Putting Obama On-Notice

Obama standing in the way of progress? I knew this was coming, but I’m shocked it originated from him.

On Feb 17, analog TV should be no more. The conversion to digital has been a long drawn out process, for which we have already paid a ridiculous price in commercials and other time wasters, and well over a billion dollars. The conversion will retire a dinosaur of a technology that has been bogging down huge swaths of prime spectrum that could be used for far more useful new technologies. The spectrum has been sold. New products that will use the new digital service are everywhere and have been sold for years. They have a better picture and better features.

Now Barack Obama puts out a last minute memo asking that the conversion be delayed until mid-summer. Heaven forbid anyone illiterate and living in a cave might be surprised to find their television not working and have to venture into reality long enough to figure out why. What we really should have done is just cut the TV resolution in half every month until everyone gets sick enough of it to get their crap together and convert. 

The switch from analog to digital was change we could believe in.

Update: The Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, has now come out at CES and said about Obama’s request, “[W]e’ve spent a lot of time and energy getting ready for the February 17 date,” “I am concerned about the consumer confusion that would be created.”

Update: Obama has named June 12 as the date he would like the switch to digital to be postponed to.

After Obama requested that the change from analog to digital television be delayed, the Senate voted to postpone the switch until June 12th.

Update: The house just voted this down. It looks like we are back on track, barring any further sillyness. (via CrunchGear)

Update: Grrr…stupid government. Postponed again.