BrianGarst.com

Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem.

net neutrality Archive

Thursday

23

December 2010

0

COMMENTS

Abolish the FCC

Written by , Posted in Liberty & Limited Government, The Nanny State & A Regulated Society

Fox reports on Republican efforts to FCC plans to snare the internet in the regulatory web of big government:

Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can strike down a regulation by passing a joint resolution. If President Obama vetoes the resolution, Congress could overturn it by a two-thirds majority.

While blocking the FCC’s Internet rules appear to be a longshot, Republicans aren’t backing down.

Sens. John Ensign and Kay Bailey Hutchison plan to introduce a resolution of disapproval to stop the ruling from going into effect.

“This vote is an unprecedented power-grab by the unelected members of the Federal Communications Commission, spearheaded by Chairman Genachowski,” Hutchison said in a statement, referring to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowksi. “The FCC is attempting to push excessive government regulation of the Internet through without congressional authority and these actions threaten the very future of the technology.”

…Rep. Fred Upton, who will oversee the powerful House Energy and Commerce in the next Congress, has pledged to summon all members of the FCC to Capitol Hill to explain their move while working to block the plan “by any legislative means necessary.”

While withholding judgment on just how much backbone we’re likely to see from Republicans, it’s good that there’s at least the rhetoric of serious opposition to this move. And while I think the Congressional Review Act is an under-utilized tool for reigning in bureaucratic power grabs, more can be done here. The ultimate goal should simply be to abolish the FCC.

The FCC is an outmoded bureaucracy designed to regulate a state of technology that is no longer exists.  It’s simply not relevant to the modern world. Cable, satellite TV, and even internet radio have negated any need to regulate the “public airwaves.” What limited useful functionality they might still be able to serve, such as selling broadcast licenses, can be done by some other department, while the rest of the FCC’s docket (censorship and bureaucratic control) needs to go the way of the dodo.

It’s great that Republicans are opposing this ruling, but they might as well go big or go home. Abolish the FCC.

Monday

27

September 2010

0

COMMENTS

Net Neutrality Is Still An Important Issue

Written by , Posted in Free Markets, Government Meddling

Net neutrality is a “solution” seeking a problem. Contrary to the excess of doom mongering from certain corners, there is no evidence that an absence of government control will result in an internet where data and information discrimination is the norm. The evidence suggests just the opposite, in fact, as internet censorship across the world is always a product of government influence or control.

There is no potential problem that, lacking a government enforced net neutrality standard, market competition cannot handle. If an ISP were to slow down access to a particular website because that site owner did not pay a kickback fee, or because the ISP objected to its content for political – or any other – reasons, the public outcry would be tremendous. Customers would flee that company in droves, and it would be promptly put out of business. There is no check more powerful than that of free consumer choice.

(more…)

Friday

9

April 2010

3

COMMENTS

FCC Powergrab Slapped Down, Statists Apoplectic

Written by , Posted in The Courts, Criminal Justice & Tort

Unable to pass “net-neutrality” legislation through the normal democratic process, those looking to expand government control of our lives to one of the last remaining bastions of freedom, the internet, turned to the unelected bureaucrats at the FCC to take action.  Without statutory authority, they eagerly leapt forward to take charge of regulating the internet.  The courts have now rebuffed this illegal powergrab.

Net neutrality rules are a “solution” seeking a problem.  No one has shown any cause for why they are needed.  But that hasn’t stopped liberals from responding with doom and gloom to the courts rightful ruling that the FCC’s attempted reach exceeded its grasp.  Megan Tady, a Google lobbyist at the Huffington Post, calls the ruling “the biggest blow to our nation’s primary communications platform,” quixotically warned the courts not to “take away our internet.”  As if maintaining the exact same rules which has allowed the internet to grow and thrive would somehow suddenly threaten its very existence.  She didn’t bother to explain how that could be so.

The hyperventilating at Mother Jones was even worse.  There, we were ominously warned that the FCC is the “last hope” of the internet.  Give me a break.

The left just cannot believe that there is any mechanism other than government to provide institutional accountability.  There is and it’s called free choice.  Why do they have so little faith in American consumers that they assume anyone would tolerate censorship on the internet?  If a company were to block websites people want to see, then they would use a different company. Clean, simple, and no expensive government rules necessarily.

If you look at who actually practices censorship of the internet throughout the world, you’ll see that it is only governments.  Why are American liberals so intent to hand the wolves the keys to the hen house, under the guise of protecting the hens, when there isn’t even any evidence that they are in danger?

Monday

22

February 2010

0

COMMENTS

Monday

2

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

My Tubes Are Clogged

Written by , Posted in The Nanny State & A Regulated Society

Just in case we weren’t unduly panicking enough over swine flu, we get a silly report like this:

As the spread of the H1N1 flu keeps more Americans away from work and school, a federal report warns that all those people logging on to the Web from home could overwhelm Internet networks.

The Government Accountability Office reported earlier this week that if the flu reaches a pandemic, a surge in telecommuting and children accessing video files and games at home could bog down local networks.

Apparently they are not familiar with weekends.  Nor with the typical work habits at your average office.

But hey, let’s give these people greater authority over the internet (net neutrality). What could go wrong?

About Me

profileI serve as Vice President of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, a non-profit think tank dedicated to preserving tax competition and free markets. This site features my personal views, which are not reflective of CF&P.

Search Site

Categories

Archives