-- Stop the FCC Internet Takeover! --
A number of "net neutrality" rules were proposed last December by the Federal Communications Commission.
Recently, these rules were officially published in the Federal Register.1
With this announcement, Obama's internet takeover is to begin November 20th.
In April the House had passed a Resolution disapproving this FCC proposal. 2
If the Senate follows through on a Joint Resolution, perhaps the takeover can be stopped.
In the packet beginning on page __ I have included a couple items which provide some backgound information:
First, there is an article by Phil Kerpen titled Senate Must Stop Obama Internet Takeover .3
Also, there is a short press release on the matter from the Citizens Against Government Waste .4
The "net neutrality" rules supposedly preserve an open internet.
What is net neutrality? 5
In simplest terms, all internet traffic is treated equally.
At present, for business reasons Internet Service Providers prefer to regulate the flow of traffic through their networks.
Many have policies which protect their customers from bandwidth hogs.
The FCC rules would prohibit a provider from controlling network traffic which uses excessive amounts of bandwidth.
Opponents of net neutrality argue that without such traffic restrictions, future growth of the internet would be at risk.
Furthermore, these rules will - for the first time - impose government regulation.
Such hands-on intervention would undo the present free-market policy and stifle [quote] "the greatest engine of economic growth, creativity, and innovation the world has ever seen." 3 P
Robert McChesney is a leading media activist with deep ties to the present FCC. 6
He has stated , [quote] "At the moment, the battle over network neutrality is not to completely eliminate the telephone and cable companies. We are not at that point yet. But the ultimate goal is to get rid of the media capitalists in the phone and cable companies and to divest them from control."3 P
Gradually the internet is to be changed into a government-regulated, government-controlled public utility.
Under the Congressional Review Act, 7 Congress can block the overreach of regulators such as the FCC.
A joint resolution of disapproval from the House may be passed by the Senate with a simple majority, without the threat of a filibuster.
Unfortunately, this resolution is subject to a presidential veto.
Nevertheless, there is a constitutional principle at stake -- Congress, not the FCC, should write the laws for the internet.
Congress needs to Stop the FCC Internet Takeover!
Urge Senators Toomey and Casey to pass Senate Joint Resolution 6. 8 P
The last item in the packet provides some talking points suggested by the group Americans for Prosperity.9
Their Vice President for Policy10 is the same Phil Kerpen who authored the first article in the packet.
Kerpen has written a book : Democracy Denied: How Obama is Ignoring You and Bypassing Congress to Radically Transform America - and How to Stop Him11
How do we stop him?
To quote a reviewer: "The final chapter gives us a roadmap to pruning these obscene powers stolen from the Congress and the people by this most leftist president in American history. "12
I recently ordered this book from Amazon.
I will be including the book for you in our Library.
Thank you.
-- Peter Cooper