Roll call vote on FCC Media Ownership bill: some questions.

[arcos]

I was checking out the roll call vote on the FCC Media Ownership bill and some of the Republicans that voted YES surprised me. Take a look:

YEA
Democrats: all except 6
Republicans: Alexander (TN), Allard (CO), Chafee (RI), Collins (ME), Dole (NC), Enzi (WY), Hutchinson (TX), Lott (MS), Roberts (KS), Shelby (AL), Snowe (ME), Voinovich (OH).

NAY
Democrats: Miller (GA), Breaux (LA)



Some of the Republicans are not surprising... Chafee, Snowe, Voinovich... but Hutchinson?? Lott?? Shelby??

They usually don't break the party line... any ideas on why they voted this way?

[Robbien]

1. Hutchinson has a nit to pick

He does not like Democratic Gloria Tristani being a commissioner on the FCC. So that is not a surprise.

One down, two to go.

[arcos]

5. it's Kay Bailey-Hutchinson...

not Tim Hutchinson ;)

[Robbien]

2. You got me courious, so I looked

Seems it is personal with Lott. Back six years ago, Lott wanted to set the pug side of the FCC. He was rebuffed. The FCC has two dems and two pugs and a leader chosen by the pres (that word would be capitalized and fully and respectfully spelled out in a real world). The two pug positions were open and Lott lended support for two candidates. They were not accepted. Someone has a long memory.

[arcos]

6. very interesting! n/t

[coda]

3. Maybe some of them are counting on the House killing it?

That's what the Republiclan House leadership has promised.

The Senate has always been a different animal anyway and sometimes likes to "check" the executive on public policy and assert itself in things that overlap the branches.

Maybe Powell didn't consult with the Communications SubCommittee much, I don't know but this is definitely a slap to the FCC. :-)

There has been a breaking of ranks(Repub) as of late also. It may cost some of the Republicans some campaign bucks, but I don't see it as much of a threat to their reelection.

Who would vote against a candidate over this issue? Dislike of the media crosses party lines after all.

Communications Sub-committee

SubCommittee Chair Conrad Burns(MT)
and Ernest Hollings(SC), Ranking

SubCommittee members

Trent Lott, MS
Kay Bailey Hutchinson, TX
Olympia J. Snowe, ME

John Breaux, LA

with John McCain being the Chairman of the whole Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


Somewhat surprized that McCain wouldn't cross on this one.

[Robbien]

4. Some good thoughts here

Or it could be that some senators who think they are all that, are just tired of being treated as if they are trained lap dogs.

[buddhamama]

7. McCain said...

he would vote NO because he felt it was wrong to cancel the FCC Rule changes without Congress stepping in and fixing the problems.

[arcos]

8. So, if * vetos it, would he vote to overturn? n/t