The laws, rules, and regulations governing our world aren’t etched into mountains; they can be changed. That’s how we got new rules intended to protect our private information from being used and abused by internet service providers, and how we lost those very same rules just a few short months later. Could the pendulum swing back and restore these privacy guidelines? Not likely. [More]
politics
House Expected To Vote On Rolling Back Internet Privacy Rules Tomorrow
By 3.27.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
If you like having any control over what your internet service provider does with the personal data it has on you, we’ve got some bad news: The House of Representatives is expected to vote tomorrow to reverse the FCC rules that limit what the Comcasts, AT&Ts, Verizons, and Charters of the world can do with the data they have on you. [More]
Here Are The Changes Made To The Obamacare Replacement Plan Since Last Week
By 3.21.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
As you’ve probably noticed, there is is a lot going on down in D.C. right now. Amid all the confirmation hearings, investigative hearings, and press events about hearings, the House of Representatives is preparing to vote on the recently unveiled replacement to the Affordable Care Act. However, the bill they consider later this week will be slightly different from what was first released. [More]
6 Things Consumers Should Know About The White House’s Proposed ‘Skinny’ Budget
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
The Trump White House has released its first big-picture public proposal on federal spending for 2018. This initial pass — the so-called “skinny” budget — is basically an outline that doesn’t get into the finer details. However, the changes that are described in the document are nonetheless wide-sweeping, recommending significant cuts or culling of a number of programs you may currently take for granted. [More]
Senators Officially Introduce Resolution To Reverse ISP Privacy Rule
By 3.8.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Back in October, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a rule limiting what ISPs can or can’t do with your personal data. As expected, lawmakers are now attempting to overturn this new rule through use of the Congressional Review Act. [More]
Key Players Give Their Opinions — For And Against — On GOP’s Obamacare Replacement
By 3.7.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
After years of railing against the Affordable Care Act and calling for its repeal, and following weeks of secrecy, coyness, and treasure hunts around Capitol Hill, GOP lawmakers have finally proposed this much-awaited legislation. Now that it’s out there, what are folks from all sides of the political spectrum saying? [More]
Members Of Congress Literally Chasing Each Other Around Capitol Hill Trying To Find Text Of Obamacare Repeal Bill
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 3.3.17
Since Nov. 8, 2016, Congressional Republicans and the White House have said they would immediately move to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but apart from some leaked details, no concrete legislation has surfaced. A draft bill reportedly exists, but it’s not just being kept from public view; lawmakers from both parties are desperately scrambling to get a peek at the text. [More]
Likely Pick For Next FCC Chair Thinks Net Neutrality’s “Days Are Numbered”
By 12.8.16 — Updated: 1.4.17
The FCC has approved a significant number of major pro-consumer rules in the last few years. Most, however, were contentious within the Commission, and passed on a 3-2 margin. One of the two reliable dissenters, commissioner Ajit Pai, is now on deck as the likely inheritor of the Chairman’s seat when President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration comes to power in January — and he’s already hoping to do away with some of the FCC’s recent rules. [More]
States That Expanded Medicaid Hope To Keep It Under Trump Administration
By 11.28.16
There’s no way to tap-dance around this one: healthcare access is an incredibly politicized and partisan issue in this country. And yet even while our two major political parties disagree vehemently, at every level, about whether existing healthcare laws are effective or worthwhile, at least one part now proving popular in a surprisingly bipartisan way. [More]
Net Neutrality, FCC Itself Likely To Face Big Challenges Under Trump Administration
By 11.23.16
In the two weeks since being named president-elect, Donald Trump has already named a handful of nominees to key positions and expanded his transition team to help determine who should fill in those other spots, and what policies will guide them. Based on the backgrounds of the two men heading up the FCC transition efforts, some of the Commission’s recent efforts will likely be rolled back, and the FCC’s entire role may be reconsidered. [More]
Where Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions Comes Down On Consumer Issues
By 11.18.16
The election may feel like it happened just yesterday, but it’s now ten days behind us, and the building transition to the administration turnover in January is well underway. As part of that, today we learned President-Elect Donald Trump’s top choice for a key role that affects consumers and consumer rights nationwide: he will nominate Sen. Jefferson Sessions of Alabama as Attorney General. [More]
From Healthcare To Financial Protection: How Will The Trump White House Affect Consumers?
By 11.9.16
Elections always bring change; some more so than others. With yesterday’s results in the box and tallied, we now know that we are expecting not only a Trump administration next January, but also to have both houses of Congress and the White House all aligned under control of the same political party. That means that for at least two years, until the next midterm elections, the party in charge — in this case, the Republicans — has the ability to push through changes to policy and law, and we can expect it to do so. [More]
The Consumerist Guide To Your 2016 Ballot Initiatives
By 11.1.16 — Updated: 11.2.16
We’re almost there: at long last, after one of the frankly just-plain weirdest years of news most of us can remember, Election Day is finally drawing nigh nationwide. And while the candidates at the top of the ticket have definitely captured most of the metaphorical air in the national room, there’s far more than just that at stake this year for most voters.
In addition to selecting candidates for dozens of federal, state, and local offices, voters have a wide array of state and local ballot initiatives to choose from this year. Many of those directly address major consumer issues of many kinds. So we’re helping you break those down, with a state-by-state guide. [More]
FCC Delays Vote On Set-Top Box Proposal
By 9.29.16 — Updated: 10.3.16
After much hullaballoo and a number of eleventh-hour political plays, the FCC has scrapped its plan to vote today on a proposal that would upend the cable set-top box marketplace. [More]
Ahead Of Tomorrow’s Vote, Several Senators Urge FCC To Approve Set-Top Box Plan
By 9.28.16
Tomorrow, at its monthly open meeting, the FCC will be voting on the most controversial rule it’s undertaken this year: whether, and how, to let consumers get out of paying their cable company a fee every month for mandatory set-top boxes. [More]
Advocates, Lawmakers, Even Best Buy Call On FCC To Approve Cable Box Plan
By 9.27.16
The Federal Communications Commission has been stewing over a proposal that would shake up the cable set-top box market for months. They’ve got a vote on the final proposal coming up this week, but in the face of partisan bickering and opposition from the cable industry, the matter has become controversial. So today, a whole passel of folks called on the FCC to approve the measure ASAP, for consumers’ sake. [More]
FCC Explains Cable Set-Top Box Proposal, Everything Else It Does To Senate (Again)
By 9.15.16
Election years beget a compressed Congressional schedule. The House and Senate just got back to work in D.C. after a six-week break, and will be taking another six-week break as soon as we hit October 1 (picking up again after the election), so everything the committees want to do has to get done now. Like bringing in all five FCC commissioners for another episode of everyone’s favorite series, The FCC Explains And Defends Literally Everything It’s Doing. [More]
Why Queen & George Harrison’s Estate Probably Can’t Sue Over Having Their Songs Played At RNC
By 7.22.16
Regardless of your political leanings, you’ve probably heard this week that a number of prominent bands were unhappy to find out their music had been used without their permission at the Republican National Convention. However much these artists may not like having their famous tunes used for political purposes, they may not be able to do much about it. [More]
