Broadband Politics - Latest Comments in Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

King of Apathy — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 09:53:45 -0000

The great thing about the internet is that it has had this freedom. Why would anyone believe that this regulation is for the public good? More and more people have the internet and the freedom to surf it as they please. My poor grandmother out in a rural part of Iowa has it. Regulation is just a way for the regulators and the people asking for regulations to line their pockets and protect their own interests. This regulation will kill competition and drive up the price for us working folks, and you know it won't stop. They will regulate all over the net.

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

Richard Bennett — Wed, 31 May 2006 16:30:24 -0000

Yes, the "Four Freedoms" do that.

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

calamityjane — Wed, 31 May 2006 13:54:46 -0000

Doesn't current FCC authority already protect consumers from the "evil" telcos?

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

SoCal619 — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:26:46 -0000

I think NetChick sums it up best "there is no problem". Government regulation should be considered a "last resort" solution when an exisiting list of grievances has been established or regulation is actually *gasp* needed! I don't know whether it's Teleco bashing or just plain greed, but I think the brakes need to be put on NN. Also, these days, I buy what the Times is selling in their editorials about as much as I'd believe that Moby and Michael Stipe know what's best for the internet!

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

intiger — Wed, 31 May 2006 00:03:05 -0000

Couldn't agree more. The New York Times seems to craft their editorial pieces verbatim from Moveon.org talking points. You make an interesting point about the Telcos. There has been residual ill-will against telephone companies that goes back for decades. And now, some (like Google) are hoping that this will result in more governmental regulation of the Internet. This is lobbying at its finest, and here's hoping our legislators come to their senses.

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

Richard Bennett — Tue, 30 May 2006 21:38:03 -0000

There's been a background noise of telco-bashing in America as long as I can remember, going back to the monopoly days, and an end-to-end cargo cult as long as there's been a Web. But the COPE Act brought the issue to a boil.

Vint Cerf's ego is damaged by the idea that somebody might actually improve the Internet, and Tim Berners-Lee's ego by the realization that an Internet optimized for communication would make canned content less interesting.

There's a ragged mob always ready to protest for the fun of it, so all these things came together in a perfect storm of stupidity.

Re: Adam Cohen drinks the Kool Aid

Net Chick — Tue, 30 May 2006 20:43:42 -0000

Why is net neut such a big deal all of a sudden? There is no problem, so why does government need to intervene right this second! Its just not needed - Google just wants a free ride on the internet highway.