Minnesota’s Sen. Al Franken wants you to pay attention to what the Federal Communications Commission is up to today, calling the issue of net neutrality, “the most important free speech issue of our time.”
Here’s a snip from Franken’s Huffington Post piece:
This Tuesday is an important day in the fight to save the Internet.As a source of innovation, an engine of our economy, and a forum for our political discourse, the Internet can only work if it’s a truly level playing field. Small businesses should have the same ability to reach customers as powerful corporations. A blogger should have the same ability to find an audience as a media conglomerate.
This principle is called “net neutrality” — and it’s under attack. Internet service giants like Comcast and Verizon want to offer premium and privileged access to the Internet for corporations who can afford to pay for it.
The good news is that the Federal Communications Commission has the power to issue regulations that protect net neutrality. The bad news is that draft regulations written by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski don’t do that at all. They’re worse than nothing.
That’s why Tuesday is such an important day. The FCC will be meeting to discuss those regulations, and we must make sure that its members understand that allowing corporations to control the Internet is simply unacceptable.
Read the rest of this piece by Sen. Al Franken here.
Further reading:
Here’s Franken on the Senate floor discussing the same topic:
Rhiannon “Rhi” Bowman is an independent journalist who contributes snarky commentary on Creative Loafing’s CLog blog four days a week in addition to writing for several other local media organizations. To learn more, click the links or follow Rhi on Twitter.
This article appears in Dec 21-27, 2010.
Another example of what can happen when unelected bureucrats wield power. The internet is a great threat to big government and it’s propaganda, and they will not stop until they control it.
Dont worry Rhi, Franken and HuffPo will surely be on the regime’s approved cut and paste list.
Net Neutrality is one more way the government looks to get their dirty hands into our free market. It sounds great to regulate and make those who use the internet more, pay more, but why not let the internet service providers decide for themselves how they are going to charge?
“Senator” Al Franken is a lying liar who stole his Minnesota senate seat. Anytime the government sticks its nose into something where it doesn’t belong, you can bet the American people are going to suffer the consequences.
And BV – you spelled ‘bureaucrat’ wrong.