Obama Helps FCC Pass Net Neutrality… Find Out What that Could Do to Freedom on the Internet
Conservatives should be alarmed at what just happened.
In the FCC’s vote, three Democrats voted in favor of the Internet being regulated like a utility, much like the telephone or radio is regulated. The two Republicans of the FCC voted against the measure.
But what does all this mean?
For starters it means the federal government will be able to control the Internet. Not necessarily the best thing in the world.
Democrats voted for the legislation because they believe it will help keep the Internet open. According to Fox News, “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.'”
And while that might seem all well and good, the problem is it hands over the regulation of the Internet to a government who isn’t well known for transparency.
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The phrase I heard most often from Republican leadership while serving in the House and Senate was, “This is not the right time to have this fight.”
Whether the issue was balancing the budget, school choice, patient-driven healthcare, eliminating earmarks, raising the debt limit, ending big, crony handouts like the Export-Import Bank or any stand against the continued growth, favoritism and intrusion of big government, conservatives were always told to wait. Wait until conservatives have the majority. Wait until we have the White House. Wait until we are reelected.
We’re seeing that “wait” attitude in practice today as the House votes on a “clean” Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Despite the fact that Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate that were elected on a pledge to fight against President Obama’s executive amnesty, and despite forcing through a big spending bill at the end of 2014 with the promise they would fight later on Homeland Security appropriations, they are now punting the issue entirely.