FCC to Unveil Net Neutrality Killing Plan on Thanksgiving Consumer advocacy groups are warning that the FCC is expected to formally unveil its plan to kill net neutrality right before the Thanksgiving holiday. The announcement should come with a scheduled date for the FCC's final vote to kill the rules before the end of the year. The FCC is expected to ignore massive popular opposition to its plan, which in hysterically Orwellian fashion has been dubbed "Restoring Internet Freedom."

Releasing news right before a holiday is a long-standing tradition for those who hope unpopular news will get lost in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparation. Fortunately, given the popularity of net neutrality, it's not going to be that easy for Ajit Pai and his ISP allies. "The good news is that we are hearing from people who are meeting with Congress that there are key lawmakers who are sympathetic to the cause, and considering stepping in to slow down the FCC," notes Evan Greer of consumer group Fight for the Future. "But they need to be getting a lot more phone calls from constituents in order to act." That is, as the group admits, a bit of a long shot given that Congress is awash in telecom campaign contributions. Keeping the internet healthy and competitive somehow, stupidly remains a "partisan" issue in the United States, despite it being of benefit to everyone not named AT&T, Comcast, Verizon or Charter. That's in large part thanks to ISP lobbyists and hired policy wonks, who've spent the better part of fifteen years trying to stoke existing political divisions to their own financial benefit, successfully encouraging consumers to bicker and fight among themselves -- instead of uniformly supporting policies that put an end to the nation's duopoly logjam. Still, letting lawmakers know you're opposed to the FCC's plan will be important for the historical record -- and equally important if your representatives realize that undermining the very health of the internet means getting voted out of office in the midterms or down the road. If you're a net neutrality supporter it's also important to understand another benefit to keeping the pressure on your lawmakers. At the same time big ISP lobbyists are pushing Ajit Pai to kill existing net neutrality rules with a procedural vote, they're lobbying lawmakers to craft a new net neutrality law. Why? Because they know that they'll be the ones writing it, they can ensure that it's so filled with loopholes as to be effectively useless. Why write it then? Because it will prevent the creation of new meaningrul FCC rules or laws down the road that actually do protect net neutrality. They'll then declare the problem solved when it's anything but. For now though, the best chance to derail Ajit Pai and friends' assault on net neutrality lies after the rule-killing vote is cast. The FCC's net neutrality proceeding has been filled with procedural errors, made up DDoS attacks, and a failure to police fraud and abuse of the FCC website by ISP-linked organizations looking to try and downplay public opposition. This will collectively be used in subsequent lawsuits by consumer groups and small companies to highlight how the FCC not only ignored the public interest, but failed to follow basic FCC procedure as they rushed to give AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and Charter a sloppy, wet kiss. ISP lobbyists are over confident that they've got this entire thing in the bag. But with many areas of the country ISP lobbyists are over confident that they've got this entire thing in the bag. But with many areas of the country actually getting less competitive than ever, net neutrality (which is really just a symptom of this broader disease) is a problem that's not going away. And by using lobbying power to run rough shod over the will of the public, companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are only really guaranteeing one thing: even greater opposition down the road.







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Most recommended from 90 comments



Simba7

I Void Warranties

join:2003-03-24

Fromberg, MT 70 recommendations Simba7 Member Hmm.. I guess the turkey isn't the only thing getting fisted this holiday season. Brim77

join:2012-03-16

Lansing, MI 25 recommendations Brim77 Member Here's what you get to look forward to without Net Neutrality.

The "free market" at work in Portugal.

Livepage: »

Credit: » One Euro is worth $1.18.Livepage: » www.meo.pt/internet/inte ··· elemovel Credit: » www.reddit.com/user/DarkKerrigor

r81984

Fair and Balanced

Premium Member

join:2001-11-14

Katy, TX 24 recommendations r81984 Premium Member Internet will no longer exist Once this happens, there will be no more internet in the US.

I still cant believe there are crazy people out there that are against net neutrality. It is literally the anti-regulation regulation in that it prevents limits and restrictions. Anyone against regulation/limits has to support net neutrality. NYC45

join:2017-02-01 21 recommendations NYC45 Member MAGA Bro MAGA! I don't want to hear the so-called pro free markets here complaining. This is the administration you wanted right so stick to your guns.



The administration with a cabinet full of oligarchs and officials in every government agency destroying the little regulations left that protect Americans will fix the country LOL. Drain the Swamp!

Anon74b18

@pbworldnet.com 8 recommendations Anon74b18 Anon Ajit Pai - Should Be Fired I think he should be fired. Eventually I think it's coming to come to the point where some special group will uncover this guy's corrupt; probably receiving funds, donations or kickbacks from some of the major Telco's.

TIGERON

join:2008-03-11

Boston, MA 7 recommendations TIGERON Member I have never hated anyone in our government as much as Pai I'd like to deck him in the face.