Do you use the Internet? If so, you’d be interested to know about the difference between the candidates for Colorado’s Third Congressional District, Diane Mitsch Bush and Scott Tipton, regarding the free and open internet.

The Obama Administration’s 2015 net neutrality rules enforced the status quo — corporate Internet service providers (ISPs) would have to treat all content the same. CNN, as quoted on Snopes.com, said, “… [Net neutrality] means Comcast can’t just choose to slow down a service like Netflix to make its own streaming video service more competitive, nor can it try to squeeze Netflix to pay more money to be part of a so-called internet fast lane.”

Rep. Scott Tipton, according to a letter I received from him in May, believes that net neutrality rules “… created barriers to innovation in the broadband internet space.” But according to “Wired,” as quoted in Snopes.com, “… the nation’s largest Internet provider actually increased its spending during this period, as did several other companies.” In December 2017, the FCC, with a majority of Republican appointees, repealed net neutrality rules to give corporate ISPs free rein.

An email I got from a Bush staffer last week says, “Overturning net neutrality is another give-away to corporate donors and the ability for corporations to take advantage of Americans… [It] will add to the already-extreme wealth inequality here in the U.S. When elected, Diane will absolutely support bringing back net neutrality.”

Jeremy Heiman

Glenwood Springs