more on MICHAEL K. POWELL'S GOLDEN REVOLVING DOOR

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Again I agree. As an APPROVE:1965
my salary was at UPenn level much more than most FCCers got and still  
I took a pay cut in that I did no consulting during my term.

Dave

Begin forwarded message:

From: Patrick Ross <Pross () pff org>
Date: August 12, 2005 2:55:04 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net, Ip Ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: RE: [IP] MICHAEL K. POWELL'S GOLDEN REVOLVING DOOR


Dave,

I've seen this screed by Jeff Chester elsewhere, and I'll confess I
don't understand it.

Has anyone thought of the implications here? First of all, why should
FCC chairs and commissioners agree not to do not-for-profit work for a
time after they leave, when other public officials have no such
restrictions? The FCC isn't the only government agency that deals with
corporate America. I imagine the response is "Well, let's mandate it for
every public official."

Okay, so what then? Some of our forefathers didn't want politicians to
be paid because they were concerned about improper motivation. But
others pointed out that in that case only the independently wealthy
would serve. That would hardly be representative of a country with a
thriving middle class.

Many FCC chairs and commissioners take pay cuts to work there.  That's
true of bureau chiefs and 8th floor staff as well. Now, Jeff and Dwayne
would have them not only take a pay cut while they are in public office,
but for an undefined number of years after their service is complete.
They likely were skilled in telecom before the FCC, have sharpened
skills after their tenure, but can't put that to use in the job market
the way anyone who didn't work at the FCC can. Instead, they have to go
do some job that may not appeal to them as part of the price of being at
the FCC.

I work for a nonprofit think tank, and this would be great for us,
because we'd try to hire a bunch of ex-commissioners and chairmen,
Republican and Democrat. We can't afford them now, of course. But I'm
trying to look beyond my parochial interest here and figure out how
anyone could give this a moment's thought and not feel that such a move
in fact would all but dry up the pool of people willing to leave private
practice and enter public service.

Patrick Ross
VP-Communications & External Affairs
The Progress & Freedom Foundation
1444 Eye Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC  20005
202.289.8928 office
202.680.2445 mobile
www.pff.org
ipcentral.info


-----Original Message-----
From: David Farber [mailto:dave () farber net]
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 2:21 PM
To: Ip Ip
Subject: [IP] MICHAEL K. POWELL'S GOLDEN REVOLVING DOOR



Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: August 12, 2005 8:38:45 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] MICHAEL K. POWELL'S GOLDEN REVOLVING DOOR
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com


[Note:  I posted an item about Powell's new job yesterday.  Now
here's some reaction.  I have to say that I'm in agreement with the
commentary from the Center for Digital Democracy.  DLH]

MICHAEL K. POWELL'S GOLDEN REVOLVING DOOR

[Commentary] The announcement that Michael K. Powell has become a
"Senior Advisor" at Providence Equity Partners is evidence once again
that the "revolving door" between the FCC and the very industries it
oversees should be slammed shut.  Powell joins his fellow former
chairs Richard Wiley, Mark Fowler, Dennis Patrick, Reed Hundt, and
William Kennard, all of whom went from the FCC to work in the media
and telecommunications industries.  With lucrative industry
employment ahead of them, FCC chairs (and most commissioners) have a
built-in conflict of interest.  They simply can't take the
independent positions necessary to fulfill their responsibilities to
the public -- and to the public interest. In the "free-market"
economy of Washington DC and Wall Street, being a political "quick
change" artist and then going to work for an industry one once
oversaw is considered a mark of success.  But the practice does a
disservice to the public, including workers, investors, and
competitors. Chairs and Commissioners should pledge that they will
work in the nonprofit sector for a reasonable period after the serve
in office.  Otherwise, there will always be the concern that  pro-Big
Media philosophies are simply part of resumes for a highly-paid post-
FCC gigs.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]

<http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/
FCCrevolvingdoor.html>

* Former FCC Chairman To Join Investment Firm
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/11/
AR2005081101943.html>

* Michael Powell goes to Providence Equity
<http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20050812/powell12.art.htm>


Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>



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