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Democrats Push Government Internet Takeover
Leo McNeil ^ | February 24, 2015 | Leo McNeil

Posted on 02/24/2015 5:32:37 AM PST by LeoMcNeil

The FCC is preparing to take the internet down the pathway of Europe. The Europeans have been treating the internet like a public utility for quite some time. The end result has been slower service, less broadband reach and significantly less broadband investment. The Democrats on the FCC are prepared to regulate the internet like a utility, largely under the cover of darkness. They’re preparing to vote on 322 pages of regulations, none of which have been seen by the general public. This massive takeover of the internet will be done without public comment, despite the Democrats claims that the public commented last summer. The Democrats won’t be delaying the vote because any delay could derail their plans.

Obama claimed he would have the most transparent administration in history. In reality he’s pushing a massive regulatory takeover of the internet without any public involvement. It isn’t clear what the details of these regulations will be yet we know they will have a profound impact on the internet. We know this because the internet in the United States operates without any significant government involvement. Broadband networks are built and paid for privately without any input from the government. Free enterprise on the internet has transformed business in a matter of a couple of decades. Now the Democrats want government to step in and regulate something that is clearly working best without the state.

There are two reasons why Obama and the Democrats want to regulate the internet. Their first and primary reason is control. Margaret Thatcher once said that socialists love to cry power to the people but in reality their battle cry is power to the state. The Democrats will pretend like regulating the internet is something the people in this country are demanding and something that will benefit us. In reality the government regulating the internet only gives power to the state. Right now the government has almost no control over the internet. The end result of that is that broadband is fast and its reach extends quite far in this country. However lack of regulation has left the government on the outside of the most important business and political tool in the country. The Democrats desperately want power in the hands of the state.

Their second reason is that with the government in control of the internet they will have an easier time regulating speech. Make no mistake, the FCC’s takeover of the internet (without Congressional authorization of course) goes hand in hand with the FEC’s desire to regulate political speech on the internet. There are FEC commissioners out there who want the government to limit political speech before elections and force websites to silence themselves or face massive fines. With the government in control of the internet, they’ll have a much easier time regulating speech. They can do this either directly or indirectly. Government control of the internet likely means slower broadband, which means video political advertising will be a thing of the past. People aren’t going to wait for videos to load if broadband is slow. That’s a way to indirectly regulate political speech.

The Democrats want to claim we are a free nation and a free people. If this is so, how can the government create 322 pages of regulations without notifying the people what is in these regulations in advance? Beyond that, there is no law that gives the FCC the power to regulate the internet in any manner much less via so-called net neutrality. If the people want the government to regulate the internet they ought to lobby Congress to pass a law. Instead, the FCC is creating law out of thin air. Worse, they aren’t going to tell us what their laws are going to be until after they’ve already voted on them. The Obama administration has taken this nation to the point where government simply dictates to us and the public shrugs its shoulders and doesn’t care. Obama has taken the United States down the pathway of Europe in terms of mentality. Now he and the Democrats will be taking us down the pathway of Europe on the internet.


TOPICS: Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: blogpimp; congress; fcc; govtabuse; lookateme; lookatme; obama; pimpmyblog

1 posted on 02/24/2015 5:32:37 AM PST by LeoMcNeil
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To: LeoMcNeil
The Obama administration has taken this nation to the point where government simply dictates to us and the public shrugs its shoulders and doesn’t care.

(yawn) Big deal, did you see the size of Kim Kardashian's ass, like OMG...

2 posted on 02/24/2015 5:39:06 AM PST by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: LeoMcNeil
Be aware of "National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC)". I'm posting this here because I think it's relevant and would be very surprised if it wasn't buried in any law the government proposes regarded the Internet.
3 posted on 02/24/2015 5:39:18 AM PST by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Pope Francis)
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To: LeoMcNeil

Its all about KONTROL....KONTROL...KONTROL!!!! Their dictatorship cannot survive if there is free expression of ideas.


4 posted on 02/24/2015 5:41:19 AM PST by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: LeoMcNeil
Unless the new Internet neutrality rules guarantee First Amendment free speech rights in writing, no way will I support the idea.
5 posted on 02/24/2015 5:48:05 AM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: LeoMcNeil

Okay Anonymous. Its time to post:

The Kenyan birth certificate
The hits ordered on on Breitbart, Fuddy, Clancy, Hastings, Young, etc...
Memo sent to Afghanistan enemy combatants regarding flight path of Seal Team 6 / Extortion 17

And any other thousand potential documents of Interest. You surely won’t have a shortage of things to look for with the mist “transparent” administration in history. Now I wonder why McCain didn’t call O out on that ask him why he sealed up all of his records before running if he was going to have a “transparen”t administration?


6 posted on 02/24/2015 5:52:09 AM PST by jsanders2001
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To: jsanders2001
Memo sent to Afghanistan enemy combatants regarding flight path of Seal Team 6

This news to me...but, if true, I'm not surprised.

Comrade/Imam obamatollah is evil and a clear & present danger to our Constitution.

7 posted on 02/24/2015 5:55:16 AM PST by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
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To: RayChuang88

> Unless the new Internet neutrality rules guarantee First Amendment free speech rights in writing, no way will I support the idea.

You can trust it as much as the ACA / Obamacare. If you even consider supporting it I don’t think you are aware of how twisted and corrupt this administration is. They are like the serial killer who poses as a door to door salesman, wedges his foot in the door when you try to close it, then proceeds to rape your wife in front of you after tying you down then kills her and releases you so he can find you later and do it again...


8 posted on 02/24/2015 5:56:41 AM PST by jsanders2001
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To: LeoMcNeil

Last year, the story was that they were relinquishing US control of the internet to the world.


9 posted on 02/24/2015 6:10:16 AM PST by Steely Tom (Vote GOP for A Slower Handbasket)
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To: RayChuang88

What is their word worth in writing? The 322 pages is not to allow access freely.

Pray America is waking


10 posted on 02/24/2015 6:11:09 AM PST by bray (Palin/Cruz to the WH)
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To: bray

Is this going to be a new “law” or is odumbo going to write another “memo” (using his pen and phone)


11 posted on 02/24/2015 6:17:08 AM PST by DaveA37
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To: LeoMcNeil
There are FEC commissioners out there who want the government to limit political speech before elections and force websites to silence themselves or face massive fines. With the government in control of the internet, they'll have a much easier time regulating speech. They can do this either directly or indirectly. Government control of the internet likely means slower broadband,...

The latter makes perfect sense. There is no doubt at all that the result of regulation will be degraded service. The question is how they will regulate speech directly. Do you or anyone else have any idea what type of control they can exert to regulate speech? AFAIK, speech on the internet cannot be regulated, it is essentially impossible. Legal intimidation is possible (e.g. Steyn) or subterfuge, or throttling in some way (certainly the slowing of political speech by prioritizing netflix drivel is in the cards). But outright regulation? Does not seem possible. Not beyond what they can already do now.

12 posted on 02/24/2015 6:42:06 AM PST by palmer (Free is when you don't have to pay for nothing. Or do nothing. We want Obamanet.)
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To: LeoMcNeil

I expect that before Obama leaves office our only access to uncensored or government controlled news will be from clandestine shortwave broadcasts from foreign countries beyond the Obama curtain. Our country is turning into East Germany.


13 posted on 02/24/2015 7:02:37 AM PST by The Great RJ (Pants up...Don't loot!)
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To: LeoMcNeil

Is it possible these regulations will meet the same fate in court as Obamnesty? Violates the Administrative Procedures Act..??..


14 posted on 02/24/2015 7:06:30 AM PST by IamConservative (If fighting fire with fire is a good idea, why do the pros use water?)
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To: Steely Tom

They did. Last year they gave up control of the organization that hands out internet domains, icann. Icann used to be run exclusively by Americans, the Obama administration gave it up to the UN or some other international body.

The FCC’s move is different because it isn’t about websites per se, it’s about how people receive internet service. In many ways the FCC’s regulations will be much worse. If the FCC regulates and ultimately controls our means to use the internet it can control or otherwise limit content.


15 posted on 02/24/2015 7:35:22 AM PST by LeoMcNeil
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To: IamConservative

It’s possible unless the FCC is exempted from that statute. My understanding is that the FCC has historically not released its regulations before voting on them so I’m guessing it is exempt. In the past though the FCC hasn’t overtaken an industry that it hasn’t been charged by Congress with regulating.


16 posted on 02/24/2015 7:37:38 AM PST by LeoMcNeil
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To: bray
What is their word worth in writing? The 322 pages is not to allow access freely.

The fact nobody outside the FCC has seen the full document tells me that there ARE provisions for the government to control what can be said online. No thank you.

17 posted on 02/24/2015 8:27:17 AM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: Old Sarge
Indeed, free speech on the Internet is about to end. Where is the MSM on this?
18 posted on 02/24/2015 3:13:06 PM PST by Sam Gamgee (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)
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