The only thing that would irritate me more about this is if the immaculate one claimed that he wanted the analog/digital transition slowed “for the children”. Fortunately he has no such reason.
He has NO reason at all.

President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 switch from analog to digital television broadcasting, arguing that too many Americans who rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air channels won’t be ready.

In a letter to key lawmakers Thursday, Obama transition team co-chair John Podesta said the digital transition needs to be delayed largely because the Commerce Department has run out of money for coupons to subsidize digital TV converter boxes for consumers. People who don’t have cable or satellite service or a TV with a digital tuner will need the converter boxes to keep their older analog sets working.

A year ago this month I asked “Why are we paying for this?”
This is what I said about the one and a half billion dollar bullshit:

It’s mind boggling and frustrating beyond belief that ONE POINT FIVE BILLION DOLLARS was a perfectly fine expenditure, but the idiots acted like funding our troops would have been tantamount to cutting off their own arms!

The converter boxes are widely available and the news that those without cable -or a ready television- will need one has been widely disseminated. Ad naueseum.

Forget the fact that we’ve shelled out $1.5 billion for converter box coupons and advertising… and I resent the fact that I had to buy someone’s box. A year ago my sister in law, who has cable and does not need the boxes, bought two of them with the help of the 40. coupons. I said ‘you’re welcome’ and then asked WHY. “Because I could.”

And now, a year later, Obama wants to draw this bullshit out…?

This tops it all.

Obama officials are also concerned the government is not doing enough to help Americans – particularly those in rural, poor or minority communities – prepare for and navigate the transition.

It’s been a freaking YEAR. What does he want the government to do, go to each house in the nation, wipe people’s butt’s for them and hook up their television??

Mother of mercy, I think my blood pressure just spiked.

EDIT: Hooray for Rep. Joe Barton of Texas!

Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, insisted there is no need to “bail out” the digital transition program because the NTIA can send out more coupons as unredeemed ones expire.

“Ditching the deadline and slathering on more millions of taxpayer dollars … is just panic,” he said in a statement.

But of course John Rockefeller rejoined with bullshit:

“The Obama administration deserves time to bring order to what has been an appallingly mismanaged process by the Bush administration,”

It’s ALWAYS BUSH’S fault! ALWAYS. Doesn’t matter what the fuck it is, George has messed it up for the rest of us.
Pretty sad when Senators have BDS so bad they can’t see beyond the end of their pointed noses.

Ugh.