Back off, peasants. OUR Internet, preshuss....

June 12, 2005 2:46 PM

Private enterprise uber We Media ? Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, "The “Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act” (H.R. 2726) would let big cable and telecom companies shut down Community Internet and municipal broadband projects being planned across the country. The bill would prevent state or local governments from providing “any telecommunications service, information service or cable service” anywhere a corporation offers a similar service." Hands off those Internets, peasants.
posted by troutfishing (8 comments total)

Good issue to raise, although we've seen it before.
posted by brain_drain at 2:52 PM on June 12, 2005

And if you voice your opinion against it, you're an obvious terrorist.

Seriously, this is one of the most horrid acts of pandering to the corporate teat I've seen in ages. Watch how it gets turned into an "if you're against us/this, then you're for them.." Seriously...
posted by damnitkage at 2:59 PM on June 12, 2005

Damn. Two keyword searches weren't enough.
posted by troutfishing at 3:01 PM on June 12, 2005

So much for municipal and states' rights.

Or, wasn't support for local autonomy a GOP value ? I Guess not.
posted by troutfishing at 3:03 PM on June 12, 2005

Corporate Teat? I don't think so.

This may be more of a back-door censorship and search/seizure move. If communities and locals are providing the Internet access, it'll probably be wide open and unfettered. CO-OPs would definitely leave the service open for the use of their members, and municipal wireless would be open for all. This is untrackable- a 'terrorist' dream (lol).

So, easy way to control access? Leave it in the hands of court-friendly, subpoena-able companies.

Seems spot-on for the current session of Congress.
posted by id at 3:37 PM on June 12, 2005

id, I'd think if they had thought of pounding the terrorism / bad people fear drum to quash public access to communication they would have. They may still yet, but it's pretty obviously just a bit of political whoring.
posted by Space Coyote at 5:07 PM on June 12, 2005

Only two things come from Texas.

Steers, and corporate whores.
posted by I EAT TAPES at 5:46 PM on June 12, 2005

Waaahhh waaahh We don't want to compete with government waaahh it's not like consumer can choose, they only consider price waaahhhh we can't compete for shit so neither should you play waaahhh

Boy those private companies sure are populated by a bunch of sissies....could it be that those who didn't get a govt job are now in the private companies ?
posted by elpapacito at 5:54 PM on June 12, 2005