Edited for Brevity
In a stinging rebuke, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House committee that oversees telecommunications issues has condemned as "a national embarrassment to Democrats" a new Illinois law pushed by party members that gives a competitive edge to SBC in the local phone market.
For context, the president of SBC is Bill Daley. Yes, THAT Bill Daley who tried to steal the Florida election. Looks like he's working that ole' magic up in his homestate now with the assistance, no doubt, of his brother, Mayor Daley.
"The Democratic Party is supposed to stand for consumers, for small businesses and for a level playing field," said U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
No, Conyers, you ought to know better. It stands for shakedowns and reparations and other such nonsense.
"But in smoke-filled backrooms, with waft of lobby dollars thick in the air, key Democrats seemed to throw these traditional principles overboard, and with them millions of consumers who are now going to be paying higher telephone bills."
Also known in Democratic circles as "the good old days". Boss Tweed would be proud.
Conyers, who warned that the new law could haunt the party in future Illinois elections, has long complained about what he contends are efforts by SBC and other so-called Baby Bell phone providers [BellSouth, Qwest and Verizon] to hamper competition in local markets.
This is definitely an issue that a Republican can run on in the open Senate seat. This was strong-armed political lobbying at its worst. |