Sunday, November 23, 2014

Obama's Call For Net Neutrality: A Backdoor To Regulating The Internet

Do you remember who said those infamous words: "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor."  Well, that same person is indirectly saying something similar about the Internet: "If you like your Internet, you can keep your Internet."  That's why, like the takeover of healthcare, Obama now wants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate the Internet.  His guise for doing so is something called "Network Neutrality" or, simply, "Net Neutrality".

So, what is Net Neutrality?  Well, the supporters of it, would tell you that it is needed to insure that the internet remains free (as in freedom of speech) and open (as in nothing gets blocked).

But, isn't it already free and open and, won't the free market place and competition keep it free and open in the future?  Why does a regulatory agency like the FCC need to take control of it?  Couldn't free speech and openness be guaranteed by the simple passage of a federal law that makes it a crime to control speech or content on the Internet?

There is a lot more to this than simply keeping the internet free and open.  Already, the President wants his appointed Federal Election Commission (FEC) to put a stop to political speech on sites like Drudge.  So, why not a two-pronged attack to do the same by having tThe FCC control speech on the internet in the same way it is controlled on the public airways for television and radio?  Probably arguing that political speech on the Internet should be balanced by applying something like the Fairness Doctrine.

As many have said, Net Neutrality is a solution looking for a problem.  Those saying that, don't understand that everything Obama does is politically motivated.  In his mind, Net Neutrality is an attempt to minimize as much conservative speech on the Internet as possible.

References:

President Obama calls on FCC to keep Internet 'free and open': http://www.cnet.com/news/president-obama-calls-on-fcc-to-keep-internet-free-and-open/

FCC coordinated net neutrality with outside [liberal] group: http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/04/fcc-coordinated-net-neutrality-with-outside-group/

Federal Communications Commission: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission#Regulatory_powers_and_enforcement

Fairness Doctrine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_Doctrine

Limbaugh is Right, Net Neutrality Is An Attack On Free Speech -- So Why Is Comcast For It?: http://www.forbes.com/sites/frankminiter/2014/09/18/limbaugh-is-right-net-neutrality-is-an-attack-on-free-speech-so-why-is-comcast-for-it/

FEC Democrat pushes for controls on Internet political speech: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/24/fec-democrat-pushes-controls-internet-political-sp/?page=all


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