FCC Moves On Net Neutrality Rules

by Tom LoBianco - October 23rd, 2009 - Washington Times

While technical, the issue of network neutrality - or Net neutrality - has sparked a furious, expensive lobbying war, as well as a raging debate in cyberspace over the government's role in setting the rules of the road for the Internet, with some even arguing that the right to free speech in the Information Age is at stake.

The discussion over net neutrality is surreal at times - with liberals arguing in favor of government controlling access - while conservatives argue for continuation of the current rules. The idea that Google is charged more for its access to the Internet than other content providers is not the true sticking point of the liberal's complaints.

It is like the double-speak of the book 1984.

The real issue is the ability of a government agency to grant access to one group and ban another. Conservatives do not trust the liberals because they have publicly proclaimed these rules necessary to shut down conservative web sites and conservative content providers. Liberals hate Drudge and love Google. That Google is a billion times bigger than Drudge is not the issue. They want Google to have access that is preferential and Drudge to be blocked.

Anyone who expects that liberals will stop with Drudge are simply idiots. Like the liberal plans to shut down talk radio because more listeners chose conservative sources, the plan to assure net neutrality is a plan to force the success of liberal web sites with government edicts.