Big Picture: Time to Watch Those Budgets

When it comes to state and federal legislation, the CE industry is mainly concerned with how the major bills and proposals impact the industry.

Legislation dealing with hazardous materials and energy consumption are two well-known examples on the federal level, while bills dealing with hands-free mobile technology grab the spotlight on the state level. Those types of bills, while causing some initial discomfort and uncertainty, end up generating long-term benefits. The DTV transition is a good example.

On an entirely different level are the implications from federal and state budget shortfalls. In normal times, the CE industry doesn't pay much attention to those. But given the vast amount of federal spending during the last 18 months, it's surprising how little concern the industry has expressed on its long-term impact. That could be because the CE industry has indirectly benefited from government initiatives to shore up the banks, the stock market and, by extension, consumer confidence.