McCain and the Magic Blackberry

The latest buzz, McCain invented the Blackberry. Now obviously this is a stretch, we all know he didn't. We all know his campaign adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin just meant that McCain, by being on the Commerce committee, had lead to the innovations of cell phones in every hand. My question, did he even manage that feat? No. What he did was vote against the legislation that gave the FCC the authority to auction various used, unused and poorly-used wireless frequency spectrums. Here's the line that gives that specific authority (emphasis added):

The Commission shall, during fiscal years 1994 through 1998, use the competitive bidding process authorized under the amendment made by subsection (b) to grant all radio spectrum licenses for which two or more mutually exclusive applications have been filed, including the 200 megahertz of spectrum made available to the Commission under this subtitle, and including the licenses issued for a personal communications service established pursuant to the proceeding entitled `Amendment to the Commission's Rules to Establish New Personal Communications Services'

The vote for this was 50-50. Obviously it had more in it than just this small piece in it. The 'Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993' was a total budget package that included many things, including various tax increases and reductions. The reason that Republicans voted against it, was because it cut spending and raised taxes. Of course no good politician raises taxes right? Well, this legislation, which Al Gore broke the tie in, is credited by several non-partisan groups for the budget surpluses of the 1990's. It created as much as $141 billion in surplus to offset the projected $360 billion deficit through 1998. It has been argued, that these budget surpluses helped boost the economy in the 1990's.

Not only did John McCain not create the framework for the current cell phone industry, he voted against the bill that created the surpluses that Republicans always dream about, or at least talk about, but never achieve.


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