Republicans just bought out all our local rural internet providers.

[Zorra]

And all the local folks who worked in the call center, who we've been doing business with, are, apparently, out the door at the end of the month. If net neutrality is abolished, I'm worried that we may have serious free speech problems on the internet here.

SpeedConnect® Announces Acquisition in Northern Arizona
CommSpeed, Swift Wireless and eSedona Wireless Internet Now SpeedConnect

About SpeedConnect
SpeedConnect serves customers with wireless broadband Internet and television in Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana and Texas. SpeedConnect owns and uses FCC-licensed 2.5 GHz EBS and BRS spectrum and technology. Parent LLC SpeedConnect is a Michigan Limited Liability Corporation, and is principally owned by Robert G. Liggett and John A. Ogren. Please visit http://www.speedconnect.com.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/11/prweb12351705.htm

Robert Liggett
Political Campaign Contributions
2012 Election Cycle $263,450

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/robert-liggett.asp?cycle=12

Founder and CEO

John Ogren is the founder and managing partner of SpeedConnect. After a successful career in the cable television industry, Mr. Ogren and his business partner Robert Liggett, Jr. purchased the rights to the 2.5GHz spectrum in Alpena, Michigan and began offering wireless broadband service in Northern Michigan. Subsequent spectrum acquisitions have led to successful expansion in seven states: Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Texas. Mr. Ogren earned a BA in Telecommunications, and an MBA from Michigan State University.

http://www.speedconnect.com/bio-ogren.html

Political contributions

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/john-ogren.asp?cycle=08Y

Local Publisher Looks at National Election Results

“I am speechless,” said an affable Robert G. Liggett, Jr., owner of the Grosse Pointe News and Big Boy Restaurants International, LLC, describing his reaction to the November 2008 defeat of the GOP ticket in his opening remarks to the Eastside Republican Club Forum.

Although an early supporter of Michigan's native son, Mitt Romney, Liggett displayed his loyalty to national standard bearers by donning a McCain/Palin baseball cap for the partisan audience as he addressed the Eastside Republican Club on Presidential Inauguration Day,
snip---
“The media are gleeful,” he said. “They stacked the cards against the GOP and the conservative cause, and we were unable to sell our ideas.”

Pointing to media bias, he observed, “Imagine wanting to serve as U.S. Treasury Secretary, but not paying your income taxes!” If this were a Republican administration, he said the press would “put you through the wringer."

http://www.eastside-republican-club.org/forum173.htm

It seems I have few options now. Either I continue with this new RW owned company, use Verizon and their towers with a no contract plan, or live without internet. I haven't had a TV for over 40 years.

The RW has already bought up all the media. There is little, to no, liberal media in this country

How are we going to manage to maintain a free speech balance in any media if the RW owns and controls all of it, and there is no law protecting net neutrality? We already know that the right wing's concept of "fair and balanced" is.

[yeoman6987]

1. Republicans can't buy if they are not for sale

Why did the companies allow to be sold?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

2. There is really no such thing as liberal media, there are reporters who are personally liberal

but other than that a media entity either seeks to tell the truth in an open minded, mature way, or they dont.

We all know who does and does not.

Your problem is sickening.

Infuriating to think people like that could control your access.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. I hope, someday soon, someone will come up with a wireless system that has no bounds.

[Recursion]

4. Even today they can simply block or throttle DU if they want to

Net neutrality doesn't mean what a lot of people think it does.