Landmark Internet rules approved

The Hill ^ | 02/26/2015 | Julian Hattem

[GIdget2004]

Federal regulators voted Thursday to impose sweeping net neutrality rules that supporters say are critical to protecting the freedom of the Internet.

In a party-line 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission moved to embrace an approach advocated by President Obama to treat the Web like a utility in order to prevent major companies such as Comcast or Verizon from slowing, blocking or creating “toll roads” for people’s access to the Internet.

"We cannot have gatekeepers who tell us what we can and cannot do and where we can and cannot go online," said Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the FCC's three Democratic commissioners. "We cannot have a two-tiered Internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave the rest of us lagging behind."

After a decade spent by activists pushing for strong federal rules, supporters said that the tough new rules would be a strong bulwark to prevent people from being abused online. In the end, those activists helped drive more than 4 million net neutrality comments to the agency — by far an FCC record.


On Thursday, the commission’s meeting room was packed with activists, lawyers and journalists who trudged through the rare February snowfall to attend the historic hearing. Meanwhile, dozens of proponents of the rules gathered outside the agency’s Southwest Washington headquarters to cheer on the vote.

“Today, because of your efforts we are better able to allow millions of Americans to tell their stories, to reach their potential and to reach the American ideal,” said Mignon Clyburn, another Democratic commissioner, in thanking activists for their work.

The vote puts an end to a tumultuous 13-month rulemaking period prompted by a federal appeals court ruling last January, which tossed out previous regulations dating from 2010.

[USAF80]

Now in other countries where the government controls the Internet it happens all the time.

The Middle East was like that and I live in a country now that has government control of the internet. Some kids programming cannot be accessed.

[leopardseal]

If they’re worried about performance you’d think the first thing they’d do would be go after the low-hanging fruit like streaming movies and what not. Are they saying anything like that??

[Taipei]

FCC Commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to 5 year terms. No more than 3 of the 5 can belong to the same political party.

The President also appoints one Commissioner to serve as Chairman. Here are the 5 current Commissioners, their party affiliations, and the dates their terms will end.

Jessica Rosenworcel, D, 2015
Ajit Pai, R, 2016
Mignon Clyburn, D, 2017
Thomas Wheeler, D, Chairman 2018
Michael O’Rielly, R, 2019

So, even if the Repubs take the White House in 2016, the FCC will remain majority Dem until 2017, as Rosenworcel will be replaced by another Dem this year, and the panel won’t be flipped to 3 Repubs and 2 Dems until Clyburn’s term ends in 2017.

[kindred]

Tragic. Imagine obamanet cause it will be as the man is throwing taxpayers monies worldwide and buying voters for the communist left wing democrats. And there is not enough money in the world for the democrats to steal and take by force.
Only the Lord God and His Son Jesus Christ is good. All others are not and, at best, vanity. We shall all see as time goes on.

[Cheerio]

I have a feeling you are being a tad naive.

Just wait until all the details become known as well as imposed. I have a feeling net neutrality is going to feel a whole lot more like “net injustice” than anyone dared contemplate. Let alone imagined

[Aut Pax Aut Bellum]

Of course it did. Banning ammo next on the docket.....
I have often said all they need to do is raise the excise tax on guns and ammo (11% currently). They will also raise the NFA transfer from $200 to a thousand or more. $200 back in 1934 when the law was enacted is equivalent to $3557.75 today. They'll find every angle to steadily choke it all off.

[BeauBo]

Commissioner Ajit Pai was at CPAC today.

One near term effect which he pointed out, is that a variety of taxes will go into effect soon on Internet service, just like phone service. $6 billion a year, starting in a few months.

[Kickass Conservative]

Landmark “Final Solution” approved.

[b4its2late]

Bastids.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

The creeps who worked out that plan were SICK! A presidential monopoly on communications?

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Thank you for putting in the time, FRiend.

[Sorry for my gruff response just now.]

So when it comes to our inalianble right to free speech, they legislated uncostitutionally [as usual] to have:

— a flimsy senate ‘check’

— Zero balance.

Imperial presidential monopoly on communications.

When the president monopolizes nominations, the president simply monopolizes. That’s nothing but tyranny, short and simple.

[XenaLee]

Remember when Code Pink was so concerned about Bush's wars? They're not so concerned about war now. Now, about siding with them on Net Neutrality....

That is the best argument against being 'for' net neutrality that I've seen yet, aside from the mere fact that it is the fascist Obama government, supported by George Soros, that wants it.

And Code Pink is just another leftist organization that operates "in code"...since along with their name, their every agenda item is cloaked in a lie and misrepresents what it actually stands for...for obvious reasons. If they came right out and called it what it really is...nobody would support them or vote for their "cause".

They are assuming that counting on the millions of dumbed down Americans.... that just don't know any better and therefore will support them...will accomplish their agenda of 'fundamentally transforming' America into their socialist (communist w/a smiley face) nightmare. And they're correct in making that assumption...because it does seem to be working.

[XenaLee]

Unthinkingly throwing out party talking points does little good. And this is a PERFECT example, IMHO.

Ok. Then....so why do you keep doing it?