Here in Maine (as is happening in several states) a state level Net Neutrality bill is being introduced. Considering that we are at a standstill in Congress regarding Net Neutrality, Maine is one state that cares enough to try to move the issue.
We are being careful to draft it in such a way that it would be constitutional, but the worst case scenario is that we push the issue higher on the national agenda.
However, this has led to lobbyists from Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner and Verizon Wireless to contact the sponsor of the Maine bill as well as this missive that Dick Armey sent out through his astroturf group:
Stop Efforts in Maine to Regulate the Internet
Dear xxx,
Not satisfied with their campaign in the U.S. Congress to seize control of the means of production, the Left is seeking to bring their fight to the states.
They are pushing to give the state of Maine the ability to dictate to businesses how they must offer Internet content to consumers.
We will need the help of thousands of citizens like you to contact your legislators and tell them to keep the Internet free of anti-liberty regulators like state senator Ethan Strimling, who is sponsoring this bad legislation, deceptively titled An Act To Protect Network Neutrality (LR 1217). Far from keeping the Internet neutral, this legislation would impose strict regulations on service providers that would prevent consumers from enjoying cutting-edge technologies.
TAKE ACTION!
We simply cannot sit and watch while the Left imposes its will on businesses and grabs even more state control over one of the last bastions of the free market: the Internet.
Write your legislators today by using our automatic email system, and follow up with a phone call, urging them to oppose so-called "net neutrality mandates."
We must work together to keep the Internet free from the state power grab of the Left.
Contact your elected officials and urge them to oppose LR 1217 and any other attempts to regulate the Internet.
Sincerely,
Dick Armey
Chairman
FreedomWorks
I find this very amusing. They are trying to say that if we let net neutrality become law, it will hurt the free market on the internet. It has been BECAUSE OF net neutrality rules to date that has led to the free market! Without it, it will become an oligopoly faster than you can say "cable and phone"!
Face it, net neutrality regulates the internet the same way the First Amendment regulates speech.
Net Neutrality will keep the internet open for all to use as they wish.
If you are interested in getting more involved in our pro-net neutrality work, please contact me!
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