Low Blow

There's just been sheets of hysterical ravings about the FCC's ownership reg changes, but Tom Shales giving voice to a comparison of FCC chief Michael Powell to a Saddam flunkie is truly twisted.

"If Saddam Hussein had stayed in business, Powell might have made a great minister of information," Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, tells an approving Shales. Yep, disagree on substantive policy issues, and the other guy just might flack for a sadist.

I was of the opinion that the FCC's action was a mistake because I think the FCC is a mistake. I don't want the FCC to be able to do anything or effect any change in the hopes that a fully ossified structure will more quickly collapse in a smoking heap of contradictions, rabbit ears, and yellow legal pads.

But if so many people are so upset, maybe Powell and Co. are on to something.