The FCC s net neutrality vote is coming up Thursday — have the Republicans really conceded to President Obama s backing of the agency s proposal, as the New York Times wrote?
That would be a no.
Claims that Republicans conceded on are a mischaracterization. I am committed to a legislative solution to power grab.
— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune)
But the NYT article quoted Thune, R-South Dakota, as saying: We re not going to get a signed bill that doesn t have Democrats support. This is an issue that needs to have bipartisan support.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler s proposal would regulate Internet access as a utility, which ideally would achieve the goal of net neutrality: an open Internet that s equally accessible to all. The subject is a huge political issue, especially after President Obama weighed in and called on the FCC to enact the strongest possible rules.
Ajit Pai, one of two Republican commissioners of the five-member FCC, says Wheeler s plan — which he also refers to as Obama s plan — would micromanage the Internet. Other opponents of the proposal say it will hinder innovation and discourage investment in broadband and wireless networks. In other words, they re saying it s bad for business.
Many tech companies, public advocacy groups and Democrats support Wheeler s plan, and are feeling confident that the two Democratic FCC commissioners will side with Wheeler. But if the vote favors consumers, the celebration isn t likely to last for long — see above tweet from Thune. And the reaction will go beyond legislative, legal action is sure to follow. In addition, as my colleague Troy Wolverton wrote recently, the FCC plan has some loopholes that could still fall short of absolute net neutrality.
Photo: Protesters hold a rally to support net neutrality May 15, 2014 at the FCC offices in Washington, D.C. (Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)
