President-elect Obama’s transition team sent a letter to congress urging the switch to digital broadcasting be delayed past the Feb. 17 deadline, TelevisionWeek reports. “With coupons unavailable, support and education insufficient and the most vulnerable Americans exposed, I urge you to consider a change to the legislatively mandated analog cutoff date,” said the letter, signed by John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama transition team.
—Jon Lafayette
Obama Urges Digital Switch Be Delayed
Jan 9, 2009 • Post A Comment
John Podesta said “With coupons unavailable, support and education insufficient and the most vulnerable Americans exposed, I urge you to consider a change to the legislatively mandated analog cutoff date,”
Insufficient education? Really? How about just plain lazy. I use my own Sister in law/Brother in law as an example. They live in an area unreachable by cable and a ridge line makes a dish problematic. However, they are aware of the transition that is coming. I asked them if they applied for a coupon yet. Her reply was “Not yet. We’ll get to it.” This transition date has been on the schedule for years. Move along already. Make the switch on Feb. 17, as scheduled. This country has to get beyond making the masses suffer for the problems of the few, particularly if the problems were created by that minority group.
Come on now! This thing has been widely publicized for four years now. Why do some people think the government has to ‘bail out’ all the unwashed masses who should have arranged their own personal change-over months ago? Do the rest of us have to sit back and wait for the dumbest of us to catch up? This is ridiculous; let’s do it and get it over with.
I received my coupons back in the summer, went to the mega store and found the selection to be pathetic- 2 different boxes- both overpriced too. Went back in December to see if the price and selection changed. Wow, what a difference a few months make as competition makes for better price and selection. But wait… my credit card coupons expired. Yes, REJECTED at the register! Yes, some people are lazy, and some are unfortunately cash strapped, but who expected that our government would be so erroneous in putting a 3- month expiration date on these cards they issued and then decline you if you attempt to log on to request another set of coupon cards. Cable and Satellite are laughing all the way to the bank.
“Cable and Satellite are laughing all the way to the bank.”
You nailed it, Scott