One of the best ways a federal agency can pursue its own policies is by raising revenue by imposing regulatory fees and penalties on commerce and individual citizens. Recently, the FCC reclassified internet providers as utility companies. No one mentioned this was a cash cow.
FCC member Ajit Pai reported the potential for millions of dollars
that could be shoveled into this agency’s coffers. CNS reported the following:
The reclassification of Internet providers as
utilities allows the FCC to impose what is known as a “Universal Service Fund”
(USF) tax on their revenue. The USF has grown exponentially in recent years,
and presently stands at $12 billion annually – so large that the FCC has
requested it be allowed to transfer $25 million of the money to its own budget
to “administer” the fund. As a result, some in Congress have proposed limiting
the size of the USF to $9 billion
And then this:
CNSNews.com also
asked Pai to describe his position on the budget request submitted by the FCC
to Congress this year.
“We should deny funding for some of the
things the FCC wants to spend money on. Any funds, for example, to enforce
these net neutrality regulations, [and] this shift of $25 million from the
Universal Service Fund to the FCC itself in order to pursue its own policy
priorities – I think we need to do more with less. I don’t think we’re doing
that by asking for a much higher budget,” Pai said.
Mr. Pai is concerned the FCC will
eventually use its authority to stifle conservative political speech on the
internet. This could happen. We’ve already witnessed abuses by other agencies
like the EPA and the IRS. I’m sure the
FCC is infested with progressive thugs just waiting for the chance to harass uppity
Americans who dare question the federal government.
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