Worse Than Seattle's Super Bowl Call? The Media's Calls on Government Power Grabs

You Called What?

Seton Motley, Contributing Author: The Seattle Seahawks - in a moment of profound foolishness - forsook Beast Mode for Least Mode. And it cost them the Super Bowl. But they can take ever so slight solace - the Media has been in Least Mode for decades.

This has been on prominent display throughout the Barack Obama Administration - and certainly when it comes to the Administration’s many, MANY unilateral power grabs.

First, a bit of a Constitutional primer for a Media that seems to desperately need it. Congress is the Legislative Branch. They write laws - which the President then signs. Said President presides over the Executive Branch. His many, many, MANY Departments, Agencies, Commissions and Boards are then - and only then - charged with executing the legislation Congress first composed.

This horse-first-then-cart approach has for the last century-plus been incrementally, inexorably drowned out by increasingly loud unilateral power grabs. This President has cranked the volume to eleven. The Media remain seemingly stone deaf.

This Administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - and it’s Obama-campaign-coin-bundling Chairman Tom Wheeler - are teeing up a February 26 near-total Internet takeover. All by themselves - with zero legislation passed and in place. The Administration keeps expanding its intended power grab - which the Media blindly, un-analytically reports.

What follows is but a sample of the Media’s cavalcade of terribleness.How Did An Idea That Seemed Like A Long Shot Win The Net Neutrality Debate? - ForbesHow? An unelected bureaucracy decides to unilaterally power grab - that’s how. The idea didn’t “win.” It would have won had in November Democrats swept to victorious control of both Houses of Congress, then passed a Huge Government Internet regulation law. As everyone - besides the Media, apparently - knows, that didn’t happen.Net Neutrality Battle Pitches Activists and FCC Against Big Cable and GOP — The GuardianBig Cable, the GOP…and the Constitution. If you want new government authority - the Constitution mandates that the grant thereof originate in Congress.Republicans Try to Pre-Empt the F.C.C. — New York TimesSpeaking of cart-before-the-horse. Republicans are trying to adhere to the Constitutional order of things. The Media view this as partisan power grab pre-emption.How FCC Chair Took Control of Internet

Tom Wheeler is poised to propose some of the toughest rules possible. — PoliticoWheeler can’t “take” control of anything - he can only assume control of what Congress has granted him control. He can’t propose anything - he can only execute what Congress has legislated he execute.FCC Chairman Warns: The GOP’s Net Neutrality Bill Could Jeopardize Broadband’s ‘Vast Future’ — Washington Post The measured, debated legislative process “jeopardize(s) broadband’s vast future?” But the incredible, perpetual uncertainty of the “What will they commandeer next?”-unilateral-Obama-Administration-power-grabs doesn’t?Netflix Deals With Broadband Providers Said to Get Oversight — BloombergThis is an eleventh hour, brand new power grab. Of these “peering interconnection agreements” the FCC in April 2014 said - and Verge reported:"Peering and interconnection are not under consideration….”Now, suddenly, they are. Apparently the Media forget reporting what the FCC said.Just Whose Internet Is It? New Federal Rules May Answer That — Associated PressNo, federal rules don’t answer anything. Federal law - and the debate prior to passing it - does. And “whose Internet is it?” The companies who have already invested more than $1 trillion building it certainly have some ownership rights. Fifth Amendment, anyone? The Media apparently doesn’t understand that either.GOP Not Happy FCC Is Keeping Neutrality Rules Secret — DSL ReportsJust the GOP? Not the Media? I thought the Media wanted transparency - certainly after they breathlessly, unquestioningly reported the now-ridiculous Obama Administration claims to be the most transparent administration in history.

At least the Media are admitting that the desire for open government is a partisan issue.

We could cite examples of this particular Media bias for days and DAYS. They are 180 degrees wrong and completely backwards. They exhibit zero comprehension of how the government is supposed to operate.

But what else is new? They remain hopelessly lost in Least Mode.

If Seattle had it to do over again - they’d absolutely hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch. The Media, however, remain steadfastly impervious to facts.
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Seton Motley is the President of Less Government and he contributes to ARRA News Service. Please feel free to follow him him on Twitter   /   Facebook.

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