SpaceX competitors lobbying to kill FCC subsidy for Starlink
A lobbying effort instigated by some of SpaceX competitors in the rural internet service business is now working to kill the $886 million subsidy the FCC had awarded the company for developing its Starlink internet constellation.
The losers in the awards process apparently are teaming up with the Democrats to challenge all the awards, with SpaceX their main target.
The [award to SpaceX was] made when Trump administration appointees still controlled the FCC and now the agency is led by Biden appointees who could cut off applicants it considers dubious. Last month, 160 House and Senate members urged the FCC to scrutinize recipients, in part because network construction takes time. “We fear that we will not know whether funds were improperly spent for years to come,” said the lawmakers.
There is a “a need for proper upfront assessment,” Representative Jim Clyburn, of South Carolina, the No. 3 House Democrat, said in an email. He said many applicants claim to be able to deliver faster service to new customers than they are delivering to current subscribers.
This is a fight for government hand-outs, period. The losers are now using political pressure to change the decision. And since the Democrats generally hate SpaceX (and Elon Musk) because it is so successful at actually achieving what it sets out to do, they are glad to help them. Not only will it bring these politicians campaign donations (called bribes if you are honest), it will destroy the one space company that is proving that capitalism and freedom works.
From my perspective, no one, including SpaceX, should get these funds. SpaceX is proving they aren’t necessary to get the job done (bringing fast internet service to rural communities). Moreover, the federal government really doesn’t have the cash, deep in debt as it is.
But then, my perspective is now considered quaint, even “raaaaaaacist”, in our modern corrupt Marxist society.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A lobbying effort instigated by some of SpaceX competitors in the rural internet service business is now working to kill the $886 million subsidy the FCC had awarded the company for developing its Starlink internet constellation.
The losers in the awards process apparently are teaming up with the Democrats to challenge all the awards, with SpaceX their main target.
The [award to SpaceX was] made when Trump administration appointees still controlled the FCC and now the agency is led by Biden appointees who could cut off applicants it considers dubious. Last month, 160 House and Senate members urged the FCC to scrutinize recipients, in part because network construction takes time. “We fear that we will not know whether funds were improperly spent for years to come,” said the lawmakers.
There is a “a need for proper upfront assessment,” Representative Jim Clyburn, of South Carolina, the No. 3 House Democrat, said in an email. He said many applicants claim to be able to deliver faster service to new customers than they are delivering to current subscribers.
This is a fight for government hand-outs, period. The losers are now using political pressure to change the decision. And since the Democrats generally hate SpaceX (and Elon Musk) because it is so successful at actually achieving what it sets out to do, they are glad to help them. Not only will it bring these politicians campaign donations (called bribes if you are honest), it will destroy the one space company that is proving that capitalism and freedom works.
From my perspective, no one, including SpaceX, should get these funds. SpaceX is proving they aren’t necessary to get the job done (bringing fast internet service to rural communities). Moreover, the federal government really doesn’t have the cash, deep in debt as it is.
But then, my perspective is now considered quaint, even “raaaaaaacist”, in our modern corrupt Marxist society.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A salient point in the linked Bloomberg article: “Even before winning a competition for the funds, SpaceX had set up its service and begun launching satellites.”
And IMHO, anything Jim Clyburn thinks is broken, probably isn’t!
I just don’t see the justification behind the statement ” the Democrats generally hate SpaceX (and Elon Musk) “…. The delay to the starship test flight was resolved in a weekend, ( and turned out to have nothing to do with environmental issues…. And to do with SpaceX cutting corners on paperwork which was standard way before JBs election ), they let SpaceX fly their test. As I have said before, time will tell, I could be wrong, and you could be right, and if so I will hold my hands up… But your political rage is spilling into space reporting, and it makes it unenjoyable to read. The USofA is many things, but Marxist it is not. Take a deep breath and breath!
Lee Stevenson wrote: “I just don’t see the justification behind the statement ‘the Democrats generally hate SpaceX (and Elon Musk)’…. The delay to the starship test flight was resolved in a weekend, ( and turned out to have nothing to do with environmental issues…. And to do with SpaceX cutting corners on paperwork which was standard way before JBs election ), they let SpaceX fly their test”
The supposed problem occurred in December, but somehow the FAA waited a month to complain about it. The complaint did not come under a Republican administration but under a Democrat administration. The problem was likely resolved by SpaceX pointing out that they didn’t operate under the rejected waiver but under the original authorization. Since the FAA understood this back in December, there must have been some change since then to create confusion on the issue, and that is a change from Republican leadership to Democrat reign, where friends are rewarded and enemies are punished.
This is why statements like this are made under Democratic Party rule. They announced the reward/punishment policy a decade ago, and they have followed through ever since. When we see someone punished by the Democrats, we know that they are enemies, and when we see someone rewarded or allowed to slide on crimes and felonies, we know they are friends of the Democrats.