![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
I love politics but I fail to see how this will be a major political issue. It isn't so clear cut of a concern to the general public. I, myself, can hardly get worked up over this.
When one talks about issues that split the Republican and Democratic parties you hear about healthcare, gun restrictions, abortion, Iraq, and terrorism -- not \"net neutrality.\" Talk about an inside the beltway policy issue. Ugh. I board just thinking about it.
The analogy that I find most helpful in the net-neutrality debate is that of the Interstate Highway system. An open Internet is an infrastructure issue. Having a neutral meduim enables the businesses and consumers, the endpoints, to focus on their respective business.
We would not dream of having the Interstate Highway system be a patchwork of uncertain and conflicting local regulations. Uniformity and predictability drive economic prosperity.
The Internet needs to be a neutral medium, so that the economic production that relies on it can continue to flourish.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-95687-100x100.png\")
What would work best is if the wires were public property. But unfortunately there's no way that can happen at this point. However, other western nations have shown that regulation does not neccessarily stifle innovation and improvement. Right now we have few to no regulations and the regulations we do have eliminate any incentive the major telecos have to compete and improve their services in the interests of one-upsmanship.
What the Telecos want to do now is start a protection racket. Want to do business online? better pay AT&T who runs the lines between your ISP and your customers' so that people get faster access to your site instead of your competitors. Sounds an awful lot like a protection racket to me. Don't pay and your business gets disrupted.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-56483-100x100.png\")
Speaking of trucks and tubes, is Stevens in jail yet?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-17967-100x100.png\")
Edward Markey is my hero.
What should make this important is the concept of freedom of expression and our right to exchange information. These rights should never be in the hands of private organizations with private agendas.
Net neutrality is also about providing access to everyone at fair and competitive prices. To prevent the privileged from getting better connections than everyone else. The more access everyone has to the internet the more opportunities are going to available to everyone. Censorship and preferential treatment just perpetuates the growing divide between the classes in a new and exciting medium that already provides services and information to people that might be otherwise unavailable.
@Witera33it: I'm certain that when people read that argument in the NYT or WaPo or WSJ, or on AOL or Yahoo or Google, or hear it on ABCNNBCBS, they'll be completely supportive (as am I).
Until then, however...when'd you start your visit to this country? ;-)
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-101709-100x100.png\")
@Witera33it: Here Here!
This is one of the issues I feel deeply and could actually bleat about earnestly.
I SWEAR, if somebody fucks up my INTERTOOBES™ I'm going to morph into an angry raving militant Luddite.
What's the deal? Gawker Media sites keeps timing out....
The problem's not at my end. Fox News and WideStanceGOP.com load instantly.
Oh, duh.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-60894-100x100.png\")
@AT203:
Actually, in many states, the best roads are reserved for people with money in their pockets.
In every major city in Florida, for example, You can PAY TOLLS and ride the smooth superhighway.
If you are in your old car on your way to punch in at Wal Mart, Circuit City, or McDonald's , you get to use the gridlocked, potholed surface streets.
Welcome to the future of the internets.
If you have never before written to your senator or congressman, this might be a good time to start.
Good article, but why is it accompanied by a picture of Ron Paul needing a haircut?
@AT203: I thought innovation and new ideas led to economic growth and prosperity...maybe that's just me...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-101080-100x100.png\")
Someone please get Ted Stevens involved.... please, please, please. Is it at all possible to get the 84 year old, bridge-to-nowhere man to explain the internet to us again?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-246071-100x100.png\")
Good for him. I, for one, would probably be vomiting in rage if fun oddball sites were shoved over to the slow lane while the inanities of AOL.com went unimpeded.