So, you don't think this is a pure political ploy to line the pockets
of one of his state's companies? I have a bridge you'll want to buy,
David. :-) And why shouldn't universities, or anyone else for that
matter, have the right to post value added products? Are you
suggesting that weather information should not fall under the free
speech provisions of the Constitution? What ever happened to the
entrepreneurial spirit in this country? Are you saying that private
meteorologists can't beat the almost universally maligned lazy
government bureaucrats or a bunch of ivory tower egghead
professors and wet-behind-the-ears students at their own game. ;-)
If your reading of the proposal is correct, it sounds like it would
make it illegal for undergraduate students I know to operate their
public service weather phone and e-mail forecast service, which
gives them a chance to practice their forecasting skills. What
punishments are in the proposal for them? sarcasm Yeah,
let's jail some meteorology students for trying to learn, that will
be good for the profession. Maybe give 'em the death penalty
for daring to encroach on the domain of almightly dollar and the
almighty free enterprise system. /sarcasm As you can see, I
have little sympathy for such proposals. I say this as someone
who has been on all sides of the public, academic, and private
fences at various times in my career (sometimes on two sides at
once), and as someone who desires the good of the profession,
and also as someone who was around DC long enough to spot
the signs of a political mugging.

Cheers,
Russell