In a town replete with conspiracy theories, XO Communications CEO Carl Grivner test flew a real doozy in his Washington Post letter published on Friday, “And Now, for the FCC’s Next Trick.”

Likening members of the FCC to corrupt Roman emperors, he suggests the agency’s recent action to increase cable TV choice for apartment dwellers is a mere “bread and circuses” sop to the masses to distract them from its dark deeds to come.

Unfortunately for Grivner, his colorful invective fails to divert attention from the real conspiracy: Companies like his are attempting to manipulate the regulatory process and the facts.

They are engaging in a rhetorical circus to put more bread in their corporate pockets through regulatory advantage.  They want the FCC to allow federally-mandated network sharing policies designed to give companies a temporary leg-up to jump-start competition to become a permanent corporate welfare plan – even in areas that have lots of well established competitive choices.

If the FCC lifts the federal regulatory straight-jacket in six of the nation’s most competitive areas, consumers will continue to enjoy expanding options at competitive prices, and competing companies that use Verizon’s networks to serve their customers and do not wish to build their own facilities will continue to be able to provide service, either using comparable products from Verizon or by purchasing service from other companies.    

 No doubt, Washington conspiracy theories will continue, as well.