Originally Posted by neumann

Its a tax, sorry "fee", being levied by the FCC to subsidize phone services for the needy and the program is being abused by unscrupulous promotion and lack of oversight in managing the eligibility issues. It is indeed controlled in proxy by sitting Presidents through commissioner appointments to the board. Currently Democats have 3 seats and Republicans have 2 seats. Please tell me that you believe the current President has no sway or influence on the running of this agency.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government, created by Congressional statute (see 47 U.S.C. § 151 and 47 U.S.C. § 154), and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the media, public safety and homeland security. The Commission is also in the process of modernizing itself.[3]

The FCC took over wire communication regulation from the Interstate Commerce Commission. The FCC's mandated jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions. The FCC also provides varied degrees of cooperation, oversight, and leadership for similar communications bodies in other countries of North America. The FCC is funded entirely by regulatory fees. It has an estimated fiscal-2011 budget of US$335.8 million and a proposed fiscal-2012 budget of $354.2 million. It has 1,898 federal employees