Their stocks took a nosedive yesterday, too. It warms the heart:
America’s major telecoms and cable companies and business groups came out fighting on Monday after Barack Obama called for tough new regulations for broadband that would protect net neutrality, saying they were “stunned” by the president’s proposals.
The president called for new regulations to protect “net neutrality” – the principle that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally. His move came as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finalises a new set of proposals for regulation after the old rules were overturned by a series of court defeats at the hands of cable and telecom companies.
In response, Republican senator Ted Cruz went so far as to call Obama’s proposal for regulating the web “Obamacare for the internet”, saying on Twitter “the internet should not operate at the speed of government.”
The powerful National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), which represents cable companies including Comcast and Time Warner said it was “stunned” by the president’s proposals.
McConnell said that Dodd-Frank was “Obamacare for the banks.” Another Republican said that common core was “Obamacare for the teachers union.” Obamacare has become a pejorative for the Republicans. If and when Obama issues an executive order on immigration the Democrats would be wise to claim that it was “Obamacare for House impeachment.” The good news concerning net neutrality is that the 1% has decided to force the corporate world to allow the internet to be treated like a public utility. For awhile. Then bankruptcies will occur, by design, and consolidation will take place. In the end we’ll have a few regional monopolies in charge of the internet setting prices like OPEC does today. Aaron Swartz saw the handwriting on the wall several years ago and couldn’t live with it.
If only we had competitive high speed internet available all over this country! At rates comparable to those charged in other industrialized nations instead of the high cost low speed internet available to most of us. With no alternatives to the monopoly we’re stuck with.
I haven’t had any internet connection for about two years now. And I really miss it.
And miss your blog, too, Susie!
(Yes, I can go to my local library. But, alas, I don’t have the travel time, etc. Just a note or reality to those who think that’s almost as good as having a home connection….)