The Federal Communications Commission voted to eliminate a rule Thursday that stopped any one company from owning so many TV stations that they reach more than 39% of American households. The 39% rule was established in 2004, when Congress raised the cap from 35% in the 1990s. The FCC says it will now decide case by case, which means one can imagine a world where Republican-friendly mergers are approved while any TV stations that are seen as too Democrat-friendly would be blocked. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the one Democrat on the commission, called the rule change “unlawful on its face,” noting that Congress set up the cap under federal law and only Congress can change it. She rejected the argument that TV stations face so much competition from social media that the only solution is to allow more consolidation of TV ownership.