Visit the story link to read the complete editorial written by Robert McChesney for Newsday.

ALL YOU NEED to know about Michael Powell, whom President George W. Bush promoted this week to chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, can be sum- med up by the statements of close FCC watchers. "He's a listener, an advocate, an effective policymaker," said one. "Michael Powell has demonstrated a keen intellect and a firm grasp on public policy issues," said another. "It's rare that you have somebody in public office who is so favorably regarded by all constituencies and competing industries," added yet a third person.

Wow. This guy Michael Powell must be hot stuff, right? Wrong. The three quotes come from Gary Lytle, Eddie Fritts and Robert Sachs, the heads of the trade associations for the "Bell" telephone companies, commercial broadcasters and the cable television industry, respectively. These are the very industries Powell is commissioned to regulate in the public interest. They love Powell for a reason. He has a record of advancing their interests, not ours. And, as a result of Powell's tenure, their firms will grow much larger, much more powerful and much more profitable and operate in less competitive markets. It will be bad news for democracy.