Posted on 09/08/2016 6:59:41 PM PDT by Freedom56v2
Ted Cruz and other Republicans are barreling toward a September showdown with the White House over its plan to give up oversight of the internet, as the Obama administration tries to rally support from the tech and telecom industries.
GOP lawmakers have long warned that the administration's plan to relinquish its authority over ICANN, the global nonprofit that manages the internet's domain name system, could give authoritarian countries like China and Russia an opening to make an online power grab. Now, as the actual date of the transition approaches — Oct. 1 — Republicans are looking at throwing up new obstacles.
"Today our country faces a threat to the internet as we know it. In 22 short days, if Congress fails to act, the Obama administration intends to give away the internet to an international body akin to the United Nations," Cruz said in a speech on the Senate floor Thursday. "I rise today to discuss the significant, irreparable damage this proposed internet giveaway could wreak not only on our nation but on free speech across the world."
Cruz is pledging to make the issue his primary focus this month. He's already launched a website warning about the dangers of the administration's strategy, complete with a countdown clock against a black background. And he's scheduled a hearing of the Senate Judiciary oversight subcommittee he chairs next week to “investigate the possible dangers” of the plan.
Meanwhile, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) said Wednesday that language to delay the transition could be included in the continuing resolution to fund the government past this month. And House Republicans are considering their options in the coming appropriations bill, a GOP aide confirmed this week.
“I don’t think the foundation has been appropriately laid for this,” Thune said in an interview.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Sorry, I have kids and grandkids. At the very least, I feel compelled to contact my representatives by phone email and snail mail and tell them to keep our internet Open and Free.
Yes, our “Representatives” in DC are pretty worthless, but occasionally if they feel pressure, they can be compelled to do something...
If internet goes, so may many of the sites that we conservatives value and cherish...such as Free Republic and all the information sites that we use to obtain and share information and the truth that is absent the mainstream media.
IF he is elected. There are a LOT of dumba@@es out there.
Agreed, but we really need to stop it now.
Yeah, that’s true.
However, if our elected representatives are so stupid, dishonest and corrupt to allow this to happen unless I call them and tell them not to... then I guess it’s going to happen.
I can live without the internet.
I wonder if a bunch of idiots with their faces stuck to their phones can live without, but I know I can.
And if the government does succeed in giving it away, then we make a new internet and don’t give it to the government.
Hard lesson learned.
And this is a pass/ fail scenario for the GOP.
Either stop him or allow it.
There are not going to be any participation trophies awarded. No Bs, no Cs, no Ds. A or F. That’s it.
And the guy that stands there saying oh I was against it, but all my other colleagues went along with it will also get an F for being utterly useless.
IF this transfer succeeds, I think it will trigger a gradual grinding down of access...some conservative sites will just be unavailable...like Breitbart (which Illary said should be shutdown) or Drudge.
There may be increased fees to access...who knows...
I just know that I want to be able to tell my family that I did all I could—which individually is not a lot, but collectively if we all do something, could be substantial.
Well, I’m not sitting in Congress lying about standing up for the American people.
Well, fine do nothing.
That is not what I want to tell my kids and grandkids I did when talking about the good old days when there was a Free and open internet.
I want to at least pick up the phone or write an email...Not that hard.
If my government does not know what the right thing to do here is, then my government has to go.
I’m not really interested in spending time out of my life to call my elected representative to tell him hey please don’t screw me. Please don’t screw America.
There shouldn’t be a single person in the GOP in favor of allowing this to occur. Nor should be a single person in the democrat party in favor of this occurring, since they represent the little guy har, har, har.
Let’s see what they do.
And if they give the internet away, and their idiot voters continue to re-elect the same idiots over and over, then I guess they do not deserve an internet.
So you have picked up your phone. Please tell us what that accomplished? In case you are new to this scene, elected Republicans don’t care what you think. Oh sure, you can sway enough to slow legislation, but in this case they have to take a stand, and McConnell and Ryan have already said that is of the table. I would be elated if they actually stood up to Obama one time. Unfortunately I have zero faith they will.
So you have picked up your phone. Please tell us what that accomplished? In case you are new to this scene, elected Republicans don’t care what you think. Oh sure, you can sway enough to slow legislation, but in this case they have to take a stand, and McConnell and Ryan have already said that is of the table. I would be elated if they actually stood up to Obama one time. Unfortunately I have zero faith they will.
Trump will take it back.
IF he is elected. There are a LOT of dumba@@es out there.
Agreed, but we really need to stop it now.
I don’t know if it is too late to write newspaper editorials, etc.
Those with Twitter or Facebook can spread the word.
I'd love to, but I've got Chuckee Cheese Schumer & Kirstin S-for Brains Gillibrand libtards for senators, Grace I-was-an-immigration-lawyer-&-my-daddy-was -a-criminal Meng for a Congresscritter, Cuomo the libtard for governor, superlibtards for a city council & Bill Dumblassio the clueless libtard for mayor. I feel kind of hemmed in by moronity to get any proper or moral things done around here.
And as I noted in another post...folks who have Twitter, Facebook and other social media can spread the word.
I am writing actual letters as they are more effective, including WSJ article I cited...I may do an editorial for local newspaper.
If everyone would do a little, it could be stopped.
But hey, don’t lift a finger to do anything...slowing the legislation till Trump is sworn in is too much effort.
IF they don’t hear from their constituency, they will not be nearly as motivated to challenge Obama.
You have no idea what I do, or what I have done. And along with being skeptical this is anything other than a fund raising ruse or smoke and mirrors, I am seriously concerned Cruz is going to create a media crisis to hurt Trump’s presidential aspirations. And I am/was a Cruz supporter.
I should do just fine with Feinstein, Boxer, Pelosi and Moonbeam then. /s
They’ve never challenged him.
Why is giving control of the internet away even a question?
Who on earth besides Obama the Flatworm thinks this is a good idea?
All good questions...
You said you could live without the internet, not sure it would come to that; however, I would prefer not to have it controlled and monitored by some UN committee...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.