This is the mood of Congress, just before our corrupted FCC unelected officials
voted down what everyone wanted. Nothing hinting that the FCC had gone "rogue,"
in 2015. Quite the contrary.
A couple of key quotes:
"'The preceding four Chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission, two
Republicans and two Democrats, all took steps to uphold the basic principles
that guaranteed a free and open Internet,' Coffman wrote in a letter to Pai."
Exactly. Democrats and Republicans. But not corrupt like this one.
"Coffman wants Pai to return to his former stance that the FCC should wait for
Congress to act. 'I believe Congress can find the right balance of light-touch
regulatory authority while celebrating the same open Internet protections that
exist today,' Coffman told Pai."
Note: "While celebrating the same open Internet protections that exist today,"
i.e. pre-repeal. Not the cynical "restore Internet freedom" of ISPs to screw
people, like this Chairman says.
"The growing Congressional Republican opposition reflects polling that shows
broad support for net neutrality, including among Republican voters and the
party's base, as well as a quickly escalating, widespread backlash against
Pai's plan," Demand Progress said. "On Dec. 7th, over 700 protests were held in
all 50 states and in many Republican districts, with tens of thousands
attending. In recent weeks, over 850,000 calls have been made to Congress
opposing Pai's order through the site BattleForTheNet.com."
Who has gone rogue? Who is deaf even to Congress, let alone the people?
"The statements from Republicans leave open the possibility of supporting
changes to the current net neutrality rules. Curtis, for example, also said
that he is 'concerned that heavy-handed regulation of the Internet will stifle
innovative and economic growth.' But these Republican lawmakers support at
least some restrictions on ISPs, whereas Pai's plan totally eliminates
prohibitions on blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization."
Exactly. If not Title II, then something that still guarantees neutrality. Not
giving this unelected crook the power to give his blessing to blocking and
throttling. And even this:
"The FCC's repeal still has support from Republican lawmakers in general. Sen.
John Thune (R-S.D.), the Commerce Committee chairman, commended Pai's repeal
plan in a speech yesterday. Still, Thune has previously supported legislation
that would ban blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization, and he said
yesterday that he is open to a compromise with Democrats."
Even Thune knows that blocking and throttling should be banned. Not the
stubborn crook in charge, though. He thinks it's great.
And these things have a way of backfiring. When people see this kind of overt
government corruption, you can expect retaliation stronger than what we had in
2015. Just as, in 2015, the wireless broadband providers became included in the
neutrality mandate. Before reclassification to Title II, the FCC had attempted
to mandate neutrality only for cabled broadband.
This is called, "being too greedy for your own good."
Bert
-------------------------------------------------
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/12/even-some-republican-congresspeople-oppose-full-net-neutrality-repeal/
GOP skepticism -
A Republican lawmaker urges FCC to delay net neutrality repeal vote
FCC should wait for Congress to create net neutrality law, Republican says.
Jon Brodkin - 12/13/2017, 11:13 AM
A few Republican lawmakers are breaking with the party in order to oppose or
express skepticism about tomorrow's Federal Communications Commission vote to
eliminate net neutrality rules.
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) yesterday called on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to delay
the commission's vote and give Congress time to "hold hearings on the net
neutrality issue and to pass permanent open Internet legislation."
"The preceding four Chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission, two
Republicans and two Democrats, all took steps to uphold the basic principles
that guaranteed a free and open Internet," Coffman wrote in a letter to Pai.
Coffman referred to a Pai statement from when the FCC's then-Democratic
majority imposed the current net neutrality rules in 2015. The commission's
"five unelected individuals" should not decide a "dispute this fundamental,"
Pai said then. Instead, Pai in 2015 said that "the people's elected
representatives" should decide.
Coffman wants Pai to return to his former stance that the FCC should wait for
Congress to act. "I believe Congress can find the right balance of light-touch
regulatory authority while celebrating the same open Internet protections that
exist today," Coffman told Pai.
Coffman followed up today with a tweet to Pai, saying, "I am still awaiting a
response to my letter yesterday on #NetNeutrality. My staff has called your FCC
office and received no answer."
Net neutrality advocacy group Demand Progress pointed to similar statements
from several other Republican lawmakers:
[On Monday], Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) tweeted that he had urged Chairman
Pai to 'preserve the framework of net neutrality,' something that Pai's
so-called 'Restoring Internet Freedom' order would not do.
Recently, Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) said in a statement, that he 'support[s]
the principles of net neutrality such as no blocking, throttling, or paid
prioritization.' Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) expressed skepticism about Pai's
plan, saying he hopes any action taken by the FCC will not allow for 'the
slowing down, degradation, or blocking of online content by outside groups.'
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) reportedly does not support the repeal, with a
spokesperson saying that "Internet providers must not manage their system in an
anti-competitive way that limits consumers' choices," according to the Bangor
Daily News.
"The growing Congressional Republican opposition reflects polling that shows
broad support for net neutrality, including among Republican voters and the
party's base, as well as a quickly escalating, widespread backlash against
Pai's plan," Demand Progress said. "On Dec. 7th, over 700 protests were held in
all 50 states and in many Republican districts, with tens of thousands
attending. In recent weeks, over 850,000 calls have been made to Congress
opposing Pai's order through the site BattleForTheNet.com."
Legislative action
The statements from Republicans leave open the possibility of supporting
changes to the current net neutrality rules. Curtis, for example, also said
that he is "concerned that heavy-handed regulation of the Internet will stifle
innovative and economic growth." But these Republican lawmakers support at
least some restrictions on ISPs, whereas Pai's plan totally eliminates
prohibitions on blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization.
A few Republicans speaking out won't stop the rollback, as Pai's Republican
majority still intends to repeal the rules tomorrow. But the statements are
significant because Republican lawmakers have generally been in lockstep in
supporting Pai-even though polls have found that most Republican voters want to
keep net neutrality rules. The protests by net neutrality advocates may have
helped pressure some Republicans to speak out on Pai's plan.
Democratic lawmakers have consistently opposed the repeal and are continuing
their quest to keep the net neutrality rules in place. Thirty-nine senators
urged Pai in a letter to "abandon this radical and reckless plan to turn the
FCC's back on consumers and the future of the free and open Internet."
Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill to stop the repeal. Rep. Mike
Doyle (D-Penn.) announced that he will introduce legislation to reverse the
repeal after the FCC votes on it.
The FCC's repeal still has support from Republican lawmakers in general. Sen.
John Thune (R-S.D.), the Commerce Committee chairman, commended Pai's repeal
plan in a speech yesterday. Still, Thune has previously supported legislation
that would ban blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization, and he said
yesterday that he is open to a compromise with Democrats.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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