Republicans Face Outcry if They Overturn Net Neutrality Rules, Wheeler Says
Tom Wheeler said Thursday, his last full day in office, he doesn't view his work as FCC chairman as particularly ideological. Wheeler started a series of speeches last week defending his legacy, starting with remarks at the Aspen Institute, which he will join shortly as a senior fellow (see 1701130064). Part of his argument in that speech was that Republicans will follow an “ideologically based course,” predicated on media reports. “If competition is ideological, I plead guilty,” Wheeler said in an exit interview.
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“What we tried to do is to build a record and make a decision based on the record,” Wheeler told us. “The thing that surprises me about the whole ideological discussion is that you would think Republican conservatism would mean standing up for basic things like a competitive marketplace.” Wheeler said he’s “surprised” Republican orthodoxy has been “rather than embrace competition we have to protect special interests.”
Wheeler said he holds out hope the next FCC won’t overturn the 2015 net neutrality rules. The success of the attempt to repeal the order will be determined by how many people raise their voices in opposition, he said. “If the netroots speak out in the scale that they did on SOPA and PIPA, if the companies who are affected speak out,” the rules might survive, he said. “Repealing net neutrality is something that benefits a half dozen companies.” Congress dropped work on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) in 2012 following public complaints.
Tens of thousands of companies and millions of consumers are “on the short end of that stick when a decision is made [that] ‘I’m just going to benefit a half dozen carriers,’” Wheeler said. “That’s what the issue is here.”
The outgoing chairman also holds out hope for ISP privacy rules, which also are under fire from Republicans (see 1611090034). “This will be amazing if the decision is made to deny people privacy rules that are the same that they have had for their telephone network forever,” he said. Americans want rules that protect their privacy, he said.
Wheeler said he had disappointments as chairman. “I wish we would have been able to do BDS [broadband data services], I wish we would have been able to do set-top boxes, I wish we’d been able to do expansion of video description for individuals who are blind,” he said.
Wheeler fired back at FCC Republicans who have complained about his unwillingness to negotiate on many of the major orders approved by commissioners 3-2. Both Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly have said they ran into a wall repeatedly after orders circulated. “It’s hard to find common ground if, when the idea first surfaces, the answer is ‘no way,’ rather than 'are there things we can do to work together on this,'” Wheeler said. “That’s a decision that got made tactically.” Wheeler said “the way Republicans dealt with President Obama was to say no to everything.” The two Republicans didn't comment.
Partisan divisions have always been a part of U.S. politics, going back to the earliest days of the republic, Wheeler added. Before both world wars and the Cold War, “there were huge, ugly partisan divides,” he said. “We don’t fight duels anymore. There haven’t been any canings on the House floor for at least a couple of weeks. … Look at the scurrilous things that were said about George Washington.” Wheeler joked he’s glad the era of dueling is past: “My aim is very poor.”
Still in the Game
Wheeler said he plans to stay active on communications policy. “I’m a telecom guy, I’m a network guy,” he said. “I have been for the last 40 years. I think it’s kind of hard to change my stripes at this point in time. … We’ll go off, regroup and then figure out what happens.” He plans to take a vacation first, he said.
Asked about Donald Trump and the fears some are expressing about his administration, Wheeler replied, “I don’t think I’m the guy to opine on that. I certainly voted the other way.” Wheeler said if he weren’t a federal official, he would have campaigned for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton: “I don’t think I’m the guy to talk about the sociology of Middle America.”
With Clinton enjoying what appeared to be a big lead in the polls, Wheeler at one point was rumored likely to stay for a while as chairman based on limited precedent (see 1608240057). That talk ended in November when Trump won the White House. Speculation since has been that Ajit Pai, with whom Wheeler has often been in deep disagreement, will take over the helm at the agency, at least as interim chairman (see 1611140066).
President Barack Obama had indicated in May 2013 he would name Wheeler, former president of CTIA and NCTA and then a venture capitalist, as chairman, replacing Julius Genachowski (see 1305010033). Wheeler eventually took office Nov. 4, 2013 (see 1311140063). Wheeler never looked back, pushing a busy agenda throughout his tenure, including adoption of net neutrality rules and many smaller orders, often approved over the objections of FCC Republicans.
TechFreedom fired back at Wheeler comments that Republicans will have an ideological agenda. “That's rich,” a spokesman said. “He's already sounding the alarm on the next FCC being too ideological before it's had a chance to do anything. Speaking of ideology, there has been little to no daylight between Chairman Wheeler and Public Knowledge's agenda throughout his tenure.” Public Knowledge didn't comment.