ACU and other normally small-government types have bafflingly come out against the satellite TV bill STELA, and Steve Scalise’s efforts to enact Retransmission Consent reform, a cable idea first proposed jointly with Jim DeMint. This is wrong, and this is a strange supporting of laws that pick winners and losers.

You see, back in the 70s when Cable TV started to take off, broadcasters and socialists alike freaked out. Broadcasters because they were faced with competition for eyeballs where they previously had a monopoly, and socialists because it offended that someone might actually pay for TV. So they teamed up to rig the system, passing laws and regulations that prevented an open market for many broadcasts, instead creating territorial monopolies for broadcasters. These regulations have let the broadcasters get fat and happy (see also Aereo).

Pass retransmission consent reform. Supporters say without reform we “simulate” a free market, and to reform would harm “content producers.” This turns the truth on its head. Broadcasters are overpaid, underworked middlemen with government-manufactured monopolies. They produce nothing but just happen to hold a government license to spectrum. Make ’em compete. And certainly never make satellite providers buy from a propagandist like The Weather Channel.

STELA isn’t perfect, but it includes important steps in it, and when it comes to the treacherous waters of entrenched regulations, I don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Her’s a reminder that The left is constantly lying about Internet access in America and abroad.

Patent Reform marches on, which is good since Obama made a mess of it with the America Invents Act.

Bitcoin banks keep dying. Bitcoin banks keep dying. And all the ideologues like Democrat Jared Polis can do is troll. They can’t be taken seriously.

Arizona moves closer to cutting income taxes if national sales tax changes are made.

Hippy Dippy Texas conference SXSW goes hard left with the inclusion of pro-Russia, anti-America traitor Edward Snowden. I’m sure we’ll hear all the latest from RT about how 9/11 was an inside job and Ukraine needed invading.

The fact is he harmed America as he gave Russia propaganda, so it’s a shame he wasn’t caught.

Why does Verizon Wireless win? Because competition works, folks. That’s why anti-Verizon “antitrust” action would only raise prices, and hinder competition.

Italy sticks it to freeloader culture.

Heh. With all the outrage over government surveillance, the Obama administration is suing Sprint demanding to pay less for the privilege.