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kpete

(71,996 posts)
Fri May 2, 2014, 08:26 PM May 2014

Bill Moyers blisters Obama for abandoning his net neutrality promises

Bill Moyers criticized President Barack Obama on Friday for his decision to seemingly leave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the hands of the anti-net neutrality forces he opposed as a candidate.

“They believed he would keep his word, would see to it that when private interests set upon the Internet like sharks to blood in the water, its fate would be in the hands of honest brokers who would listen politely to the pleas of the greedy, and then show them the door,” Moyers said of the supporters Obama won when he promised to keep the internet free from corporate influence. “Unfortunately, it turned out to be the infamous revolving door.”

Moyers explained that Obama’s choice to head the commission, Tom Wheeler, not only “bundled” more than $500,000 for Obama’s successful re-election campaign, but also a “top gun” for the cable and telecommunications industries. What’s more, Wheeler has staffed the FCC’s legal team with a coterie of former telecom attorneys, some of whom had actually lobbied against net neutrality before joining its ranks.


“However we might try to imagine that [Wheeler] could quickly abandon old habits of service to his employers, that’s simply not how Washington works,” Moyers said. “Business and government are so intertwined there that public officials and corporate retainers are interchangeable parts of what Chief Justice John Roberts might call the ‘gratitude machine.’ Round and round they go, and where they stop. Actually they never stop.”


MORE:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/02/bill-moyers-blisters-obama-for-abandoning-his-net-neutrality-promises/

59 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Bill Moyers blisters Obama for abandoning his net neutrality promises (Original Post) kpete May 2014 OP
Will the BOG will be making a bed of hard rocks under the bus for Moyers? L0oniX May 2014 #1
Moyers is a Poopy Head bahrbearian May 2014 #2
Moyer's gf is a pole dancer Skittles May 2014 #11
Moyer has boxes in his garage U4ikLefty May 2014 #20
He declines to pet his neighbors' dogs. QC May 2014 #33
He has Asperger's. WorseBeforeBetter May 2014 #51
:( BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #3
Me too, and I always agree with Bill Moyers, so this is hard to read. mountain grammy May 2014 #4
More to B Moyers than meets the eye WalterCronk May 2014 #10
links please. n/t BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #12
Nothing but a tool of George Soros IDemo May 2014 #23
Wow. Quickest smear ever! djean111 May 2014 #27
Zombie or sock puppet. nt awoke_in_2003 May 2014 #34
You read a Blurb? vanlassie May 2014 #29
Even worse IDemo May 2014 #52
I saw that smear on a far Right Wing forum re Moyers ten years ago, but never saw a shred sabrina 1 May 2014 #31
Isn't the Internet fun defacto7 May 2014 #32
LMAO! Enthusiast May 2014 #36
Is there more to WalterCronk "than meets the eye". Divernan May 2014 #40
A tentative trial balloon of smear against Moyers. woo me with science May 2014 #54
BENGHAZI! SammyWinstonJack May 2014 #55
I wish the responses were more substantive than mere gleeful bashing. BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #13
Really, it's a serious issue, and Moyer's guests explained it well. mountain grammy May 2014 #16
I think we need to entertain the possibility that sometimes the President Enthusiast May 2014 #37
of course! BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #38
Who knew Moyers suffered from ODS? cherokeeprogressive May 2014 #5
Doesn't seem BlindTiresias May 2014 #6
Well, let's face it WalterCronk May 2014 #8
How so? gopiscrap May 2014 #25
No apologia from mia! Socially Democratic, but 100% owned by Wall Street! Dustlawyer May 2014 #19
nailed it noiretextatique May 2014 #35
I think it was fairly obvious from very early on... truebrit71 May 2014 #42
K & R !!! WillyT May 2014 #7
Bill Moyers never really loved him!!! QC May 2014 #9
Lol ananda May 2014 #22
I would hardly call it a blistering. QuestForSense May 2014 #14
Of course he can take it. What's that supposed to mean. Do you know what a rhett o rick May 2014 #15
Exactly. We are allowed legitimate criticism and the president mountain grammy May 2014 #17
Actually, the depressing thing is, snot May 2014 #21
Sadly true, and before Bush. I've watched it since Reagan did away with the Fairness Doctrine. mountain grammy May 2014 #28
Thank you, QFS.. This isn't over and I'm sure Pres Obama respects Bill Moyers input. Cha May 2014 #18
"Blistering" is what racists do. OnyxCollie May 2014 #46
... SammyWinstonJack May 2014 #56
K&R 99Forever May 2014 #24
Thank you, Bill Moyers. woo me with science May 2014 #26
THIS is what has to stop unless we want a total takeover of this country by Corporations. sabrina 1 May 2014 #30
Thank you. Enthusiast May 2014 #39
I doubt a majority of the people want that. But we are seeing the exposure of more and more sabrina 1 May 2014 #41
Which is why there are ex Monsanto folks at the FDA... truebrit71 May 2014 #43
Yes, and former Security Contractors head our top Security Agencies. And yet, with all this evidence sabrina 1 May 2014 #44
Important post. woo me with science May 2014 #49
I voted for PBO twice navarth May 2014 #45
Racist! Paulite! Doesn't understand chess!!!!! And worse... Doctor_J May 2014 #47
K and R for Bill. n/t Smarmie Doofus May 2014 #48
The pressure on any Democratic president to turn hard right must be overwhelming for indepat May 2014 #50
Which is why a part of our job is to make sure they have no space to do so TheKentuckian May 2014 #58
kick woo me with science May 2014 #53
This is so outragous. Even when we "win" we lose. myrna minx May 2014 #57
The promise isn't broken yet Jemon May 2014 #59

BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
3. :(
Fri May 2, 2014, 09:25 PM
May 2014

not happy to read this. particularly hard, being very pro-PBO myself.

but, Bill Moyers is one of the few good ones out there. read I must.

WalterCronk

(2 posts)
10. More to B Moyers than meets the eye
Fri May 2, 2014, 10:14 PM
May 2014

I saw a blerb about Bill Moyers a few years back that really surprised me. I always thought he did pretty good work, but then I found out how he was getting funding and then all kinds of special deals to the rights and royalties to things he didn't really fund or own, or shouldn't anyway. I lost a lot of respect for him.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
27. Wow. Quickest smear ever!
Sat May 3, 2014, 11:42 AM
May 2014

Whatever it is you read, what Moyers SAYS here is the important thing.
Like Snowden, what Moyers says cannot be swept under the rug with attacks against him.
Welcome to DU.
Got some links?

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
31. I saw that smear on a far Right Wing forum re Moyers ten years ago, but never saw a shred
Sat May 3, 2014, 12:54 PM
May 2014

of proof from them. Maybe you can provide provide proof of something even the Right Wing Noise Machine finally gave up on?

Didn't take long for the 'toss yet another great Journalist under the bus' to appear. Lol!

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
32. Isn't the Internet fun
Sat May 3, 2014, 01:30 PM
May 2014

when you can make up all kinds of bull shit and post it thinking people will be dumb enough to accept it without reasonable logical foundation? You are definitely on the wrong website. Make a hard right and head toward the neon "F".

Divernan

(15,480 posts)
40. Is there more to WalterCronk "than meets the eye".
Sat May 3, 2014, 03:43 PM
May 2014

I knew Walter Cronkite, and you are no WalterCronk(ite). Your uncited, vague attempt to smear Bill Moyers is the antithesis of Walter Cronkite's reporting. Walter Cronkite dealt in cold hard facts. He was as honorable a reporter as this country has ever known - right up there with Edward R. Murrow! And here you are, having joined DU less than 24 hours ago, posting "I saw a blerb about Bill Moyers a few years back". And this from someone who joined DU 45 minutes before posting this smear?

Pray, do enlighten us all with facts which are documented. How much funding, what years, what special deals, what rights and royalties. And how do on earth does someone "fund or own rights and royalties which they shouldn't own?" That's pure garble-garble.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
37. I think we need to entertain the possibility that sometimes the President
Sat May 3, 2014, 02:42 PM
May 2014

is on the wrong side on some issues.

BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
38. of course!
Sat May 3, 2014, 02:49 PM
May 2014

That's why I asked for more substance. Snarky piling on doesn't help me understand the issue.

Edit to add, there are some intelligent critiques in this thread that I appreciate.

BlindTiresias

(1,563 posts)
6. Doesn't seem
Fri May 2, 2014, 09:42 PM
May 2014

Very many leading progressives care for Obama anymore. Will this deter the apologia crew? Nope.

WalterCronk

(2 posts)
8. Well, let's face it
Fri May 2, 2014, 10:06 PM
May 2014

You know, I lost a lot of faith in the system too. I don't know who to trust anymore. We the peoples kno we can't trust the repubs, but I don't think POTUS has been as truthful and open as they told us they were going to be.

Dustlawyer

(10,495 posts)
19. No apologia from mia! Socially Democratic, but 100% owned by Wall Street!
Sat May 3, 2014, 02:13 AM
May 2014

It's like Wall Street has their finger on the financial nuke and Obama MUST do what they say. Oh wait, there is always the money!
He sold out to BP and their non-existent 20 billion dollar fund. No prosecutions of anyone in the Financial Sector, the shit just goes on and on. The Progressives in the media (there are a few), at least the honest ones, are getting more and more critical of Obama. He understands the Wall Street guys hold the real power.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
42. I think it was fairly obvious from very early on...
Sat May 3, 2014, 05:01 PM
May 2014

...that candidate Obama was a very different person than President Obama...hell I remember candidate Obama saying he would walk the picket lines to defend workers rights...never quite happened that way though...

QuestForSense

(653 posts)
14. I would hardly call it a blistering.
Fri May 2, 2014, 11:00 PM
May 2014

It's a legitimate criticism. Believe me, HE can take it. He's not Jesus, he's not Kim Jong-un, he's not even Hillary Rodham Clinton! He's a real person doing the hardest job in the world.

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
15. Of course he can take it. What's that supposed to mean. Do you know what a
Fri May 2, 2014, 11:35 PM
May 2014

promise means? The point is that he isnt trying to keep the promise. He appointed someone that doesnt share our goals for net neutrality. He isnt trying.

mountain grammy

(26,623 posts)
17. Exactly. We are allowed legitimate criticism and the president
Sat May 3, 2014, 12:14 AM
May 2014

and the FCC have been swayed before by public opinion.

snot

(10,530 posts)
21. Actually, the depressing thing is,
Sat May 3, 2014, 11:05 AM
May 2014

the FCC's history going back at least as far as Bush is one of ignoring the largest public outcries in history, in favor of allowing further concentration of power over media in the hands of big corporations.

mountain grammy

(26,623 posts)
28. Sadly true, and before Bush. I've watched it since Reagan did away with the Fairness Doctrine.
Sat May 3, 2014, 12:33 PM
May 2014

But, I still have hope, and it's the free internet that's given it to me. Maybe I'm just dumb, but I hope people will really jump into it over this issue.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
30. THIS is what has to stop unless we want a total takeover of this country by Corporations.
Sat May 3, 2014, 12:48 PM
May 2014
Moyers explained that Obama’s choice to head the commission, Tom Wheeler, not only “bundled” more than $500,000 for Obama’s successful re-election campaign, but also a “top gun” for the cable and telecommunications industries.


Remember what a 'scandal' it was to the 'left' when Bush Bundlers were exposed?

Are we now okay with what we once knew was the reason for all that has gone wrong with this country?

And shouldn't THIS be a huge issue now for any Presidential Candidate, 'WHO WILL YOU APPOINT TO YOUR CABINET'? We elected Democrats, and got Republicans back in power in key positions, in Security, Defense etc anyhow.

How many Progressive Dems are in key positions in this President's cabinet??

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
39. Thank you.
Sat May 3, 2014, 02:50 PM
May 2014

"We elected Democrats, and got Republicans back in power in key positions, in Security, Defense etc anyhow."

This should be a WTF moment for ALL DEMOCRATS but apparently even this move cannot get through.

Failing to criticize the President isn't helping the cause. This should be receiving universal condemnation. Unless, of course, we want a strictly controlled cable TV-like internet.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
41. I doubt a majority of the people want that. But we are seeing the exposure of more and more
Sat May 3, 2014, 04:03 PM
May 2014

of those in power, who DO. And yes, this should cause the same outrage it did whenever Bush and his cronies in Corporate America were exposed trying to do the same kind of thing.

On the good side, DU is not the place to gauge the outrage regarding these issues which seem to be piling up day by day, anymore. There IS outrage, my email is inundated by calls to try to stop this from Liberal Organizations, some even now joining with normally political foes, since this will affect everyone. So while we no longer see much outrage on DU over eg, proposals to cut SS benefits, even defenses of these policies shamefully, there is incredible reaction and organizing out there to try to save the Internet, once again, from these predatory capitalists. So I am hopeful that they will be pushed back once again, at least temporarily since we are in an election year, from continuing down this path.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
43. Which is why there are ex Monsanto folks at the FDA...
Sat May 3, 2014, 05:04 PM
May 2014

...and ex Wall Street wolves in the Treasury...the list goes on and on...the game is rigged and we are all going to get screwed...

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
44. Yes, and former Security Contractors head our top Security Agencies. And yet, with all this evidence
Sat May 3, 2014, 05:16 PM
May 2014

staring them in the face, there are still a few who are twisting themselves into pretzels trying to tell us we are not seeing what we are seeing. THEY are complicit in the rigged game continuing because if all of the people ever united against these policies, we might have a chance to stop them.

navarth

(5,927 posts)
45. I voted for PBO twice
Sat May 3, 2014, 05:42 PM
May 2014

and I really get pissed at him when he does stuff like this.

I cannot imagine ANY rationale for him to let stuff like this happen unless he is indeed a corporatist.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
47. Racist! Paulite! Doesn't understand chess!!!!! And worse...
Sat May 3, 2014, 06:12 PM
May 2014

has boxes in his garage!

I am surprised that someone as experienced as Moyers stills believes the president will keep his word on anything.

indepat

(20,899 posts)
50. The pressure on any Democratic president to turn hard right must be overwhelming for
Sat May 3, 2014, 08:22 PM
May 2014

powerful forces will see to it the whims of the plutocrats are met.

TheKentuckian

(25,026 posts)
58. Which is why a part of our job is to make sure they have no space to do so
Mon May 5, 2014, 12:35 PM
May 2014

instead of talking about lesser evils, rationalizing, making excuses, waiting and seeing, and spinning.

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