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Martin Reflects on His Tenure

A Republican Bush loyalist has not always been predictable in carrying out his chairmanship, Post reports.

“He’s been incredibly open to our ideas, which has been a huge surprise coming from a key appointee from the Bush White House.”

That’s a union leader talking about Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. The Washington Post talks to the man it calls the FCC’s “compromiser in chief” as his tenure approaches its expected end.

Among other accomplishments, the Post reports, “Martin cited a deal he brokered between the satellite radio operators XM and Sirius as proof of his service to consumers. He got the two companies to agree to a list of conditions that would keep prices from rising and create opportunities for minorities in exchange for his blessing on their creation of a monopoly.”

The article notes Martin’s critics as well including his predecessor Reed Hundt, a former chairman, who said, “With Kevin, we’ve been asleep on broadband, and we’re going to be like Rip Van Winkle waking up with no cure for America.”

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