Dec 19, 2005

thou shalt not watch analog

Feb. 2009 Could Be End Of Analog TV
House lawmakers approved legislation early Monday that would complete the transition to all-digital television broadcasts by Feb. 17, 2009. The measure also would allocate up to $1.5 billion to help consumers with older, analog TV sets purchase converter boxes so they would continue to get service in the digital era. The date for all-digital and the subsidy were included in a broader deficit-cutting bill that the Senate could take up later Monday.
Well this is one of the most offensive things Congress has pulled out of its ass recently, and that's saying something.
Why is it any business of the federal government what kind of signals are broadcast by television networks? Why is it any business of the federal government what kind of television signals I can receive in my home? Why is it the responsibility of the federal government to provide new technologies to people who otherwise could not afford it? Why is it the responsibility of the federal government and not the free market to determine what technologies succeed or fail, and who gets to use them?
Answer: IT ISN'T.
The most offensive part of this story is that this program is being setup within the scope of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Congress is actually creating a $1.5 billion program to buy people digital converter boxes while trying to convince us that they're actually concerned about the budget. This is such a joke.
A vote of no confidence isn't looking so bad these days...

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