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.
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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.
My July fund-raising campaign for 2021 has now ended. Thank you all for your donations and subscriptions. While this year’s campaign was not as spectacular as last year’s, it was the second best July campaign since I began this website.
And if you have not yet donated or subscribed, and you think what I write here is worth your support, you can still do so. I depend on this support to remain independent and free to write what I believe, without any pressure from others. Nor do I accept advertisements, or use oppressive social media companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook. I depend wholly on the direct support of my readers.
If you choose to help, you can contribute via Patreon or PayPal. To use Patreon, go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation. For PayPal click one of the following buttons:
If Patreon or Paypal don't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
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.