The Obama administration put into place regulations to protect internet neutrality; these rules were to prevent any internet service provider (ISP) from slowing down or blocking websites that the ISP did not favor. Polls show that over 80 percent of Republicans support net neutrality, while Democrat support is even higher, because almost everyone now knows that the internet is a prime part of our constitutional right to free speech.

But the current administration put former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai in charge of the FCC, and he then proceeded to repeal those common-sense regulations, in defiance of the American people. This is the Pai who’s totally scandal-stained, and is currently under investigation by the FCC’s own internal watchdog.

Under American law, Congress can act to undo the mistakes of federal agencies like the FCC. The Senate has already done that, voting to restore net neutrality. The fight to restore net neutrality now moves to the House of Representatives. All citizens who value their free speech rights would be wise to urge their representative to vote to repeal the FCC’s outrageous interference with free speech.

But all Coloradans should know that their senator, Cory Gardner, just voted against net neutrality. He voted to allow any ISP to have the option of slowing down or completely blocking any website, at any time. Do Coloradans want a senator like Gardner who favors the profits of a tiny number of greedy corporations over the free speech rights of 300 million Americans?

Stan Gelb

Longmont