New majority loses nerve on net neutrality

[OhioChick]

Source: ZDNet

February 13th, 2008

Now that Democrats have a majority in Congress, they are losing their appetite for direct confrontation with the phone monopolies over network neutrality.

HR 5353, introduced by Rep. Edward Markey, carries no enforcement provision on network neutrality, and even carries the co-sponsorship of a neutrality opponent, Rep. Chip Pickering of Mississippi.

Pickering has said he plans to leave Congress after this term and is expected to become a lobbyist. Defanging the network neutrality bandwagon will doubtless please his potential corporate employers.

The bill is a fig leaf, offering vague “principles” which would be “guide stars” for future policy.

Violation of the principles carries no penalty. The FCC would merely study the question and then suggest whether rules are necessary later.



Read more: http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=2012

[Mojambo]

1. Who didn't see this coming?

So fucking hard to keep standing up for these worthless shitbags.

[DeSwiss]

9. First they get the Senate to deliver the FISA fix....

...with the House now being warned-off on making any changes in it. And now this. There must be some mighty dangerous stuff in those warrantless wiretaps and emails that Congress and their owners don't want to get out......

[radfringe]

15. time to TTBO

Throw The B*st*rds Out

[UpInArms]

19. I'll bring the torches and pitchforks

[msongs]

2. at least we know republicans are the enemy on this, while the dems may be traitors nt

[rpannier]

3. Ahhh... Bispartisanship again

We give and they take.

That's our Democratic Congress for you

[Yuugal]

4. Is the Sacred Powder dry enough yet? nt

[jaybeat]

5. WHAT??? Another sell out?

I'm SHOCKED, I tell you. SHOCKED!

Pigs + Corporate Trough = Fascism

Freedom is SO old school!

[Psephos]

6. The guillotine worked pretty well in France a couple of hundred years ago... n/t

[NBachers]

7. Calling Mme. Dufarge

Calling Mme. Dufarge . . . Your yarn and needles have arrived . . .

[originalpckelly]

8. REVOLUTION IN '08

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12024685732

[bjobotts]

10. Lobbyists should be banned from congress. They should be put in those protester cages

with lobby signs. Maybe the people could get our congress back.

[Kitty Herder]

11. Couldn't agree more. Free lobbying zones. Complete with barbed wire. nt

[RuleOfNah]

13. Lobbying zones!

What a brilliant idea!

Gold plated barbed wire for the big spenders?

[polticalpout]

12. By the Business, for the Business...

What? You're still stuck on Lincoln's idea that the government is 'of the people, by the people, for the people'? That is soooooooo outdated -sarc

[zalinda]

14. So you still think things will change

when either of our 2 candidates are elected?

zalinda

[Nihil]

16. Not a chance.

"Government of the people by the paid-off for their sponsors."

That's what it says in the Declaration of Incorporation isn't it?

:shrug:

[caseycoon]

17. OMG NO!

Pelosi PROMISED to take care of this.
CRAP! :grr:
What can these blundering idiots do to further infuriate me? Well, I shouldn't ask. I'm sure they'll find something else very soon.
:banghead:

[Acadia Blue]

18. The f------ dems are becomming corporatists just like the repigs.

[Javaman]

20. Losing ones nerve first requires a person to have a nerve to begin with. nt

[mainegreen]

21. pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander

pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander pander

[Uncle Joe]

22. I believe it's reasons like this as to why the

corporate media slandered and libeled Al Gore and enabled Bush to power to begin with, they didn't want a strong champion for the people's use of the Internet in the White House.