Prostitution is also common in D.C. So is drug use. So is homicide.

Packing hearings may be common, but it too is unethical, and in some cases unlawful.

The fact that it is common only speaks to a serious dysfunction in the system and does not in any way justify the use of this tactic by Comcast.

That Comcast chooses to engage in this "common" practice does not speak well of Comcast's ethics or philosophy as a public utility.

Perhaps the public should take the utility back.

Maybe the FCC hearings should focus on whether or not Comcast is acting in the public interest.

Perhaps the FCC should focus on whether or not Comcast should be allowed to continue to do business as a public utility in light of their refusal to provide the necessary infrastructure to provide complete Internet access to their customers.

If Comcast is not willing to address public concerns and make the necessary investments in infrastructure to provide the services the public expects them to provide then they should get out of the Internet business.

Perhaps they should just stick to piping porno into the public's homes the old fashioned way via cable television in order to make their profits and leave Internet services to providers who are willing to invest in providing full connectivity to the public.

Packing the FCC hearings does not make the issue go away. It simply raises additional concerns about the ethical conduct and intemperance of Comcast's management team.

(These posts also make me wonder about what they are paying poor P.R. flacks to write anonymous posts. There are plenty of unemployed and underemployed journalists out there who could do better than: Well everybody else does it. Even the evil consumers who pay all of our bills do it.)