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Obama’s DTV delay dies in the House, thanks to Republicans

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  January 28th, 2009 at 04:18 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

President Obama wants to delay the long-announced, long-planned, long-desired-by-first-responders transition from analog to digital television broadcasts. By replacing the old, large-bandwidth-consuming NTSC standard with the new, sharper, narrow-bandwidth ATSC, we create lots of room in the radio spectrum for other broadcasts, including those by firefighters, police, and other public safety workers.

However Obama wants to delay it for a few months, claiming that people aren’t ready. This despite the fact that anyone with cable or satellite is unaffected, vouchers for free set-top boxes have been around for months, and every broadcast station has been warning about the transition. The President thinks we’re idiots, it seems.

No matter, the Senate agreed and passed a bill implementing his wishes unanimously. On it went to the House for another easy pass? Not so fast. Democrats got confident and tried to do a quick-and-easy passage according to the suspension of the rules procedure. That procedure bypasses the normal process but requires a supermajority vote.

The Obama delay bill did not get that supermajority vote. It got a majority, but to pass notwithstanding the rules it needed significant Republican support. 258-168 was the final vote, but 290 were needed for passage.

Let’s cheer the House Republican Caucus for a job well done. He won. He doesn’t need us, remember?

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COMMENTS

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  • gekster

    Do I see a glimmer of hope?

    Barton led the push to scuttle the bill,

    “In my opinion, we could do nothing worse than to delay this transition date,” said Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the House Commerce Committee. “The bill is a solution looking for a problem that exists mostly in the mind of the Obama administration.”

  • anodized

    So the Republicans stopped the Obama tide. Over a TV bill. Break out the party hats and streamers? No, thanks.

    I get the final point that this shows Republicans can’t be totally ignored in the 111th Congress, however, what have they really achieved? People are talking about a $900 billion stimulus package. Show me some Republican resolve and clout when that comes up for a vote and then maybe we’ll have something to cheer about.

    And, for the love of all that is holy, please, Republicans, do not let them buy you off with tax cuts. At some point our nation’s back will break under the weight of federal debt. You don’t want to be culpable for that.

  • woodsman

    If this was set in motion for some time and then delayed, I seriously doubt the reason for delaying it was in anyone’s best interest…unless as I seem to remember reading somewhere Obama wanted to pay back some favors.

    He seems to be doing a lot of work in the first few days that I can only surmise is to get something done before too many people find out what is occurring.

    On the other hand, I would like to know who the did vote for it and see if they have a credible reason?

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Do it again and your account will be disabled.

    This is your one warning.

  • chrisie

    I’m glad the DTV delay died. This would’ve cost taxpayers even more money. I don’t understand how anyone could not be prepared for the DTV switch. The February 17 switch date scroll has been running across each aired television show daily for the past year. If someone hasn’t purchased their convertor box yet, or gotten their government coupons, here’s an idea: just go out and purchase one at full price you ding-a-ling! The average prices of boxes run between $40-$60

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Ding-a-ling. Heh.

  • bk

    1) Point out that Republicans hate the mostly poor people who need these boxes.
    2) Let’s add “free” cable for everyone who “can’t afford” it but “needs” it to the stimulus package.

  • LaBonBon

    I’m glad it failed–just because it represents a small failure for Obama.

    With that said, the converter boxes are not free. Each household is eligible to receive two coupons worth $40 each. With the cheaper boxes you then have to pay about $10 each. I have seven TVs so had to pay full price for the remaining five sets.

    I feel bad for many seniors as the sound quality with the new digital TV is very poor. Anyone with hearing difficulty will be very disadvantaged.

    By the way, in case anyone wonders, I refuse to buy cable or satellite TV because I will NOT financially support a medium that I feel is biased and in large part responsible for the election of B. Hussein Obama.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Where did you get that? Can you document ATSC sound being inferior to that of NTSC?

  • anodized

    You are free to ignore it.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • anodized

    Because clearly we’re at a point of disagreement regarding what “threadjacking” looks like, a discussion that doesn’t belong here. You may have already banned me. So be it. If this makes it up, it will be my last post on this thread.

  • Skanderbeg

    Neil, as a public service :-) there are two possibilities:

    1) This thing still isn’t stable yet, and many of the “DTV” slots aren’t up to full power yet; at the margins, sometimes the sound can be iffy while the picture is okay. This doesn’t happen here and I have no idea why it *would* happen, but I’ve heard a similar complaint from elsewhere. The bottom line for the moment is that if you can get reasonable results now, things should be cool when the power in ALL the slots is ramped up on 2/17. Basic advice is to not do any major “infrastructure” stuff until after then.

    2) That said, one oddity I’ve noticed is that for the boxes, you have to turn the volume clicker WAY up to get the sound level up. Once you do that, you can just leave it at 100 or whatever and then control the fine-as-needed adjustment of the sound level using the remote on your old TV (which is now a glorified projection screen).

  • George Claghorn

    1) This is a threadjack. In fact, you’re turning it into a threadjack about whether or not you actually threadjacked. And it doesn’t matter whether or not you think it’s a threadjack. If a moderator or a director tells you it’s a threadjack and not to do it again, you get down on your knees and say, “yes master” or take your banning and leave.

    2) No, there isn’t a PM function, because I think the directors wanted to keep conversations out in the open. However, if you have an issue with Neil, take it up with him via the “contact” link in the masthead.

  • Finrod

    Analog television broadcast is one of those standards that worked far better and far longer than it had any right to. It’s kind of a shame that it’s being sacrificed on the altar of cellphone bandwidth. I’m told that the last remaining producer of laserdiscs is getting out of the business this year, so this really is the last hurrah for analog television.

    In 10 years, kids will look at us when we talk about VHF and UHF with the same kind of blank look as kids do now when we talk about leaded vs. unleaded gasoline.

  • Aaron Gardner

    Thanks for wasting $80 of tax payer money freeloader.

  • Han_Pritcher

    I think it’s long since past time to move on to digital broadcast only. That spectrum was being very poorly allocated.

  • Flagstaff

    the tuners on your old video recording devices (VCRs for me) no longer serve a purpose.

  • Flagstaff

    Perhaps he paid way more than that INTO the tax process and hasn’t had any other benefit at all.

    Besides, to complain about anybody exercising his right to accept what the government is giving away seems to me to be very anti-conservative.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Just take your tax issue elsewhere.

    OK?

    Mgmt.

  • USNJIMRET

    I honestly didn’t expect any of Mr Obama’s agenda to fail, or at least not so early on or in such an obvious manner. (Poor(?) judgment by Pelosi and Co.?)
    Can only hope that it doesn’t turn out to be one of a mere handful of setbacks.
    We’ll see.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    If he really is talking about HD signals having the greater range, and therefore a greater need to turn up the volume like one has to with DVDs when switching from your typical television broadcast, then he’s ranting in ignorance, heh.

    But you make it sound like he’s making some huge point. You’re so nice. :-)

  • Hera

    I agree this is good because it represents a small failure for Obama who were reminded daily has high approval ratings and a democratic congress.So he’s supposed to be able to do whatever he wants. Amusing that the GOP managed to roll the Dems on this legislation in the House.

  • bs

    the government forced this digital switchover on us so they could peddle the leftover spectrum for big bucks. Why should *I* absorb the expense of buying a new TV because THEY changed the frequency allocation? Damn right I am gonna get their coupons. I got my two and I used ‘em (and I am using the boxes as well)

  • itrytobenice

    One of the companies (Sprint? Verizon? Can’t remember which one) gifted BO with loads of cash but their competition was going to be able to compete more effectively against them when the digital standards kicked in. Therefore, they could make a few extra millions if BO put off the transition for a few months.

    Good job to Rs for advocating sticking to the plan.

  • http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

    Or would opponents be able to delay the bill with parliamentary manuevers beyong the transition deadline?

    I thought Nancy had rigged the House rules that they could ram just about anything through without Republican input or delay. Why did they need to go with a suspension of the rules in this case?

    What derailed this train?

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    That takes time even if Republicans do nothing about it.

    I assume they thought they’d get no Republican opposition, same as in the Senate.

  • woodsman

    Whichever company it was, the CEO(?) was a contributor to the BHO campaign and it seemed BHO wanted to put this fox in charge of the chicken coop.

  • Aaron Gardner

    But complaining about how he has to pay full price for the other 5 TV’s….I mean come on.

  • bs
  • Praveen

    you seem to agree its still a victory. At least this sets the tone and helps organize the resistance.

    I am personally a person who celebrates every little victory and takes every single defeat to heart.

    Will be good for you if you start enjoying little victories.

    I love it just for the fact this is the second nice thing in one day.

  • bs