Monty Solomon posted:
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/02/house-democrats-tell-ajit-pai-stop-screwing-over-the-public/
Quoting some key parts:
"Democratic lawmakers have put Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit
Pai on notice that he can expect a lot more scrutiny now that Democrats control
the US House of Representatives."
The shame of it is that Republicans in Congress make themselves appear like
such extremist jackasses, on this issue. When in fact, in the past, Republican
FCC Chairmen, and Republican Supreme Court justices, have been very strongly in
favor of guaranteed telecom neutrality. Even when FCC (misguided) rules of 2002
didn't permit the FCC to enforce broadband neutrality, at least, all the
Chairmen tried hard. This is the first Chairman who opposes neutrality of
telecoms on principle, who thinks it is okay for the telecom service providers
to screw with the users of the service, including outright blocking of user
signals.
"Pallone, Jr. and Doyle wrote a letter to Pai, saying that he has made the FCC
too secretive and has repeatedly advanced the interests of corporations over
consumers."
On the other hand, Democrats should refrain from mouthing stereotypically
Democrat banalities. It's not at all "corporations over consumers" that this
crook is favoring. It is a select handful of giant broadband providers ONLY.
Plenty of corporations, large and small, have decried his non-neutral Internet
preferences. Non-neutrality of telecoms is antibusiness, Democrats. Don't give
these soft pitches to the extremist yahoos on the right.
Even in yesterday's piece on broadband resellers. According to this banana
republic corrupt FCC, Lifeline assistance for broadband service must either
hand taxpayers' money directly to the giant handful of broadband providers, or
none at all, to anyone. Never mind that resellers have existed for a reason,
and that neutrality mandates have no impact on that reason. People on the take
behave just like this.
"On Thursday this week, the Communications Subcommittee will hold a hearing
about the impact of Pai's net neutrality repeal on consumers, small businesses,
and free speech. Witnesses who have been invited to testify at the hearing
include former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, cable industry chief lobbyist Michael
Powell (who is also a former FCC chairman), and representatives of Mozilla,
Free Press, and Eastern Oregon Telecom."
For instance, Michael Powell, a Republican former FCC Chairman, now heading up
the NCTA, and yet always in favor of neutral telecoms. Let's hope they boot
this FCC Chairman scoundrel out of office. And shame on Republican
Congresscritters, for being tone deaf. Is it because they are corrupted crooks
too, or just brain dead yahoos?
Bert
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