Stop Obama takeover of Internet

From Americans for Prosperity...

A couple of months ago I told you about the FCC's regulatory power grab, boosted by the radical left, to gain control of the Internet and potentially our whole communications system. With Glenn Beck's help, we exposed the White House Czar charged with technology policy, Susan Crawford, and she was forced to resign. Unfortunately, the left's effort to take over the Internet continues. The Federal Communications Commission is moving ahead with proposed "Open Internet" rules, which would give federal regulators vast new powers, and ultimately lead to government control of the Internet.

The stakes are huge, and will help determine outcomes on all the other issues we care about. That's because as long as the Internet is free, we can use it to communicate, educate, and organize. This is what's at stake as the FCC moves forward with its ridiculously misnamed "Open Internet" rulemaking.

Please click here to file official FCC comments opposing a Washington takeover of the Internet. Take action today - the deadline is fast approaching.

"Open Internet" is the left's latest marketing language for what they used to call "net neutrality." It is an outgrowth of the larger so-called media reform project of radical left-wing activists like Robert McChesney, the Free Press founder who explained his goal to SocialistProject.ca: "What we want to have in the U.S. and in every society is an Internet that is not private property, but a public utility."

"Open Internet" or "net neutrality" sounds simple - force phone and cable companies to treat every bit of information the same way - until you realize that modern networks are incredibly complex, with millions of lines of code in every router. Making sure services like VoIP, video conferencing, and telemedicine (not to mention the next great thing that hasn't been invented yet) get priority may be necessary to make the Internet work, but the government is considering regulations that will make it illegal to prioritize traffic.

These networks cost billions of dollars to build and maintain, and if there is uncertainty about getting a good return on that investment, private investment will dry up. And then government will step in, spending billions of our tax dollars on a government-owned and controlled Internet.
Although Susan Crawford is gone, the White House Internet power grab goes much higher, to President Obama himself. He said on the campaign trail: "I will take a backseat to no one in my commitment to Net Neutrality."

Please click here to file official FCC comments opposing a Washington takeover of the Internet.
Thanks for all you do.

Phil Kerpen
Vice President and Director of Policy, Americans for Prosperity
Chairman, Internet Freedom Coalition