As important as the bill authorizing incentive auctions of television spectrum is to broadcasters, wireless companies and ultimately, American citizens, its second-rate status as a piece of legislation was perhaps underscored when President Barack Obama delivered remarks on passage of the bill and didn’t mention spectrum once.
Obama praised Congress for coming together to extend payroll tax relief for the rest of the year. But rather than mentioning any other aspects of the bill that actually is headed for his Oval Office desk, he used the occasion to deliver a list of other things he would like Congress to do, mainly pertaining to economic issues.
Obama’s remarks can be read here.
RBR-TVBR observation: Watch the games on Capitol Hill for awhile and you are amazed when anything worthwhile is accomplished. Bills are passed not on their own merit but because of another bill to which they are attached. Good bills are squashed by picking up poison pill amendments.
At least in the case of the spectrum legislation, the two parties had gotten within shouting distance of one another and actually seem to have crafted a halfway decent bill with a little something for everybody to like.
