House Dems: FCC Must Reject Google-Verizon Deal To Ensure Net Neutrality

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

Four Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee penned a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski Tuesday asking the FCC "to ensure the maintenance of an open Internet" by rejecting a recent deal by Google and Verizon that could lead to tiered pricing for internet service.

"The recent proposal by Google and Verizon of an industry-centered net neutrality policy framework reinforces the need for resolution of the current open proceedings at the commission to ensure the maintenance of an open Internet," wrote Reps. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Anna Eshoo of California, Jay Inslee of Washington and Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania.

Last week, Google and Verizon announced a deal that could set the stage for internet service that's "separate but equal," according to critics. While the plan prohibits internet service providers from discriminating in how they treat content traveling over wireline networks, Google and Verizon's agreement would allow wireless carriers to throttle users' internet traffic as long as they are transparent about it.

The representatives argued that any sort of paid prioritization of internet traffic is contrary to the "fundamental non-discrimination principles that have made the Internet the most successful communications and commercial medium in history." "The public interest," the Democrats argued, "is served by a free and open Internet that continues to be an indispensable platform for innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and free speech."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/house-dems-fcc-must-rejec_n_684778.html

[KansDem]

1. "...an indispensable platform for innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and free speech."

I like the "free speech" part of it!

Just think: if it weren't for the Internet, we would be believing that Bush won 2000, Saddam did have WMDs, we don't torture, the banks were victimized by $14,000-a-year Spanish-speaking strawberry pickers, the exploding decifits were a result of Clinton and Obama, and the BP disaster was just another average oil-spill mishap.

Oh, and the GOP was still the "Party of Personal Responsibility," "Party of Fiscal Responsibility," "Party of Family Values," and "Party of Morality."