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Net Neutrality Advocates Decry FCC 'False' Solution and 'Squandered Opportunity'
WASHINGTON - The media advocacy group Free Press released the following statement in response to actions by the FCC today:
By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission approved new rules intended to prevent Internet providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from acting as gatekeepers on the Web. The rules, however, heavily favor the industry they are intended to regulate, and leave consumers with minimal protections. Democratic Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps voted with Chairman Julius Genachowski, while Republican Commissioners Robert McDowell and Meredith Attwell Baker voted against.
Free Press Managing Director Craig Aaron made the following statement:
“We are deeply disappointed that the chairman chose to ignore the
overwhelming public support for real Net Neutrality, instead moving
forward with industry-written rules that will for the first time in
Internet history allow discrimination online. This proceeding was a
squandered opportunity to enact clear, meaningful rules to safeguard the
Internet’s level playing field and protect consumers.
“The new rules are riddled with loopholes, evidence that the
chairman sought approval from AT&T instead of listening to the
millions of Americans who asked for real Net Neutrality. These rules
don't do enough to stop the phone and cable companies from dividing the
Internet into fast and slow lanes, and they fail to protect wireless
users from discrimination. No longer can you get to the same Internet
via your mobile device as you can via your laptop. The rules pave the
way for AT&T to block your access to third-party applications and to
require you to use its own preferred applications.
“Chairman Genachowski ignored President Obama's promise to the
American people to take a 'back seat to no one' on Net Neutrality. He
ignored the 2 million voices who petitioned for real Net Neutrality and
the hundreds who came to public hearings across the country to ask him
to protect the open Internet. And he ignored policymakers who urged him
to protect consumers and maintain the Internet as a platform for
innovation. It’s unfortunate that the only voices he chose to listen to
were those coming from the very industry he’s charged with overseeing."
The American Civil Liberties Union released this statement:
The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today passed a new rule
clarifying the legal authority of the FCC to enforce network neutrality
principles. Network neutrality principles protect free speech online by
prohibiting the owner of a network from prioritizing some content on the
Internet while slowing other content.
The rule approved today by the FCC includes full network neutrality
protections for the wired Internet, which includes cable and DSL service
to homes and businesses, but provides lesser protections for wireless
broadband service and may allow wireless broadband providers to block
certain applications and services that compete with their own
applications and services. The American Civil Liberties Union has called
for network neutrality protections on both the wired and wireless
Internet as important safeguards for free speech.
"Network neutrality principles are essential to protecting the First
Amendment rights of Americans who rely on the Internet as a forum for
free speech. While the new FCC rule creates stronger network neutrality
protections for Americans who use the wired Internet, it fails to
provide adequate protections for Americans who rely on wireless
broadband service," said Chris Calabrese, ACLU Legislative Counsel. "By
creating two sets of regulations – one for the wired Internet and one
for wireless broadband – and failing to ground them in the strongest
legal protections available, the FCC has failed to protect free speech
and Internet openness for all users. The ACLU will continue to fight for
full network neutrality protections. Internet openness is key to
protecting our First Amendment rights."
The rule passed by the FCC today does not reclassify wireless broadband
service as a telecommunications service, which the ACLU and other
proponents of network neutrality have long urged. Treating broadband
access as similar to phone service would have allowed the FCC to rely on
its broader regulatory authority under Title II of the Communications
Act to enforce network neutrality principles.
51 Comments so far
Show AllObama maintains momentum on the deregulation and decriminalization machine started by Ronny Raygun.
no, no, no! this article states that the FCC IGNORED Obama's great "promise." You see, they simply ignore him. What's a president to do?
Why do all of the people Obama appoints just ignore him ?
Perhaps he could write a book about how to get ahead by ignoring your boss.
Unfortunately the rest of us can't ignore all the damage Obama is inflicting upon us, and we can't ignore the IRS when they force us to pay for Obama's wars and other corporate welfare programs (add the Obamacare mandate in 2014).
I am watching NCIS. I know they promote the false flag terririst bullshit but I like the show. Bush is on welcoming the butcher Sharron and as much as I hsted that POS puppet, I believe i detest and hate THE POS PUPPET Obama even more. Every GD thing he does helps the power POS people and screws us. DADT was a surprise to me. I am glag Choi won't go. How many people were kicked out while it was decided? Not that I mind murderers being kicked out. But I do mind that they wait for 18 years or so before doing it. There go their benefits I believe. That is wrong.
VISITING PROF: Right-on analysis, and you laid it all out, step by step, for any who lack "the eyes to see."
In fact, the "recipe" you exposed was the same one used to:
1. "Win" a "health care" reform bill (as give-away to the big insurance firms)
2. "Win" a bailout of the banks, which allowed the perpetrators of the financial implosion to steal away with billions. And still, no major loaning, and still, insane usurious interest rates, and still, no meaningful regulation.
3. "Win" (likely) a compromise on Social Security, now being defined as an "entitlements program."
4. "Win" a continuation of unemployment benefits thanks to giving yet more tax cuts to those who don't need or deserve them, especially when the ship of state is already sinking and in the hole, financially speaking.
So this little Waltz to make the public think it's getting something, is just another rendition of the same insidious pattern. It's enabling really big sell-outs to occur, one after another, as if the Santa wish-list written by dark elites is being answered.
And nary a penny taken from the military's obscene budget, while so many precious, necessary social services are being cut.
America, as tragedy, is what's on the menu.
Thank you, V.P. I suspect you'd beat me in a game of chess. I hadn't even considered how this posturing works to effectively diffuse dissent before it has a chance to build up. Thank you for teaching me something today. It's always good to learn something new!
Your other post, listing the actual plays of the 5 sages behind this latest sellout was VERY helpful. Thank you for taking the time, once again, to patiently fit the pieces together for readers in this forum. We hold the dubious privilege of observing our nation's (or should I say empire's) implosion in slow motion.
Thank you both for such an informed and intellectual dialogue, which is absent at times on this forum. To add to your concern Visiting Professor, the worst part is that this style of governing is being adopted at all levels of government and management. It is derived from lies and deceit but it is becoming the new norm. Once again thanks.
Siouxrose---
Barry and the self-styled progressive media mouthpieces at MSNBC, Huffington Post, et al have been touting Barry and the this year's congress as accomplishing much. But, all they really have done is caved at every opportunity to the Republican Party and the corporations, then declared victory, as you detail in your post.
The corporations have control of the government, media and military--which means AmeriKKKa is a fascist police-state.
The only weapons that We the People have are general strikes and boycotts.
Visiting Professor
You said it all and so perfectly for anyone to understand. It must have taken you lot of time, getting all the facts together and produce this piece. I recalled earlier in CD "America's New Mercenaries" you said "So, what do we do? ....I think it is time to consider a general strike or some other generalized mass action in the U.S."
Obama is truly a menace to society!
Visiting Professor -- This comment could almost be a standalone article. I hope more people read the comments section of this article to find this excellent analysis.
Today is the shortest day and the longest night of the year which seems to match what this dreadful situation portends for the Internet.
Given Obama's track record so far, I'm not surprised to see his FCC bow down to the corporate masters he and his administration -- and the Government, generally -- serve.
Visiting Professor -- This comment could almost be a standalone article. I hope more people read the comments section of this article to find this excellent analysis.
Today is the shortest day and the longest night of the year which seems to match what this dreadful situation portends for the Internet.
Given Obama's track record so far, I'm not surprised to see his FCC bow down to the corporate masters he and his administration -- and the Government, generally -- serve.
Visiting Professor:
I really like your step by step assessment and I specially prepare this long question:.
The Democratic party remained quietly while we were decimated by Obama. I know voters have short memories, in two short years many will have forgotten what Obama did and did not do. In order to win reelection Obama need to keep his Black base (which he will), hold on the Brown base. He needs to win as many Independents/progressive (like me) and the Democrats.
Tell me how he would achieve the tasks and will he succeed? Bearing in mind, this voter and many die hard will never vote Dem. again regardless. I will vote Republican as promised or maybe Green Party. I know he will have lie again. Your scenario or predictions please?
Thank you and waiting for your reply.
Visiting Professor
Thank you for your respond. You should talk to CD and become a regular contributor here. I am sure many readers here share your views and enjoy talking with you. Thank you again and a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you.
Well said Visiting Professor. The Neo-Fascist Corporatocracy that Mr. Obomba us helping establish is a military dominated police state, with an irrelevant congress, a neo-con criminal-packed court, and an executive branch that is taking orders directly from the CFR on a daily basis. To accomplish this, total control of all media is essential. The unwashed masses must not be allowed to ever see sites like Common Dreams. CD will disappear along with truth in general. Speaking of general--how about that General Strike?
This is a very good question and one that does not have a simple answer. The Unions are on survival mode they are under constant attack by the super wealthy and the politicians that pander to the super wealthy. Moreover, the unions which are supposed to derive their strength from their members have lost that as well. Most people that are part of a union take the union for granted and are naive about the struggle and sacrifice that went into their creation, as you stated above. Most union members simply see the union as a tool to maximize their profit while protecting their jobs. The zeitgeist is money above all and that is not only the wealthy but the average working class person. An extremely intelligent professor once told me that culture is imposed from the elite's, well it is obvious that the professor was correct. As long as unions are seen as a basic tool that dues are paid to and union members feel no responsibility, then a general strike is impossible and will probably destroy what remains of a union.
When you have a police state you need to be able to control all forms of information. This isn't about business this is about power. Now they can control the information you receive.
Wake up America from your American idle trance before the system Obama used to get into power gets removed for that very same reason.
Joseph Goebbles (Propagandist must have access to intelligence concerning events and public opinion) must be smiling.
Business IS power, they are one in the same. In a neo-Fascist Corporate state, the Bankster/Corporate Mafia calls the shots, they own the place. They pull the puppet strings behind the curtain. All one need do is peer behind the curtain and it is plain for all to see.
Just like the old Mafia, the new Corporate/Bankster mafia motto is: "nothin' personal, this is just business"
How soon before Julius Genachowski, Robert McDowell, and Meredith Attwell Baker leave "government service" to work FULL TIME for their corporate benefactors in the telecommunications industry?
ED: Another sharp, incisive insight. Thank you.
Visiting Professor:
According to Craig Aaron (DN Amy Goodman interviewed 12/21/2010) Craig said it was the Republican ploy to show they are for Net Neutrality and against Genachowski.
And didn't barak obush pledge to get rid of lobbyists from government. Another change we can believe in ... he changed his tune.
It is about business as well. The government will/is using business to accumulate more power, and business will/is using government to make more profit. It's actually all the same group of people who make a distinction to fool people by labeling one as business and one as government - much like the Republicans and Democrats.
All power of the common person to resist or practice perceived freedoms is being stripped away in the name of national security (with the added benefit of profits for business). No terrorist organization could have hoped to do us harm because "they hate our freedoms", but our own government and business communities have done far worse with the support of all the "good Germans" waving the flag and cheering them on. "If you have nothing to hide, what is there to worry about?" Papers please!
Dear FCC:
YOu need to change the government seal for your organizarion. I couldn't quite tell what was sticking out of Mr. G's head in the picture, so I had to go to Wikipedia to see it better.
Well, that does look like 2 phone towers which the eagle is flying over. Phone towers, well that's interesting. Oh, and the eagle looks like he's getting zapped by lightning or was it corporate America that was doing the zapping?
Also I am concerned because I went to your kids page at the FCC, as I'm not all that knowledgable about power sources. I think you need to change your cartoon logo thing too.
I think it's a cat in a space suit, and his name is BROADBAND. That's cute, but I am very concerned about how you have kids access the interactive part. Cute little broadband is wearing a collar; that doesn't look so good.
Then a kid would have to push the "GO" lable on the collar to start the show. That collar thing is not good; read the Aesop fable about the wolf and the dog and you'll figure our what I'm taking about.
Here is a confession and a resolution:
I have been voting Democrats for two decades. But no more. Obama was the last rabbit in the political hat. He will be remembered as the "audacity of false hope" by many who voted for him expecting real reforms. He proved that he is no different than his predecessor Bush almost in every aspect. I will no more vote based on the "better of two evils" mantra; I will vote for progressive candidates regardless whether they have chance or not.
Let's end the corporate-controlled duopoly game!
PS: I am going to start a campaign to pressure the Nobel Prize organization to revoke Obama's the Nobel Peace Prize since he is another bloody warmonger. What do you think? If you wish to join me in organizing the campaign please feel free to contact me via my email: 19*at*19.org
Peace,
Edip
The internet came along just as the monied interests were consolidating their grip on the broadcast media. It has come to be an alternate means of distributing and receiving information that has not been controlled. This ruling is designed to assert that control by allowing corporations (Comcast is privately held btw) to determine what can and can't travel on the network and who has to pay what. That's enough to be able to choke off the free flow of information and direct people back to the corporate sources of information, thus minimizing the non-corporate information that people can access. A thing of beauty, if you're the oligarchy.
Remember, our government learned from experts.
-----------------------------
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”
And:
“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”
Joseph Goebbels, MiniProp for Hitler’s Third Reich
1897-1945
-------------------------
Let's see...
1. Wikileaks pisses off the U.S.
2. Usage of the internet is then regulated.
Hmmmm...naw, it couldn't be...
Will this new FCC ruling affect how we are able to access Common Dreams?
I don't know about that, but it's funny how for the last two days I can't get my computer to load Mozilla Firefox anymore
Nice job on reneging on your campaign promise, Obama!
Your appointed FCC chairman, long-time friend, and top Obama campaign fundraiser, Julius Genachowski, approved these rules that take us away from net neutrality and today you are brazen enough to praise him and the rules.
Oh, s**t. This is scary. Gotta wonder who's next!
Specifically what persons do the lobbyists work for and why have they not been confronted?
There is still the Green Party.
Instead of Net Neutrality, we get a Neutered Net Reality.
I'm feeling the pain, HSN. After a while, I'll forget about that net neutrality thing I once longed for.
-TIA
I offer no apologies for the FCC and its bad decision. However, the roots of this mission failure by the FCC (sworn to protect the public airwaves) stems from an earlier disaster, namely, the 1996 Telecom Act, which was signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.
The 1996 Telecom Act, like so much of our legislation these days, was written by corporate lobbyists, specifically by U.S. telecom interests. They wrote it so that they could operate both as local telephone service carriers and offer long-distance services too, which wasn't permitted then due to past U.S. antitrust protections. In return for the telcos gaining the long-distance market, an independent competitive local exhange carrier business was proposed to add competition in that market. However, those little companies never got off the ground. So, with the Act's passage, the big telcos like AT&T and Verizon never faced any real local market competition even while they gained long-distance markets.
The 1996 Telecom Act also contained a subtle stipulation that Internet traffic was to be deemed as an "information service" (that is, unregulated) and not a telecom service (subject to FCC regulations), even though Internet traffic travels on the same public switched telephone network as voice traffic. For that reason, the FCC lost a recent court case against Comcast based on this definition in the 1996 Telecom Act. The FCC could not tell Comcast not to discriminate against BitTorrent traffic in its broadband Internet service because that service was an information service, not a telecom service.
So, the people got sold out long before - by Bill Clinton and earlier Congressional graft. That graft was likely bipartisan. Campaign coffers were filled by big telecom while the public got the long-term shaft.
People tend to think that the Dems just make mistakes now and then. Probably, that's what Dem loyalist are thinking now about the FCC's bad decision. The problem is that the Dems, like the Repugs, sell out the public interest to corporate interests all of the time. If you vote for the two-headed duopoly, which subsists on graft, don't be surprised that the public interest gets trampled as a result. In fact, you are voting against your own interests if you vote Dem/Repug.
It should be noted that Verizon and Google came out strongly for the wireless exception, and the FCC seems to have incorporated that with little resistance. The FCC could have made some waves there, since the Commission regulates the U.S. wireless spectrum. That truly is a betrayal of the public interest that the FCC is sworn to protect.
-TIA
Great comprehensive analysis TIA, thank you.
All I could muster, was a dumb joke.
(see below)
Thanks, VP. Very kind comments!
-TIA
"Our trademake brand 'Natual Democracy Flavored Drink' must never allow itself to be challenged by a pure 100% organic fruit juice as there is possibility of losing valuable maket share even if Tiger Woods wins the 2011 grand slam while swimming in the stuff."
Surely the Obama Administration is the biggest bait and switch in U.S. history.
Once again the shoe has dropped on us. What will the next shoe be?
It is disheartening to say the least. What will it take for it to
become so onerous the people will rise up in rebellion against the
oligarchy.Are we so complacent and deluded that perhaps we are al-
ready defeated? Maybe many feel this way. At times I do. There
doesn't seem to be a voice, a cause, a person that resonates with
the masses. Where are you? Have they killed that voice? Are we on
the path to ultimate capitulation? I look for hope every day. It
makes life worthwhile. They haven't crushed that yet. I read these
comments and see all the talented and skillfull people who write
them.Perhaps you are the core of the resistance of the oligarchy.
We,who it seems,are in the minority,can continue,resistance,on
everything that contributes to the demise of the oligarchy. I am
a retiree,living on Social Security. I have few possessions,nor
want many. i resist consumerism. It is a feeble action,I know,but
it is what I can do. I RESIST !