Posted on 01/10/2009 10:47:24 AM PST by Graybeard58
Add the switch to digital TV to the simple tasks the federal government has botched. Consumers Union (CU) wants Congress to delay the nation's conversion from analog to digital because the government-mandated and -run transition has been so poorly implemented, and despite $1.34 billion, woefully underfunded.
The switch resolves a complicated tug of war between the broadcast and cable industries that spanned decades. Four years ago, Congress passed legislation requiring conversion to digital by Feb. 17. As part of the deal, it promised $40 coupons toward the cost of converter boxes, which cost up to $80, for the estimated 10 percent of American households that have analog TV sets and don't subscribe to cable or satellite service.
Naturally, the government underestimated its costs. It did get $19 billion through the sale of the old analog frequencies to wireless broadband companies, but that money is long gone. So six weeks before America is scheduled to go digital, the feds have run out of money for the converters. For the millions of households in the lurch, the conversion has become an unfunded government mandate during the worst economy in generations. Meanwhile, CU questions whether the feds are prepared to handle the flood of calls it expects from confused and frustrated consumers starting Feb. 17.
Ultimately, Congress may pass the buck to retailers by giving consumers converter-box coupons that would be worthless until it can "find" money in the federal budget, which already is $1.2 trillion in deficit, to back them up.
It's bad enough that the government can't balance its budget. But if it isn't competent enough to dispatch its limited role in the digital switch, how can it be trusted to run the financial, automotive and insurance industries?
Ping to a Republican-American Editorial.
If you want on or off this list, let me know.
My tagline is not quite accurate since they did declare war on Germany and Italy the next day.
Now I’m P’d.
I bought a box (without the coupon) to get ready. Tried it, and it works well, but the signal strength is marginal. So I went back to analog fully expecting that I would be able to use the box when conversion time comes and the signals get boosted.
Does anybody in DC know the difference between their rear end and a hole in the ground?
Didn’t think so.
Katrina part two.
And they want to control you healthcare!
Yep and Democrats want to run helthcare! Scarey world we live in!!!
LOL you owe me a coke! ;)
Ah the analog gee with auto making. Congress mandates a technology. Announces it years ago. Allots money for those who have old sets. Results?? No one seems to be ready for mandated change. They need more time and money.
The new auto engine running on wind-bag gas that is to be Congressionally designed and mandated in 2009 for 2013 might have the same fate. Socialism it is not. Fascism it is. Owning the means of production is socialism. Controlling business is fascism
Brilliant.
Incompetence, thy name is “public servant”.
I’m reminded of the old canard (paraphrased) about “you’re stupid if you keep doing the same thing and expect different results”. Public servants have never learned (which is why they are in government) and they never will.
Oh, if you are using Windows, you CAN expect different results when you do the same thing.
Got my coupon and got the box but haven’t hooked it up yet. I read where obamanation will be requesting a delay in the changeover until Congress produces more money for the coupons. Interesting turn of events. Also in rural areas people with boxes that aren’t close to the towers don’t have the reception as people are led to believe.
i have a bigger question. Having lived though hurricane ike and 2 weeks of no power. The night of the storm i used my pocket TV because i couldn’t get out to fire up the generator. Does anyone know what this means for pocket TVs and isn’t there really the potential for a large problem especially during times of emergency which mean no power to make the converter box run?
Government digital tv is good for the government. They can now monitor what every tv watches. They can target their propaganda outcome based programming at the most people with confidence now. Since many tv’s were analog, there was only estimated viewership available.
Digital tv. Lead testing for everything sold after Feb 10th.
Coming soon. Gun control and ammo control like we have never seen. Rats are moving swiftly before people get real resistance organized. Change we can count on........
Stop them now before they screw up anything else.
Only half of the coupons that have been sent out have been used. They are think than can issue some more coupons assuming that people have lost them.
Excellent question that politicians don’t have an answer.
Radio. There are low end digital portals for sale.
I don’t think they can delay the switch. The signals were released and the new right holders have plans to follow. It would be more cost effective to go ahead with the switch and work out the kinks. The govt is too deep into it not to follow through.
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