The Dems who are selling out on Net Neutrality

[LiviaOlivia]

Net Neutrality Defeated -- Telcos and Cable Win
By Art Brodsky
A House Committee sold out the Internet.
04-26-06

A couple of days ago, I wrote about an amendment in the House Commerce Committee that will go a long way to determining the future of the Internet. The vote is over, and the amendment from Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and others to protect the Internet and preserve openness and innovation lost. The vote was 22-34. That's the bad news.

The good news is that, considering the lobbying power of the combined cable and telephone industry lobbying, losing by this little is a good sign. It's better than we did at subcommittee. There is some recognition that the grass roots efforts that started relatively late in the game, combined with some lobbying by e-commerce companies, is starting to have an effect. We've probably got a couple of weeks before the full telecom bill goes to the House floor. (As I write this, the final vote hasn't happened yet, but there's no doubt the Committee will approve the bill.)

This turned, unfortunately, into a partisan fight. Only one courageous Republican, Heather Wilson of New Mexico, voted in favor of the amendment. These Democrats left the reservation: Ed Towns of New York, Bobby Rush of Illinois, Al Wynn of Maryland, Gene Green of Texas and Charlie Gonzales of Texas.

~snip~
http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/29242
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Dear Verizon/ATT Five,

by Matt Stoller, Wed Apr 26, 2006 at 06:13:30 PM EST

I know how much you enjoy getting campaign contributions from telecommunications interests, and I hope that you find yourself swimming in contributions. I mean, you've earned it, since voting against freedom on the internet isn't going to get you many fans. I'm also glad you're so accessible to your constituents, and I've taken the liberty to list the amount of money you received from cable and telephone interests, as well as your office's phone number.

1. Ed Towns (NY-10) received $22,000 from cable and telecom company interests. I'm glad I can you reach you at [phone].

2. Al Wynn (MD-04) received $19,100 from cable and telecom company interests. I'm glad I can you reach you at [phone].

3. Charlie Gonzales: (TX-20) received $16,500 from cable and telecom company interests. I'm glad I can you reach you at [phone].

4. Bobby Rush: (IL-01) received $21,000 from cable and telecom company interests. I'm glad I can you reach you at [phone].

5. Gene Green: (TX-29) received $12,000 from cable and telecom company interests. I'm glad I can you reach you at [phone] tel.

It's hard work to make hundreds of thousands of internet users really really mad. But you persevered, and in all likelihood your reelection campaigns will be that much richer. Congrats, guys, you made Santa's naughty list.

~snip~

http://mydd.com/story/2006/4/26/1836/60088

[sendero]

1. Personally..

... I think this issue should become, that is we should make it, the second third rail of politics. Touch our internet, and your political career is over.

The domain secondthirdrail.com is available :) Maybe it could be a clearinghouse for letters, petitions, other communications to convince our lawmakers that whatever the telcos are offering is not enough.

[Agony]

2. Or ...

Since the free press isn't free anymore or much of a press, we could call the internet the Fifth Estate!

[blondeatlast]

4. You may be on to something there--I like your thinking!

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[jimshoes]

3. Kick

I agree. Don't mess with the net!

[NVMojo]

5. I agree! Kick and call these jerks!!

[serryjw]

7. EVERYONE needs to send Congresswoman Heather

Wilson a thank you, I just did! I can't help with our democratic traitors, they are not in my state. I agree. You touch the Internet and your career is over....BECAUSE SO IS DEMOCRACY!IF they make suchi of the Internet before 2006 we are in BIG trouble.

[Jacobin]

6. Very Cheap Whores

We need a People's Pac to outbid the telcos and other business lobbies. Have a million people chip in five bucks a month and outbid for the whore's services.

Thats about what its come to

[blondeatlast]

8. Seriously, my political daydreams have often gone there.

I think it could be done.

With enough VERY small scale contributions we could accumulate enough cash to make them sit up and take notice.

I even thought about that $5 as a starting figure as well, but no single contribution over say, $25.

It could almost be bipartisan, as the people's interest and the corporate interests are virtually exclusive of each other at every turn.

Even better, we could have the big corporations fighting among each other if we would be successful.

[PublicWrath]

10. I was thinking about this today and wondering if it could be done.

I will gladly donate.

[v8q]

12. Don't we already "own" the internet?

It was developed DARPA and ARPA and lots of other alphabet agencies using public money.
I think that no corporation has a right to ask congress to give them what the public owns. For that matter, congress has no right to give away the peoples property.
If they do vote to give the net away to the highest bidder, it will be time for a huge class action lawsuit. I know I will want my money back.
If the telcoms need a way to "serve their customers", then let them build their own network specifically for that purpose. I believe that is called the "free market".

[newyawker99]

13. Hi v8q!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[v8q]

14. Thanks!

I am not exactly new - but I have kept my mouth shut up to now.
I guess this means that I see this issue as a big one - and there are lots of big issues here.

[onenote]

17. the cable companies and telcos pretty much have built today's internet

The Internet is a network of networks. The bulk of those networks are privately owned.
This site has some interesting observations on the question of "who owns the Internet" http://blogs.cio.com/node/209

onenote

[AnnieBW]

9. Al Wynn's District Borders Mine

I believe that it's also got Verizon's regional HQ in it, as well as Comcast. Big frelling surprise.

[Bob K]

11. I just...

...called these five and lodged my displeasure with their errant ways. It only takes a minute or two and once they sell us out it'll take much more effort to reverse the end result!

[dogman]

15. Bobby Rush, $1million.

As I posted on this subject yesterday.
Yesterday's news
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-sweet25.htm...
Snip> An Englewood community center founded by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a key player on telecommunications legislation, received a $1 million grant from the charitable arm of SBC/AT&T, one of the nation's largest phone companies.

The chief of a congressional watchdog group says Rush's ongoing association with the Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corporation and his role in shaping telecommunications law as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee is a conflict of interest. Using charitable giving as a backdoor way to curry favor with lawmakers is coming under increasing scrutiny, figuring in controversies associated with former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who was forced to temporarily step aside as the ranking Democrat on the Ethics panel.

In todays editorial (second item)
http://www.suntimes.com/output/commentary/cst-edt-edits...
Snip>That organization is now at the center of a debate over whether Rush crossed the line when the organization accepted a $1 million grant from the SBC Foundation, the charitable arm of the communication giant SBC/AT&T.

Political watchdog groups think so, and we concur.

Snip>And consider this: Controversial legislation that could benefit large communication conglomerates such as SBC also bears Rush's name. Known as the Barton-Rush bill, the legislation is a rewrite of telecommunications law and has come under fire by the cable industry, while it is backed by phone service providers.

[LiviaOlivia]

16. Wow, thanks

excellent post