Posted on 02/27/2015 11:59:42 AM PST by Kaslin
How predictable… The Federal Communications Commission voted on strict party lines to adopt Obama’s 332 page “Net Neutrality” proposal. Given that everything the government touches ends up as a rousing success-story, I’m sure you’ll be able to keep your internet if you like your internet. According to Fox News:
The commission, following a contentious meeting, voted 3-2 to adopt its so-called net neutrality plan -- a proposal that remained secret in the run-up to the final vote. On its surface, the plan is aimed at barring service providers from creating paid "fast lanes" on the Internet, which consumer advocates and Internet companies worry would edge out cash-strapped startups and smaller Internet-based businesses. Chairman Tom Wheeler said it would ensure an "open, unfettered network."
Of course… Because if there is one thing the government is known for it is protecting truly free markets, right? At issue is a concern that service providers might unfairly target certain companies for preferential (or discriminatory) treatment. However, I can’t help but notice that this is largely a problem that doesn’t actually exist. Apparently the big government fanatics over at Obama’s FCC believe it is prudent governance to restrict freedom because someone might (someday) abuse it.
How terribly Orwellian. I think George Washington is credited with a quote about such overzealous governance:
"It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it."
Democrats fear that a lack of competition within the industry is leading to monopolistic injustice; and evidently believe that slapping a 21st century technology with rules designed for rotary telephones, will somehow level the playing field. (I call it socialism for broadband… Let’s make sure everyone has equally atrocious internet service.)
On almost every level, the proposal seems to be a solution in search of a problem. While the Liberals at the FCC opine about too few service providers, it’s probably worth pointing out that affordable access to the internet has been growing exponentially for years. Over the course of the last 20 years, the internet has become more accessible, substantially faster, and profoundly more user friendly. In today’s America, quality access to the web is almost considered a given. Heck, even remote corners of rural America tend to have Wi-Fi hotspots at local coffee shops, public libraries, and public schools. And almost anyone in America can get their hands on a web-enabled smartphone.
Moreover, it should be worth noting that “competition” isn’t exactly suffering among service providers. While certain companies might have relative control over small geographical areas, innovation has been shifting the balance of power for the last few decades to more dynamic competitive methods of delivering the internet. (Remember when cable providers weren’t the ones who you called to get hooked up to the interwebs?)
America’s transition from dial-up, to DSL, to cable, and now to fiber, seems to demonstrate that competition and innovation are alive and well within the industry. As a result, the consumer is routinely introduced to new and improved methods for watching Netflix and checking their status updates. Accessibility to quality service has never been greater, and as a result the richness of the internet has fundamentally impacted the way Americans interact with the world.
Due to such stunning advancements in accessibility, the internet has become the largest democratizing machine for information since moveable type. The internet is an entertainment hub, a news source, the world’s largest library, a communication device, a soapbox, and a conduit for information. This great explosion in tech, industry, and democratized accessibility did not happen because of government “oversight”… It emerged due to government’s general inability to regulate, tax, and control the 20th century’s most influential contribution to human discourse.
And now Obama’s FCC will get their bureaucratic hands on it in an effort to fix an injustice that doesn’t even seem to exist. In an effort to ensure an “open” internet, the FCC will impose upon an already-unfettered marketplace regulations originally written for telephone companies in the 1930s. If you like your internet as it is, you’re probably in luck… Nothing will be changing anytime soon with the FCC breathing down the necks of would-be innovators. After all, there’s probably a reason that our home phone service has remained largely unchanged while the unregulated interwebs have become an exponentially growing marketplace of ideas and innovation.
Far from being “progressive”, Obama & Co seem dedicated to clinging to an early 20th Century model of centralized power, and restricted free-market advancement… All in the name of preventing an abuse that hasn’t even materialized in the real world.
In fact, the term “progressive” is almost as misleading as the term “Net Neutrality”.
How much longer before the Obama regime removes FR and other conservative websites?
This IS the ultimate goal of “Net Neutrlity”.
By then, a new system will arise...an electronic samizdat.
Agree. The assault on free speech is underway. No question about it. In two years time we’ll be lucky if the word ‘conservative’ is not banned as being offensive to liberal sensitivities. Drudge will be THEIR first target.
Definition of SAMIZDAT
: a system in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and countries within its orbit by which government-suppressed literature was clandestinely printed and distributed; also : such literature
__________________________________________________________________
Had to look that one up.
Obama and the FCC don’t have the authority to do this
we should file lawsuits to put a stop the these FCC laws/regulations as they are unlawful, unconstitutional , illegal and very harmful to individuals and the economy
This is some scary stuff. I haven’t seen the FCC documents but soros funded this and imo the days for this site , Drudge etc. are numbered as the FCC will now be able to hear grievances against web sites (Rush limbaugh just said this).
I’m looking for another country to get out of this socialist hell hole Obama is turning the USA into
Again all democrats on the FCC voted for this socialism/marxism for the INternet. again all Republicans on the FCC voted against this socialism (same as for Obamacarere)
It’s been tried before, and spectacularly failed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ninety-Five_Theses
Obama and the FCC don’t have the authority to do this
We should file lawsuits to put a stop to these FCC actions/laws/regulations as they are unlawful, unconstitutional , illegal and very harmful to individuals and the economy
This is some scary stuff. I haven’t seen the FCC documents but soros funded this and imo the days for this site , Drudge etc. are numbered as the FCC will now be able to hear grievances against web sites (Rush limbaugh just said this).
I’m looking for another country to get out of this socialist hell hole Obama is turning the USA into
Again all democrats on the FCC voted for this socialism/marxism for the INternet. again all Republicans on the FCC voted against this socialism (same as for Obamacarere)
...but this time - not in a good way!
Tks. Interesting info.
Yes and Rush just said something similar to what you did that the FCC will be able to hear grievances against web sites or have the ISP’s police websites for grievances and “hate speecH” etc.
Up until a few years ago, I would never have expected my own government to view me as the enemy. I guess Obama really has fundamentally transformed America.
Waiver available for nominal fee uhhh contribution to the DNC.
Power Grabs and Partisanship HaPPen.
Nothing new for freedom seeking people
to be told to shut up
And eat the slop in your trough faster.
You don’t want to miss the Nightly Indoctrinational News broadcast now, do you?
Eat up!
I cannot wait to hear the screaming from all the millennial dweebs who think this is a good thing. I figure it will take eighteen months or so for this to become noticeably bad.
Well it was fun while it lasted.
I guess the plan is to migrate to ham radio....
I really don’t see this as a threat to free speech. There’s conservative shows on TV, radio and they’re not shut down because of the FCC. I don’t see how they could differentiate things on the Internet.
This is a threat to private property and an unconstitutional intrusion into private business. It is also a classic case of the government not understanding the technology. I WANT Quality of Service technologies from a server all the way down to my device, which means efficiently prioritizing packets. It should only be prioritization on the TYPE of packet and not from WHOM. This can be handled by internet protocols.
I do see lots of new licenses, fees, lawsuits and yes, some abuse in terms of whom the FCC “investigates”. These costs will of course get handed down to us. It was certainly an excuse to take over, based on a problem that didn’t exist.
Yep, we will be same as dat................
Unless this has passed through both houses of Congress and been signed into law by a President it is NOT law. And I hope it never passes anything.
Agency regulations don’t have to be passed by Congress. Agencies do this all the time. Of course, Agencies can be sued in court to question certain rules and regulations (that does happen) which are put into effect.
The method to use, if there is a dispute with regulations ... is by way of a court suit.
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