[NowhereMan 1966]

Originally Posted by Brian

The gov't has a reason for the box program and a problem as a result of the failure. In the Constitution there is a little clause related to comdemnation and just compensation. With the shutting off of the frequencies, the citizen has been depived of his property through a taking of the use of the television. By offering the box certificate program it has a defense against a claim of taking through government action by millions of owners. The problem is twofold: 1) the boxes are selling for more than the coupon amount and hence there is still the isue of compensation and with the failure of so many not using the coupon for whatever reason whether the lack of boxes, the lack of education or the expiration of the coupon, the defensive position is weakened.

While the extension of the program and delay in turning off the channels may be to give the public more time and allow the coupon system to work, there is another reason for Congress to consider extending the timeframe. Imagine a couple of hundred million persons deciding to ask the Federal courts to have the Federal government pay for the loss of their televisions. Not that would be an employment stimulus act for so many out of work lawyers.

Good points there, I wonder if they have to compensate the TV stations since they have to buy digital equipment and so on. I doubt they would do that although I think there could be a backdoor method like being able to claim the loss on their taxes and so on. I'm not getting political, just commenting on how the mechanics of such a system should or would work.