Re: Regulatory Capture
commenter in another thread used the phrase "regulatory capture"
[Waves].
And the FCC is only the most egregious example (and it happens over here too) - bodies that theoretically regulate an industry end up stuffed with industry insiders who (at the best) neuter the regulator and, at worst, make corrupt laws to benefit the industry that sponsers them.
Which is why banking regulations were unregulated. Which is why Boeing could get away with (effectively) being allowed to mark their own homework and why Pai can get away with blatantly working for the benefit of the big telecoms companies (Verizon in particular).
The worst part is that, if you block people moving from industry to the regulator, the efficiency of the regulator goes down. But (IMHO) it's better to have a less-effective regulator rather than a regulator actively working on behalf of the industry they are supposed to be regulating rather than the consumer.
And it's not a problem confined to any particular party (also the right-wingers here and in the US are somewhat more blatant about it) - it's kind of inherent in the system.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
