Without a vote by Congress, of course. That’s not the Obama way.
The Federal Communications Commission is about to usher in the most dramatic government intervention in the Internet in two decades — heralding a liberal shift toward greater oversight of one of the nation’s most important economic engines.
Majority Democrats at the agency are expected to vote Thursday to approve FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s net neutrality plan, which will regulate broadband like a public utility to ensure all Web traffic is treated equally. They’re also poised to encourage towns and cities to compete with the dominant telecom companies in providing Internet service to consumers.
Taken together, the two moves, which are vehemently opposed by the FCC’s two Republican members, represent a seismic shift in the relationship between the government and the companies that run the Internet — and mark the biggest change to communications policy since the 1996 Telecom Act.
Once again the Obozo clown posse forces everything they touch to the lowest common denominator. The side benefit being that our Dear Leader(s) will have the ability to prevent any newspeak on the internet. As of tomorrow I expect the word, “Obozo” will be prohibited speech that can be “investigated” by the IRS.
Thank goodness people like you didn’t get their way. This is definitely a case where I trust the FCC about a zillion times more than I trust the telecommunications industry biggies. They made their intentions quite clear: toll lanes, squeezing out everyone but the deep-pocketed. They refused to stop. They asked for this and I’m really glad they got it.
In a situation where you have a monopoly or near monopoly on internet access the government should regulate it for the common good. They did it with telephone service, they did it with electric service. The internet is the new broad based utility. Why should it not be treated the same?
“Thank goodness people like you didn’t get their way.”
— Arrogant Asshole
I guess the ends justified the means for you, scumbag — “open” internet regulations developed behind closed doors. I bet your fat ass will be squealing about the FCC when it’s a 3/2 Republican or 4/1 Republican majorities.
And Dave, monopolies on telephone stifled innovation — namely wireless phones.
Boyd…Bullshit.
Ask the Village of Jackson how government run broadband is more efficient and cost-effective than the private companies…yes, that is sarcasm.
Class act, Dave. Nice rebuttal.
Really!…you consider your comments about Scott to be a class act? My one word managed to say what I thought of your position in a concise way without a personal attack on you.
If you would like a cogent argument regarding whether innovation was stifled by a monopolistic telephone system I suggest you check out this article in the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2005/12/no-monopoly-on-innovation
The Bell Telephone Lab developed much of the technology that made cell phones and computers possible and the size of the lab made possible long term research without immediate payoffs to the research. The problem with Bell telephone’s monopoly was the impact the lack of competition had on the consumer. As a result the government forced the breakup of Bell Telephone into the regional “Baby Bells”. Not perfect but better than full control in the hands of one corporation as far as consumers and the common good. Instead of a dollar or more per minute we generally pay nothing additional for long distance today.
You are probably right that the Bell Telephone Co. did stifle innovation to some degree if it thought the innovation would cut into their control of phones. Good example, the answering machine which was developed in the 1930s and buried. However, what ended this monopoly control were the government regulators, that you and others on this site regularly bemoan, that forced the breakup of the monopoly under the Sherman AntiTrust Act. The law is still on the books but hasn’t been used since Reagan came in. It should be… starting with banks!
Now, you’re flat out lying.
The internet will now be controlled by politicians and lobbyists. Good job statists. Especially the part of keeping your plan soviet style as in secret.