Wait a second!
Hold on!
Did Tom go rogue?
Did he have an epiphany?
First a little background :
Tom Wheeler, was appointed by Obama, to be the FCC chairman. He could not be more of a corporate insider. Prior to this post Tom was the CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association for 12 years. Before that he served as president of the National Cable Television Association, a cable lobbying shop. “He’s beloved in the telecom industry.”
His predecessor was Meridith Attwell Baker. She was also appointed by Obama. She approved the merger between Comcast and NBC. Most Internet experts considered this merger to be a total ‘cop out’ to big business and a huge blow to an Open Internet. After it was approved, Meridith became a lobbyist for Comcast. A little collusion anyone?
And now Tom.
“Here we go again,” I said to myself. After mouthing some sound bites for Net Neutrality, Tom’s first round of rule changes would allow ISP’s to charge some customers higher prices for faster access speeds than others. It is called “throttling.” In fact, Comcast was so confident in this rule change “business class” Internet customers have been charged higher prices for months. “Alas. The march towards a corporate empire continues,” I said.
But wait a second! Hold on! Did Tom go rogue? Did he have an epiphany?
Was it protestors in his driveway or 4 MILLION comments sent to the FCC?
What happened?
Whatever the reason Tom is now proposing substantive rule changes that are being endorsed by several well respected Open Internet advocates.
If enacted an Open Internet could well be preserved. If this happens, in my opinion, the Empire will collapse. As vast and as deep as the police state now is with 2,000 companies and 850,000 people with Top Secret security clearance, the Internet is far vaster.
Corporately controlled government will not be able to silence the truther seekers as fast as they dare to stand up. A great unraveling will occur and finally truth will prevail.
So you see there is a lot riding on these rule changes. BUT, we are not there yet.
Final rules will not be adopted until February 26th and the cable industry is determined to block them. They are now focusing their attention on Congress, to stall, to slow down implementation so they can change the laws. These boys are not to be underestimated — the power and control they wield with Congress surpasses that of the tobacco lobby.
Another outpouring is needed. I am not an electronic cause guy, in fact, I believe it is actually a lot of bullshit, crumbs thrown to the public to give us the illusion that we have some control. However I am so committed to an Open Internet I am writing every one I know to make as much noise as they can, in hopes, that I am wrong.
Before you leave, watch this John Oliver clip on Net Neutrality. It is hilarious and it played a huge role mobilizing 4 million people — to tell the FCC — to pay some attention to the public. I love him.
Please do what you can.
Chris Pratt
Where are they?
If only we had 40 million more like you and others who work to save our Neutral Net.
Where are they?
Common carrier
It will be good if he can get the internet regulated as a common carrier. It would mean that they have to treat all their internet traffic in a fair and non-disciminatory way, regardless of who is using it and for what purpose.
Some big companies are squealing, but some are telling the FCC to go right ahead.
Before February 26th ...
“Final rules will not be adopted until February 26th and the cable industry is determined to block them. They are now focusing their attention on Congress, to stall, to slow down implementation so they can change the laws. These boys are not to be underestimated — the power and control they wield with Congress surpasses that of the tobacco lobby. Another outpouring is needed….”
Net Neutrality...Oh Really?
The Affordable Care Act certainly hasn’t lived up to its name. Why should we believe Net Neutrality will be any different. The FCC is supposed to operate as an independent government agency, but with two of the three commissioners recently appointed by Obama , one would have to consider the influence Obama can exert on their agenda (which he already has). The internet is the one source of information that Obama has not been able to influence to the degree he has with MSM, and the result is that he and his administration have been scrutinized in ways that are not to his liking. If the FCC takes control of the internet, say goodbye to unencumbered free speech and hello to new taxation and discriminant regulations.