Mr. Mojo Risin’

“The time for talk is over,” Obama bellowed. “The time for action is now. Because we know if we do not act, a bad situation will become dramatically worse. Crisis could turn into catastrophe.” Was that the new president channeling Jim Morrison and bringing those bygone fire-breathing lyrics back to life, revving up the rhetoric on why contrarian lawmakers should stop hurling bombs at economic stimulus legislation and find common ground so they can pass and send a bill to him to sign? No, probably not. It would be very politically incorrect for the Oval Office. Still, the Morrison-like burning passion is undeniable in Obama’s clarion call for Capitol Hill to act as economic indicators worsen by the day.
For wireless and other telecom sectors, the real catastrophe would be seeing funding for broadband grants and tax cuts – which some stakeholders believe is too small already – scaled back or eviscerated altogether in light of the projection by the Congressional Budget Office that the private sector won’t see much of the money in the near term. That outlook goes against the grain of what constitutes a stimulus, a theme Republicans – and some Democrats too – have harped on in attacking an economic recovery package they believe should be scaled back from the Senate’s $900 billion-plus version of the bill.
The sense of urgency conveyed by Obama was also employed by House Democrats in floor debate leading to passage of legislation to switch the deadline for digital TV transition from Feb. 17 to June 12. The-sky-is-falling rhetoric is nothing new in politics. Sometimes, like during these days of economic doom-and-gloom and right after 9/11 when former President Bush got congressional signoff on sweeping homeland security legislation, such alarmist howling is legitimate and indeed necessary, given lawmakers’ perilous proclivity to fuss among themselves while Rome burns. Many times, though, the cynical application of the politics of fear tends to be counterproductive. Whether pursued with noble intentions or for pure ideological gain, colossal bills crafted for swift congressional passage during times of emergency are often fertile for mischief and missteps – innocent and otherwise.
The bright-red heightened alert level associated with the DTV debacle, which will force wireless providers to hang on for an additional four months before they can get their hands on 700 MHz licenses they paid nearly $20 billion for at auction last year, appears to be a tad overdone. Michael Copps, the ably conscientious acting head of the Federal Communications Commission, has understandably made the DTV transition Job No. 1. Not much else in terms of substantive policy – including big ticket wireless items – is apt to get off the ground until a permanent chairman is in place. Nearly everyone has Julius Genachowski nominated to FCC chair. All that’s needed is for Obama to make it official so the Senate can confirm him. Sometime soon, the FCC needs to move beyond DTV to other pressing matters. To paraphrase Obama, the time for hesitation is through.