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Draws on Aussie Nobel-Winning Expertise
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Melbourne last July with his granddaughters in tow. Bypassing sporting stadiums and race-car tracks, Biden’s first official stop in the world’s sporting capital was to open a A$1 billion cancer center.
Obama Alum David Plouffe Joins Zuckerberg’s Philanthropic Group
David Plouffe, President Barack Obama’s former campaign manager, will lead policy and advocacy for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic organization created by Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Plouffe, who has been a full-time adviser for Uber Technologies Inc., will step away from his day-to-day duties, but he’ll remain a non-voting Uber board member, the ride-hailing company said.
Trump AG Nominee Sessions Says He’ll Recuse Himself From Clinton Probes
Jeff Sessions would recuse himself from any Clinton-related probes as Attorney General, he said at Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, the Republican Senator from Alabama nominated to become U.S. Attorney General, will recuse himself from any Clinton-related probes if he gets the job, he said at Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
Top U.S. trade official sounds alarm over protectionist policies
Outgoing U.S. trade ambassador Michael Froman warned Tuesday that America risks ceding its dominance of the global economy if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on promises to slap punitive tariffs on imports and abandon a sweeping trade deal with Asia. In prepared remarks for his final speech as the nation’s top trade negotiator, Froman did not mention Trump by name.
Detroit Wants Something From Trump in Exchange for Those Tweets
The way Bill Ford tells it, you’d think he and Donald Trump are like two old buddies chitchatting all the time about cars, economics and taxes. “When needed, I can always get to him or he calls me,” Ford, the chairman of Ford Motor Co., said in an interview Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Guest column: It’s time for lawmakers to step in on cable price inflation
If customer complaints don’t solve the Cable One/KPVI issue, it may be time to involve our lawmakers, writes Jim Key. After reading the article “Cable One drops KPVI” by Bryan Clark, Jan. 4, I called both KPVI and Cable One.
Trump, Ryan Set the Stage for Tax Reform Overhaul
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan will meet on Monday with top members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team to discuss their 2017 tax reform agenda, a senior Republican aide said. Ryan and his policy staff are expected to walk the Trump team members through the “Better Way” tax reform blueprint that the speaker and other House Republican leaders unveiled last June, the aide said.
GOP Should – Show Their Cards’ on Obamacare Redo, Obama Says
Republicans should “show their cards” with a better Obamacare replacement before taking steps to repeal the law, President Barack Obama said in an interview on his signature health program. “Republicans have to go ahead and show their cards, if in fact they have a program that would genuinely work better,” he said Friday in a webcast interview with the online news outlet Vox in Washington.
Net neutrality critic in driver’s seat on GOP tech policy
Marsha Blackburn Net neutrality critic in driver’s seat on GOP tech policy GOP Rep. Blackburn gets key tech subcommittee gavel GOP lawmakers slam Assange after Trump praise, highlighting Russia rift MORE was tapped Friday to chair a key technology subcommittee, putting her in the driver’s seat on Republican efforts to pare back the controversial net neutrality rules. As chairwoman of the House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Blackburn will have a key role in deciding Republicans’ stance.
Goldman’s Donovan Said to Be Top Contender for Key Treasury Post
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker Jim Donovan is the front-runner to be Donald Trump’s pick for undersecretary of domestic finance, a key position in the Treasury department, according to a person familiar with the decision. If chosen and confirmed Donovan would be the fourth appointee with ties to the investment bank tapped to serve in the president-elect administration, and would be responsible for coordinating policies on banking, capital markets and regulation, and managing the issuance of the country’s debt.
REPORT: Jared Kushner is taking steps to explore a White House…
President-elect Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, may be headed for a job in the White House. Kushner is in the process of filing financial disclosure documents in preparation for taking a formal role as an adviser to the president, sources close to the process o wns the New York Observer , along with other media properties.
Trump Said to Tell Confidant He Remains Opposed to AT&T Deal
Donald Trump remains opposed to the megamerger between AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Inc. because he believes it would concentrate too much power in the media industry, according to people close to the president-elect, who has been publicly silent about the transaction for months. Trump told a friend in the last few weeks that he still considers the merger to be a bad deal, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the conversation was private.
Corzine Agrees to Futures Industry Ban in CFTC Settlement
Jon Corzine has agreed to a lifetime ban from the futures industry to settle a U.S. lawsuit that he failed to properly oversee MF Global Holdings Ltd. as the brokerage spiraled toward failure in 2011. Corzine, an ex-governor and U.S. senator from New Jersey and the former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., also agreed to pay a $5 million penalty from his own pocket to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, under a consent order approved by a federal judge in New York Thursday.
Congress Certifies Trump’s Electoral College Victory
The U.S. Congress on Friday certified the Electoral College vote that gave Republican Donald Trump the victory in the 2016 presidential election. Trump won 304 electoral votes compared to 227 garnered by Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton, according to the tally announced by Vice President Joe Biden.
Jobs in America 8:00 am ET on FOX Business Network’s Mornings With Maria
U.S. employers likely maintained a solid pace of hiring in December while raising wages, putting the economy on a path to stronger growth and further interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve this year. Nonfarm payrolls probably increased by 178,000 jobs last month after a similar rise in November, according to a Reuters survey of economists.
Free tuition Q&A: Could New York’s plan spread across US?
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, right and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wave at the audience as they arrive onstage at an event at LaGuardia Community College, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, in New York. Gov. Cuomo announced a proposal for free tuition at state colleges to hundreds of thousands of low- and middle income residents.
Tillerson Discloses Global Assets of as Much as $400 Million
Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. secretary of state, disclosed assets worth as much as $400 million in a federal ethics filing that reflected investments spanning more than a dozen nations. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Tillerson will recuse himself for a year from government decisions involving Exxon Mobil Corp., where he served as chairman and chief executive officer until Jan. 1, according to a separate filing posted by the Office of Government Ethics on Wednesday.
How Senator Rand Paul Would Replace Obamacare
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) weighs in on the Senate Democrats' push to block the Obamacare repeal. As the new Republican-controlled Congress moves forward with its goal of repealing the Affordable Care Act, the biggest question now is what will replace it.
Trump Tells Confidant He Still Opposes AT&T-Time Warner 2 hours ago
Time Warner Inc. because he believes it would concentrate too much power in the media industry, according to people close to the president-elect, who has been publicly silent about the transaction for months. Trump told a friend in the last few weeks that he still considers the merger to be a bad deal, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the conversation was private.
Time Warner, AT&T Shares Hit After Report Trump Still Against Merger
Shares of both Time Warner and AT&T saw pressure after Bloomberg News reported that President-elect Donald Trump still is opposed to the two companies merging , a view he expressed during the campaign. The report cited unnamed people close to the president-elect.
How Donald Trump Could Make Rupert Murdoch Even More Powerful
President-elect Donald Trump may be preparing to give Rupert Murdoch a big reward for the positive coverage Murdoch’s outlets provided during the election. Trump has asked Murdoch to submit the names of possible nominees for Federal Communications Commission chairman, according to a report from New York magazine’s Gabriel Sherman.
Univision wins FCC waiver to allow its Mexican partner, Televisa, to increase ownership stake
The Federal Communications Commission has approved a measure that relaxes foreign ownership rules to enable Grupo Televisa of Mexico to claim a larger stake of the U.S. Spanish-language broadcasting giant Univision Communications. Univision’s chairman, Haim Saban, has been lobbying the FCC for the waiver for more than three years.
Trump claims his briefing on Russian cyberattacks was delayed,…
President-elect Donald Trump mocked US intelligence officials on Tuesday in a tweet claiming his briefing on Russian cyberattacks was delayed, and once again cast doubt on their claims that Russia interfered with the presidential election. “The ‘Intelligence’ briefing on so-called ‘Russian hacking’ was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case.
A New York Times editorial: Sprint and Trump’s fictional jobs
President-elect Donald Trump would like everybody to believe that his election is energizing the economy by forcing businesses to create thousands of jobs in the United States. And companies like Sprint seem perfectly happy to go along with this fiction because they know they can profit handsomely by cozying up to Trump.
Republicans’ Sweeping Social Security Reforms Could Be Just What the Program Needs
For many working Americans, Social Security is a program that’s probably out of sight and out of mind. For those on the doorstep of retirement or currently retired, Social Security is more likely than not a vital income source that helps them make ends meet.
US Sen. Warren seeks to pull pot shops out of banking limbo
In this Sept. 16, 2015, file photo, customers shop for marijuana inside a recreational marijuana store in Denver.
FCC’s 5 biggest battles for Trump’s first year
Republicans are poised to take control of the Federal Communications Commission and the agency is bracing for a shake-up. Wheeler will step down in 2017 and control is tilting to the agency’s Republican commissions after Dem Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel failed to be reconfirmed.
Expelled Russian Diplomats Leave United States
Russian diplomats who were expelled by order of U.S. President Barack Obama left Washington on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported, citing Russia’s embassy. Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian suspected spies and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies over the hacking of U.S. political groups during the 2016 presidential election.
Republican Efforts to Reform Social Security Could Financially Cripple Most Seniors
Just how important is Social Security? According to the Social Security Administration , better than 6 in 10 seniors are currently reliant on their benefits to make up at least half of their monthly income. A recent poll from Gallup also found that more than 8 in 10 pre-retirees will rely, to some degree, on Social Security income during retirement.
US states, leery of Russia malware, re-examine cybersecurity
Several states around the country on Saturday asked cybersecurity experts to re-examine state and utility networks after a Vermont utility’s laptop was found to contain malware U.S. officials say is linked to Russian hackers. The Burlington Electric Department, one of Vermont’s two largest electric utilities, confirmed Friday it had found on one of its laptops the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe, the name the U.S. government has given to malicious cyber activity by Russian civilian and military intelligence services.
California aims to take lead in giving marijuana industry access to financial services
In this Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016 photo, Rolie Gonzalez III displays a branch of marijuana buds taken for a plant on the farm of grower Laura Costa, near Garberville. California hopes to take the lead in giving the cannabis industry access to banking services in 2017, with a new working group focused on finding a solution to ongoing conflicts between state and federal laws that force marijuana businesses to operate largely in cash.
U.S. Hasn’t Benefited From Globalization
President-elect Trump is on record as stating that one of the first executive actions he’ll take following the inauguration is to declare China to be a currency manipulator. We’ll have to wait and see whether he follows through, and I’ll discuss the ramifications of such as more information is available and the decisions being made about trade by other nations.