Comcast CEO Endorses Heath Care Reform, Says It Will Put Nation On Path To Prosperity

[jefferson_dem]

Not exactly the sort of endorsement some want to see (who doesn't hate Comcast?). Interesting nonetheless...

Comcast CEO Endorses Heath Care Reform, Says It Will Put Nation On Path To Prosperity

This is interesting: The CEO of Comcast — which is in the news today because of its huge takeover of NBC — has just penned a letter to the president, endorsing his health care reform effort as “critical to putting this country on a path of sustained growth and prosperity.”

The letter, which was sent over by a source, puts the CEO of one of the most visible companies in the country directly at odds with claims by some business groups and Republicans that health care reform is a job killer and amounts to a threat to the private sector.

Here’s the key bit, in a discussion of today’s jobs summit:

Because of our announcement today that we have formed a joint venture with General Electric consisting ofNBCU’s businesses and Comcast’s cable networks, I am unable to attend the Summit. I very much appreciate the outreach to the business community, and want to express one ofthe thoughts I intended to make at the Summit –that enactment of comprehensive health care reform legislation is, in my judgment, critical to putting this country on a path ofsustained growth and prosperity.…

While there has been much controversy and debate over hundreds of provisions and alternatives, it is my view that the current legislation pending in the Senate provides a workable framework for this country to take an important step toward enhancing health care accessibility, promoting operational efficiencies and technological innovation, and reducing the cost of health care and the federal deficit…

I want to commend you for your dedication to health care reform and for the remarkable progres that has been achieved in this area under your leadership. We cannot allow perfection to stand in the way of critically needed and very good legislation, which is why I support your efforts. Comcast stands ready to assist you and this nation in the effort to enact sensible health care reform.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/comcast-ceo-writes-obama-your-heath-care-efforts-will-put-nation-on-path-to-prosperity/

[Better Today]

1. Methinks someone is trying to get in good graces so as to have the

anti-trust review of their purchase of NBC go a bit easier.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. "Why, thank you, Eddie..."

[graywarrior]

4. LOL

You can almost see the grease in their hair.

[depakid]

3. This is going to be a huge test for the administration

Nothing positive can or will come from this consolidation- and Comcast will no more follow and "restrictions" than GE did when it bought NBC in 1986.

[FrenchieCat]

5. How is it a huge "test" for the Administration?

Please tell what can the Administration do? I was unaware that it can stop a purchase. Can it? And if so, how?

[depakid]

7. More media consolidation- and there's A TON the administration can do

at various levels to stop this outright.

My suspicion is however that- like the Clinton administration- they'll choose to pander to tje corporate media- and everyone (in America) will pay the price.

And like the "new" Democrats that they are- my suspicion is that they'll make all sorts of lame excuses for why they choose not to act in the public interest.

[Hutzpa]

6. I would like to hear an explanation

of what this administration can do to stop this too.

[depakid]

8. FCC, FTC and the Justice Department Anti-Trust division to start

There's a reason why these agencies exist.

There are also a host of other "disincentives" that can persuade corporations not to pursue a disfavored course of action- but of course those involve concepts like accountability- and wielding power, which don't seem to this administration's forte.

Except of course, when it's bashing the progressive base.

[Hutzpa]

9. But how can this administration stop this

from happening, what has this got to do with the Obama administration?

I know of the FCC, FTC etc, thats what led me into asking you my question.

[depakid]

12. You asking for a primer on anti-trust and broadcast law regulation

There are probably a dozen ways to stop this from going forward.

Here's one avenue:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/how-the-fcc-might-stop-the-comcastnbc-merger.ars

And here's why the administration would be wise to reject the Clinton approach:

http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog/2009/12/mega-media-era-begins-as-comcastnbc-merger-nears/

[FrenchieCat]

10. I thought it was congress that could stop it,

based on the law and how it is written.

The 1996 Telecommunications Act is in full force....
and has not been revised by congress.

[depakid]

15. Congress could too!

[onenote]

11. don't those agencies have to enforce the laws as written?

they can't just block a combination of companies cause they don't like it. there has to be a sustainable legal basis for blocking it. Whether that case can be made is hard for anyone here to say without knowing exactly what the final combination will look like. For example, what pieces of one or both companies will be spun off?

There used to be prohibitions on cable/broadcast network cross ownership and cable/broadcast station cross ownership. The former was repealed by Congress in 1996 and the latter was thrown out by the courts in 2000. Both of those decisions may have been unwise, but its not as if the FCC and the DOJ or FTC can simply pretend that they didn't happen.

[depakid]

13. The FCC has rule making authority over media ownership

which they will be required to assess next year and the FTC has authority over anti-competitive behavior & mergers.

If ever there was an anti-competitive deal that will illustrate the evils of vertical integration it's this one.

Your media has already created a culture of lies where the people of your nation can no longer engage in informed public discourse- because your stations spread disinformation and false statements of fact- and even your newspapers print outright lies- and elevate absurd statements to positions of equal prominence with demonstrably truthful ones.

The way to start remedying that is with de-consolidation and re-regulation with accountability mechanisms and licensing renewal that actually means station must offer something back to the public as the Communications Act envisioned.

Fail to do that and you fall even faster toward third world status.

See, I don't think most people have any idea how utterly appalling the consolidated media has become in this country- since they've never taken much time to see what it's like in other western nations. Nor do they remember whn you actually had an accountable and somewhat ethical- and HONEST broadcast spectrum and press.

[annabanana]

14. Ah.. a PR initiative. .

I guess it was to be expected.

[neshanic still]

16. Meanwhile at Comcast headquarters, Brian Roberts plans ahead...

"You know Mr. Roberts, we are going into a headwind on this NBC buy."

"Jesus, do you read the papers or was that not in the lectures at Harvard Business School?"

"Sir"

"Unbelievable, I have to do this all myself? Leak out a letter that we here at Comcast are behind the healthcare legislation. This will give us some ass kissing points with the FCC which will give us what we want anyway, and tamp down the nuts that hate us. How can someone hate us when we want them to have healthcare, that is if they don't have us as a cable provider...

"Oh I see..."

"Of course we don't give a shit, and don't want it and will handle our needs through our usual people."