Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984
FCC Chairman Pai celebrates Congress failing to bring back net neutrality
As one Congress ends and another begins, many are looking forward to a rebalancing of power — especially in the House of Representatives, which Democrats handily retook in November. But FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is more pleased with what the House failed to do — namely, roll back his repeal of net neutrality rules.
To be fair, he does have reason to celebrate; no one likes to see their work undone. But a statement issued today tells a very selective message about congressional opposition to his master plan.
"I'm pleased that a strong bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives declined to reinstate heavy-handed Internet regulation," Pai said. The "heavy-handed" remark is the usual boilerplate in reference to 2015's rules, which used what the current FCC calls "depression-era" regulations to exert control over internet providers. That aspersion doesn't really make sense, as I've noted before.
And the "strong bipartisan majority" bears a bit of explanation as well. Indeed, the Democrats fell about 30 short of the votes they needed to put the Congressional Review Act into effect and undo the FCC's order. But that was only after the Senate, by a similar "strong bipartisan majority," as Pai would no doubt put it, voted for the rollback. No mention of that in his statement.
Related Stories
Democrats in the U.S. Congress plan to unveil legislation on Wednesday to reinstate “net neutrality” rules that were repealed by the Trump administration in December 2017, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
Pelosi told lawmakers in a letter that House Democrats, who won control of the chamber in the November 2018 elections, would work with their colleagues in the U.S. Senate to pass the “Save The Internet Act.”
The text of the proposed legislation has not been released.
The Federal Communications Commission repealed the rules that bar providers from blocking or slowing internet content or offering paid “fast lanes.” The repeal was a win for providers like Comcast Corp, AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc, but was opposed by internet companies like Facebook Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc.
The Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, voted in May 2018 to reinstate the net neutrality rules, but the House did not take up the issue before Congress adjourned last year.
A U.S. federal appeals court last month held lengthy oral arguments in a legal challenge to the FCC’s decision to repeal the net neutrality rules.
In its 2017 decision, the Republican-led FCC voted 3-2 along party lines to reverse the net neutrality rules. The agency gave providers sweeping power to recast how users access the internet but said they must disclose changes in users’ internet access.
A spokeswoman for FCC chairman Ajit Pai did not immediately comment on Monday.
Related:
FCC Struggles to Convince Judge That Broadband Isn't "Telecommunications"
It's Now Clear None of the Supposed Benefits of Killing Net Neutrality Are Real
FCC Chairman Pai Celebrates Congress Failing to Bring Back Net Neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission has scheduled an April 25 vote to restore net neutrality rules similar to the ones introduced during the Obama era and repealed under former President Trump.
"After the prior administration abdicated authority over broadband services, the FCC has been handcuffed from acting to fully secure broadband networks, protect consumer data, and ensure the Internet remains fast, open, and fair," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said today. "A return to the FCC's overwhelmingly popular and court-approved standard of net neutrality will allow the agency to serve once again as a strong consumer advocate of an open Internet."
[...]
In a filing with the FCC, Turner wrote that "ISPs have been incredibly bullish about the future of their businesses precisely because of the network investments they are making" and that the companies rarely, if ever, mention the impact of FCC regulation during calls with investors."We believe that the ISPs' own words to their shareholders, and to industry analysts through channels governed by the SEC, should be afforded significantly more weight than evidence-free tropes, vague threats, dubious aggregate capital expenditure tallies, or nonsensical math jargon foisted on the Commission this docket or elsewhere," Turner wrote.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by DeathMonkey on Thursday January 03 2019, @10:36PM (17 children)
At least stand by your convictions you coward!
Calling the elimination of net neutrality "bipartisan" is the lie of a cowardly little bitch.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Thursday January 03 2019, @11:44PM (16 children)
Just following orders. You are yelling at the cashier in the supermarket.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @12:37AM (15 children)
Not considered a defence (even for cashiers).
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @12:56AM (14 children)
Didn't say it was. Just saying people need to be aware of what they vote for. Pai is doing what his elected boss is telling him to do. What do you expect from him?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 4, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Friday January 04 2019, @01:28AM (13 children)
That isn't especially clear. Trump isn't especially tech savvy. I mean, he seems to do alright, but he's not especially tech savvy. It isn't clear that Trump has a position on net neutrality. What is clear, is that Trump respects money, and adores people who can accumulate lots of money. He will agree with rich people far more often than not. Some very rich people asked him to put Pai into the FCC, so he did so.
Pai isn't doing what Trump tells him to do - he is most definitely doing as the telecoms want him to do.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @01:33AM (12 children)
And the boss accepts that. And so do over 130 million people. If they didn't, things would be different. If nobody speaks up where it counts, then... what? What do you want, and how do you expect to get it?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Friday January 04 2019, @01:59AM (11 children)
Well, I commented directly to the FCC regarding net neutrality. Pai's corrupt system disregarded my, and million's of other people's voices. So - it seems the next step is some kind of a revolt. We should all cancel our subscriptions to the telecoms. Just cancel all of them, and don't get new subscriptions for a month or two. That would wake them up. Almost zero income for a sixty day period? That will get anyone's opinion.
Meanwhile, a spokesman needs to explain, in detail, why we reject the telecom's offerings. And, that spokesman needs to explain to Trump that Pai has to go.
Of course, nothing is going to happen. The sheep will continue to take whatever the telecoms and Ajit Pai tell them to take.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @04:32AM (4 children)
Of course, nothing is going to happen. The sheep will continue to take whatever the telecoms and Ajit Pai tell them to take.
Well fuck... I didn't know it was that hopeless. Last one out turn off the lights then...
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @02:32PM (3 children)
Well fuck... I didn't know it was that hopeless. Last one out turn off the lights then...
It's not quite that hopeless yet, but we're getting close. If the democrats can't mount a decent check and balance on these rightwing thugs, it will soon be that hopeless.
But don't worry about the lights. They'll be out long before we are. We'll linger, in various stages of starvation, for a few months after things fall apart, unless something more dramatic cuts our suffering short.
There is no happy end to this story.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @06:07PM (2 children)
If you're depending on the democrats, then it is indeed hopeless. To make even the smallest dent, the GOP/DNC has to be voted out completely.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday January 04 2019, @06:48PM (1 child)
If you're depending on the democrats, then it is indeed hopeless.
More false equivalence bullshit.
Democrats ALREADY implemented Net Neutrality in 2016. It was repealed by Republicans.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @07:20PM
Bullshit. They didn't legislate it. It was an executive order made with the full knowledge the next guy would nullify it. Man, you are really hooked. You refuse to acknowledge the teamwork these people engage in. You all need to make up your own MAGA hat, you act identically in every way.
You know, your party just put in the very same people that sold you up the river ten years ago and cost 63 seats the following election. You're gonna tell me it will be different this time? Pull the other one, man. The tired old definition of insanity applies better than ever.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday January 04 2019, @06:46PM (4 children)
Pai's corrupt system disregarded my, and million's of other people's voices. So - it seems the next step is some kind of a revolt.
Maybe you should try voting for people who support Net Neutrality first before resorting to insurgence?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday January 04 2019, @07:07PM (3 children)
I'm sure that single issue voters voted for someone who stood for net neutralit . . . except . . . who was that?
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @07:25PM
Exactly! Everybody feeds from the same trough. Nobody is seeking out people to replace them. It's just too inconvenient.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday January 04 2019, @07:26PM (1 child)
Obama.
Y'know, the guy who implemented the Net Neutrality rules the Republicans just repealed.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @07:38PM
Well, he did it wrong. Congress makes the regs, not the prez. It was a scam anyway, he knew it would be repealed as fast he signed it himself. It's professional wresting. - R.I.P. Mean Gene Okerlund!
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by exaeta on Friday January 04 2019, @08:55PM
The Government is a Bird
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 03 2019, @10:43PM (2 children)
Whether Comcast et al. Or Google et al. win this battle, Americans lose. We need a radical solution to end cable monopolies.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday January 04 2019, @05:15PM
I don't care, if cable companies retain their monopoly status or not. The writing is on the wall for their package deal, take it or leave it TV style. The telephone companies, especially AT&T, need to be regulated as Utility companies. It's way past time to treat them like the spoiled children they are. The tax payers have paid for a large portion of the infrastructure that's in place, and all AT&T does is hold out their hands for more money. Then again, perhaps Musk's web of satellite Internet will force AT&T and others to introduce reasonable policies. I'm not terribly optimistic, though.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @07:29PM
We need a radical solution to end cable monopolies.
Yeah! Like voting out the GOP/DNC!
No, wait, that would be too radical. Better to reelect the crooks and burn tires in the streets.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 03 2019, @11:12PM (1 child)
This guy has what it takes to get things done.
(Score: 5, Informative) by SpockLogic on Friday January 04 2019, @12:19AM
If you mean that he lies like the present incumbent, then yes.
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday January 04 2019, @08:20AM (3 children)
...Pai-hole will be strung up on a noose made of Cat 5 (because we sure as shit aren't going to waste Cat 6 or even Cat 5e on him...) and papercut to death with monthly cable bills. And then when he gets to Hell he'll be stuck on a 1984 Apple Lisa with a 3000-baud modem. Which he'll have to share with Bill Gates.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @03:44PM
Missed this https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/12/28/year-after-net-neutrality-repeal-internet-alive-and-well-and-faster-than-ever/AoVm2iZI9Jxs0ZzZFXsOfM/story.html [bostonglobe.com] ?
loser
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Friday January 04 2019, @07:51PM (1 child)
Pai-hole will be strung up on a noose made of Cat 5
What, you're not gonna string up the people that voted for the guy that hired him? Oh well, hope you like more Pai...
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 04 2019, @09:43PM
I don't think we have enough yellow hose for that.