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Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - Printable Version

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Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - needle - 08-11-2015


Quote: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nevada) signed a letter aimed at the Chairman of AT&T and the President of the Pac-12 Networks, directing the two sides to craft an agreement that could help four million citizens in seven states see their college football teams play this season.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2015/08/canzano_us_senators_join_pac-1.html

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - Rally - 08-11-2015

(08-11-2015, 02:32 PM)garvin link Wrote:"Directing"?

So much easier simply to issue an Executive Order.  What's the holdup?

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - ThePassionOfTheChryst - 08-11-2015

(08-11-2015, 02:32 PM)garvin link Wrote:"Directing"?

I noticed this as well.  Also, it's not Congress's job to make sure folks can watch their Pac-12 football.  Though I realize those three likely represent a lot of Pac-12 fans so they're at least doing something their constituents (ostensibly) want.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - washingtonismoney - 08-11-2015

Going to guess reportorial exaggeration here. Only so many verbs to go around on the legislative beat. Please donate some by calling the number at the bottom of this screen, our operators are waiting.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - 82lsju - 08-11-2015

(08-11-2015, 02:46 PM)ThePassionOfTheChryst link Wrote:[quote author=garvin link=topic=12496.msg124080#msg124080 date=1439328723]
"Directing"?

I noticed this as well.  Also, it's not Congress's job to make sure folks can watch their Pac-12 football.  Though I realize those three likely represent a lot of Pac-12 fans so they're at least doing something their constituents (ostensibly) want.
[/quote]

directing was used by the author of the article, the actual letter said

we request that you work in good faith to resolve whatever issues remain quickly so that the more than four million DirectTV subscribers in our seven states, and countless other Pac-12 fans across the country, can enjoy watching their teams and alma maters on DirectTV.


https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/68/1435/8/media.oregonlive.com/john_canzano_impact/other/Letter%20to%20ATT%20%20Pac-12%20Networks.pdf

and since when did Hatch, Wyden, and Heller represent subscribers in seven states???

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - Rally - 08-11-2015

(08-11-2015, 03:00 PM)82lsju link Wrote:[quote author=ThePassionOfTheChryst link=topic=12496.msg124086#msg124086 date=1439329586]
[quote author=garvin link=topic=12496.msg124080#msg124080 date=1439328723]
"Directing"?

I noticed this as well.  Also, it's not Congress's job to make sure folks can watch their Pac-12 football.  Though I realize those three likely represent a lot of Pac-12 fans so they're at least doing something their constituents (ostensibly) want.
[/quote]

directing was used by the author of the article, the actual letter said

we request that you work in good faith to resolve whatever issues remain quickly so that the more than four million DirectTV subscribers in our seven states, and countless other Pac-12 fans across the country, can enjoy watching their teams and alma maters on DirectTV.


https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/68/1435/8/media.oregonlive.com/john_canzano_impact/other/Letter%20to%20ATT%20%20Pac-12%20Networks.pdf

and since when did Hatch, Wyden, and Heller represent subscribers in seven states???
[/quote]

At least they actually did something:  write a letter (or more likely some staffers did.). Let's just hope they don't have a Committee investigate.  Would be years.  No, best course is Executive Order, with funds from FEMA to both sides.  And any Unions either side is involved with.  Then, back to the real business of the Senate.



a U.S. Senator and a staffer get on an escalator - Rally - 08-11-2015

https://www.facebook.com/steve.kapner.7/videos/783184531744134/?fref=nf

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - Farm93 - 08-11-2015

It makes sense to me.  If I am up for re-election the idea that I could claim to make a popular TV deal happen, when it was going to happen anyway, is pretty smart.

Got to be quite a fair high concern for many in those states and easier to apparently solve than those pesky economic or international issues.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - ThePassionOfTheChryst - 08-11-2015

(08-11-2015, 03:00 PM)82lsju link Wrote:and since when did Hatch, Wyden, and Heller represent subscribers in seven states???

The best I can come up with is that they are speaking on behalf of fans of the Pac-12, which comprises six states, plus Heller's Nevada.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - 81alum - 08-12-2015

(08-11-2015, 11:45 PM)ThePassionOfTheChryst link Wrote:The best I can come up with is that they are speaking on behalf of fans of the Pac-12, which comprises six states, plus Heller's Nevada.
Heller's involvement is a bit of a stretch, although parts of California, most notably the California side of the Tahoe  area, are in a Nevada TV market.

Notable are the senators who did not sign the letter.  Three out of 12+ is actually a pretty pathetic effort as far as these things go.  Furthermore, none of the three is a member of the Communications subcommittee.  This letter is a sop to some constituents but it is pretty clear that it has no legs under it.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - BobK - 08-12-2015

Ron Wyden was an excellent basketball player at Paly HS so that's California  :)

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - FarmBoy - 08-12-2015

Quote:Also, it's not Congress's job to make sure folks can watch their Pac-12 football.

I disagree. Clearly it's not their number one priority (or even 2nd, 3rd...10th), but it's absolutely within my expectation that folks in political leadership should advocate for their constituent's quality of life, including working with private industry. And it doesn't take a lot of effort to sign a letter that the Pac12 network drafts on your behalf.

Agreed that it's kind of sad they could only get 3 senators to sign the letter.

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - socalstanfan1 - 08-13-2015

Political grandstanding, gets names in the papers and connects all Senators involved with a particular constituency on an issue some of them (the constituents) will feel passionate about. But nothing actually has do be DONE by the Senate.

Ferrari, it does seem like Senate politics as usual: a lot of public talk, and not much action.



Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - FarmBoy - 08-13-2015

Of course, they could spend their time on the umpteenth attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Or another investigation into Benghazi. Or passing a commendation for Michael Jackson. Or instituting another "National Day of X".

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - martyup - 08-13-2015

(08-13-2015, 07:57 AM)FarmBoy link Wrote:Affordable Care Act.

Or, a resolution to change the name of the ACA something more accurate.  Any ideas out there? 

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - oldalum - 08-13-2015

(08-13-2015, 08:58 AM)martyup link Wrote:Or, a resolution to change the name of the ACA something more accurate.  Any ideas out there? 

Always Controversial Act?

Re: Three U.S. senators walk into a sports bar... - Hulk01 - 08-13-2015

I knew Ron at Stanford and again in law school.  Not more than a year after he graduated, he wrote me to say he was running for same state office.  I remember thinking it sounded preposterous. 

Lot I knew.

Such a passionate guy; all this stuff truly matters to him.Â