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A Lament for Ted
07/31/2008 14:44
Ted Stevens. Oh Ted. Ted, Ted, Ted. What have you gotten yourself into, sir? But I can’t say I’m surprised. I mean, we’ve all known for a while this was coming. It’s just that I am disappointed in you. Not that I was ever your greatest fan – I never could get on board with your favoritism for the Bells, for example – but as a World War II vet and one of the longest-serving public officials ever, well, I just assumed you knew you were a role model of sorts and that you’d automatically avoid dealings that might compromise your reputation. I mean, think, man! Like Jon Stewart pointed out last night on “The Daily Show,” did you think that “series of tubes” wouldn’t go right to the Department of Justice?? Alas, apparently the siren call of money gets the better of even the best of us. (Yes, yes, I know you’ve pleaded innocent to the corruption charges, but so would anyone.) Of course, a situation such as this makes a person wonder where else you might have gotten some kickbacks and perhaps shaped your policies accordingly. Specifically, I’d be curious to know whether your attempts to rewrite the Telecom Act were influenced by SBC/AT&T, et al? Get any Viking ranges from Ed Whitacre? And was your hilarious, yet head-shaking reference to the Internet as “a series of tubes” a red herring? Were you maybe playing dumb about those darn newfangled technologies so net neutrality advocates might take their fight elsewhere, or give up altogether, and you could get a Land Rover for the wife? Look, none of what I put forth is substantiated, obviously. But your seeming willingness to collude with big business, to abuse a position of power, calls your telecom positions, too, into question.
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