General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "The Buck Stops at the FCC"-(Net Neutrality) [View all]elleng
(141,926 posts)Your post was more than OK, quite informative.
I have a problem with Wu's statement/conclusion about President Obama. After all, the FCC (and the former ICC, and the SEC and many others) are INDEPENDENT regulatory agencies, NOT cabinet agencies, their members are named by Presidents and approved by congress, but they do NOT take orders from any administration.
An independent regulatory agency is a regulatory agency that is independent from other branches or arms of the government.
Regulatory agencies deal in the area of administrative lawregulation or rulemaking (codifying and enforcing rules and regulations and imposing supervision or oversight for the benefit of the public at large). The existence of independent regulatory agencies is justified by the complexity of certain regulatory and supervisory tasks that require expertise, the need for rapid implementation of public authority in certain sectors, and the drawbacks of political interference. Some independent regulatory agencies perform investigations or audits, and some are authorized to fine the relevant parties and order certain measures.
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