[BC] Class C AM Stations

[Broadcast List USER]

I think I must have missed Scott's post, first time around.

*** I *** am a lobbyist, and I think it is very honorable.  I am in my  
State Senator's office and my State Delegate's office at least once a  
year, and sometimes a dozen.  That is impressive because our  
Legislative session is 60 days in even years (Budget Sessions) and 30  
days in odd years.  This year is a biggie, as it is an even year.  I  
wish we met less, like Texas or Nevada.

Our Legislators cause less bad to happen when they are not in session!

I am also a Director on a PAC.  I have to admit, I am pretty surprised  
at how many doors that opens, and how wide it opens them.  For several  
decades I would drive to the Capitol and wait and wait for them to get  
free.  Now, I am let in immediately, or nearly so, though I don't like  
that.  I don't like "access based" politics.  Anyway, MY Delegate  
(there have been three) and my Senator (there have also been three)  
have always seen me, and taken time with me even before I was on the  
PAC.

My PAC is a Virginia PAC, and may not get involved in national issues,  
at least for now.  It isn't as if we couldn't, but the Federal  
reporting takes a LOT of time, and we just cannot afford someone to  
complete the reports.  The Virginia reporting is much less, and it  
involves a few days each quarter for someone to hate life.

I give money to the National RIfle Association of America, the  
Virginia Citizens Defense League, and the American Radio Relay League  
because of the lobbyists.  I DON'T give money to AARP (previously the  
American Association of Retired Persons, but they changed their name a  
few years ago) because they want to deny us our gun rights.

I also lobby on my own, and will continue to do so.  As long as I  
don't take money to do so, I don't have to report a thing.  On the  
other hand, none of my expenses, vehicle or hotel, or food, or  
production of presentations, are not expenses against any  
organizations' income.

We have a problem in Virginia right now that is affecting a LOT of  
people.  I have reason to meat those people.  I am amazed that these  
people don't want to write their legislators -- not one bit.  They  
won't even make a phone call or write a letter!

I must write several hundred letters a year, and make a similar number  
of phone calls.  I don't fax, and I don't e-mail much.  Fax is ancient  
technology, and e-mails don't take up any of their time.  A letter has  
to be moved around, and a phone call takes up time.  A knock on the  
door really makes an impression, especially from someone like me who  
has to drive two and a half hours to get there.

Now, tell me why I, the lobbyist, is bad?  I am working with my  
legislators to get what I want.  Why is that wrong?

California Senator Richardson said it best -- Politicians react to  
pleasure and pain, and only pleasure and pain.  Pleasure is money, and  
to a lesser expect, admiration and the lack of a candidate running  
against them.  Pain is the lack of money, criticism, and a candidate  
running against them.  We "lobbyists" bring the good guys pleasure,  
and the bad guys pain.  If there is anyone in Virginia who wants to  
run for office, please e-mail me directly!  <ggg>

I actually think that being against the citizen either lobbying on his  
own, or paying a common group to lobby on his behalf very offensive.   
The Campaign Reform Act was VERY wrong, and thankfully it was recently  
fixed by the Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court had already spoken on  
the issue.

If I wanted to lobby to increase night power of Class D or C stations,  
or lobby to take all of them off the air, that would be my right.  YOU  
should consider doing one or the other.

--chip

On Feb 16, 2010, at 9:00 AM, broadcast-request at radiolists.net wrote:

> Message: 11
> From: Mike McCarthy <towers at mre.com>
>
> All due respect Scott, lobbyists don't allow anything to happen.  
> They're
> paid to postulate a position on behalf of their clients. Civic's 101.
>
> There's no need to rebut the rest....it's self evident you don't get
> allocation standards.
>
> MM
>
>> That's because the lobbyist allow this to happen. The Class "C's"  
>> should
>> have never been allowed over 250 watts day and night. More  
>> communities
>> would have gotten an AM station. Greed and money has permit this
>> protection, daytime.
>>
>> There needs to be another "Class C" channel created to allow  
>> stations in
>> smaller communities to have a radio station, with no more then 250  
>> watts.
>> 1690 would be great! Giving the current Class C stations 150 mile
>> protection during the day is just plain channel hogging to me, and  
>> I don't
>> think back in the early 40's, the FCC has this in mind for the  
>> Class IV
>> channels.
>>
>> Scott Bailey
>> WMRO Radio, Gallatin, TN
>>
>> -------------- Original message ----------------------
>> From: Mike McCarthy <towers at mre.com>
>>>
>>> Are you nuts?  250W will do a whole PILE of damage to existing  
>>> station
>>> where the co-channel Class C's are now something around 150 miles  
>>> and
>>> closely spaced 1st adjacents on 1230/1240 have mutual destruction  
>>> as it
>>> is day and night.