FCC Chairman Pushing To Nationalize The Internet

• December 2, 2008

And he’s doing it under the guise of offering “free” pornography-free internet:

Outgoing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is pushing for action in December on a plan to offer free, pornography-free wireless Internet service to all Americans, despite objections from the wireless industry and some consumer groups. . . .
The proposal to allow a no-smut, free wireless Internet service is part of a proposal to auction off a chunk of airwaves. The winning bidder would be required to set aside a quarter of the airwaves for a free Internet service. The winner could establish a paid service that would have a fast wireless Internet connection. The free service could be slower and would be required to filter out pornography and other material not suitable for children.

First off, let’s remember that this would hardly be a “free” service. The company with the winning bid on these airwaves is simply going to fold the cost of running the “free” network into running the fee-based network. We’ll still pay for it.
Second, what this is really about is bringing the internet under FCC control. Currently the FCC can’t touch any of the content on the internet. Not the radio broadcasts. Not the television broadcasts. Nothing. But if millions of Americans begin using a “free” internet service to access that content, and if that service is delivered on airwaves regulated by the FCC, suddenly the bureaucracy has its foot in the door for regulating online content.
The whole “porn free” thing is just a gambit to distract from what’s really going on. If you argue against porn-free internet well then you must be some pervert in the pockets of the rich telecoms. Plus the porn-free thing gets the socially conservative crowd on board as they’re probably not likely to care much about the larger implications here if one of their pet peeves is pandered to.
Ultimately this is about opening a back door to government regulatory control over the internet. Period. The powers-that-be have had enough of citizens being able to do and say and read and watch whatever they want on the internet, and they’re looking to end it.

Tags: Domestic Issues, Politics

http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

Whither thou goest, O once proud gop?
Leatherback

Perhaps Clint F doesn’t understand that “hate speech” is protected in the US – thank my agnostic God for the ACLU.

That doesn’t mean peope who express bigotry won’t be criticized or even have their businesses boycotted. Those are also protected forms of speech.

Now there is this question of whether a common crime committed out of racial, sexual, political or religous hatred should carry an enhanced sentence. I would say all such enhancements should be abolished but would like to keep the hate crime enhancements as a bargaining tool to get conservatives to negotiate a general ban on all such enhancements.

You will get an enhanced sentence for possessing an otherwise legal firearm during the commission of a non-violent crime. That has been stretched to mean a rusty old antique revolver in your attic while dealing drugs at your door. (A woman received a 12 year sentence instead of 8 years for having her grandfather’s Spanish War revolver in her attic while dealing a small amount of cocaine from her home.)

“Laying in wait” can get you the death penalty for murder even though laying in wait is not in itself a crime.

The (Anti-) Patriot Act provides for a charge of terrorism if a crime has a political motive.

So let’s get rid of all this enhancement stuff and just punish criminals for their principal crimes.

Leatherback
Mickey

Sounds like the same restrictions a private corporate network would have, only slower. This is a little too nanny state for me.

Anyone can put porn blockers on their internet access so why bother with this?
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

Good memory Gene. Yes the FCC is a POTUS appointee. I think Kevin Martin followed Powell and is as bushie as a bushie can be. I imagine that before this story broke, you might have taken that as a compliment.
2Hotel9

So, when Republicans are not in the White House there is no FCC? Really? Or are you saying that only Republicans are in the FCC? Again, really? Perhaps y’all should actually look into the FCC and who controls it on a day to day operational basis. Here is a hint. They ain’t “appointees” and they ain’t Republicans. Just as is the case in all USG bureaucracies.
2Hotel9

“Shall we look into who on the FCC is and is not a gopper and to what ideology it’s chairman adheres?
realitybasedbob on December 2, 2008 at 08:21 am”

I notice that you didn’t. You just cut&pasted from their webpage. How convenient.
2Hotel9

Again, leftard, who actually runs the FCC on a daily operational basis? As for the rest of your spew, your Party, the Democrat Party, is responsible for all of the shit you pretend to be upset about.
2Hotel9

And you still have not listed who actually runs the day to day operations of the FCC. Why is that?
di butler

so one guy, who happens to be a republican, is head of the FCC, and that means what exactly? Is this the porn that Chuck U Shumer has been talking about? And Bob, what exactly is a gopper? I asked you before, you never said. Is that a small, rodent-like animal, like a ferret? I think you are trying to say GOPer, but you never have many complete sentences.
http://www.comcast.net/ John D

The Internet…without pornography?

Why?
http://www.bismarckmandanblog.com/ clintf

What I see happening there are regulations such as “hate crime” laws, which basically equates to “speech that disagrees with liberals.” I won’t use it if it means that I can’t email or blog that homosexuality is sin, for instance, or that Islam is a death cult. Besides, my experience with rules like that is that they’re NOT enforced in hatred against conservatives, Christians, or patriots.

Cf
2Hotel9

Since when was the FCC an arm of the Republican Party?

And who defines “pornography”?
Leatherback

With regard to Friend of USA in Canada I must say I am glad to see the US and Iran aren’t the only countries with confused ditto heads.

First of all, “liberals” had nothing to do with Senator Larry Craig’s troubles beyond criticizing him for his hypocracy. Perhaps such criticism offends your sense of political correctness but most of us liberal types consider criticism to be free speach, whether it is spoken by liberals, conservatives, communists or fascists.

Indeed most liberals aren’t terribly fond of the sort of police sting which caught Sen. Craig and we are often criticized by conservatives for being soft on “law and order” or public indecency for opposing such opperations.

Secondly, FCC Chairman Martin is a member of the Republican Party and strong ally of President Bush.

Most liberals, center left or whatever you want to call us strongly oppose this FCC proposal. I’m sure Dr. Laura would support it.

Leatherback
http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/ Gene

Isn’t the FCC a Republican Office? I’m just asking. I thought that the FCC chairman served at the will of the POTUS.

Michael Powell was A Bush Appointee wasn’t he?

I think it is a political office.

I could be wrong, 2H, I don’t know.

But if it is, and this appointee is a Republican, it’s bad.
2Hotel9

Di? boob has not the faintest idea what he is posting. It just takes the DNC talkingpoints from their webpages and spews them forth. No thought needed.
Lance

Since boob never follows through (unless it’s convenient to his point, of course)…

Current Chairman and Commissioners:

* Chairman Kevin J. Martin (R-NC) (term expires April 2011)
* Commissioner Michael J. Copps (D-WI) (term expires December 2009)
* Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein (D-SD) (term expires December 2009)
* Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate (R-TN) (term expires June 2012)
* Commissioner Robert M. McDowell (R-VA) (term expires June 2009)[23][citation needed]

Past Commissioners:
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/commish-list.html
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

gopper: grand old party devotee.
brenarlo

Wasn’t there that one thing that said Congress shall make no laws to infringe on free speech? What was that thing called again?
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

Perhaps y’all should actually look into the FCC and who controls it on a day to day operational basis. Here is a hint. They ain’t “appointees” and they ain’t Republicans.

About the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC’s jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions.

Organization

The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for 5-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. None of them can have a financial interest in any Commission-related business.

As the chief executive officer of the Commission, the Chairman delegates management and administrative responsibility to the Managing Director. The Commissioners supervise all FCC activities, delegating responsibilities to staff units and Bureaus.

Shall we look into who on the FCC is and is not a gopper and to what ideology it’s chairman adheres?
Bill

But wait, I was told that social conservatives aren’t interested in censorship.

Bush isn’t a conservative. He ran for election as a conservative. Just like Obama ran as a moderate liberal. True colors show through with time.

His only true conservative attributes are his policies on War (like the indisputable success in Iraq), and the tax cuts. Other then that, he reminds me of a big spending liberal. But I guess now days, since both the Dems and Republicans can’t control their spending, that cliche needs to be changed.

He is a big spending politician. Too bad it seems like there is no other kind of politician.

Libertarians in 2012! Its the perfect blend of individual freedom and fiscal conservatism that this country needs. Screw the Republicans, and definitely screw the Dems. This country needs to stop being duped every campaign season, only to be severely disappointed.
http://northerngleaner.blogspot.com/ Gene

Bob is right,

How far we have fallen.
Friend of USA

And who defines “pornography”?

—2Hotel9

I guess liberals would want the people who define pornography to be the same people who consider the Folsom fair NOT indecent…
you know the Folsom fair that has all the gays walking around naked and giving BJs to each other in the middle of the street in broad day light?

You know the same people who think that if a Republican taps his foot in a public bathroom that is really offensive and that man deserves to have his carreer and reputation destroyed.

Yep, that kind of people, they are the ones who want to control everything…

I know because we have them in Canada too.
deadrody

But wait, I was told that social conservatives aren’t interested in censorship.
2Hotel9

Oh, the definition of “pornography” will be as amorphous as the meaning of “is” is. It will include any information that is not in lock step with Algore and the HCGW crowd. It will be any viewpoint that runs counter to Democrat/Multicultural/Gay Rights dogma. It will be “history” that does not paint America as evil. Oh, yes, “pornography” will be what the FCC decides it is, and that definition will change from day to day and our to hour.

This “free internet” connection will be so fucked up no one will want to use it. Problem is once you sign up for it you will not be allowed to leave it, just like signing up with AOL, once you are in you will never get out. And access to the nonfree internet will be strictly controlled. Thats what the government always does.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

Dear fish, thanks for the barrel.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

This guy, Kevin Martin, was with the bush-cheney transition team. He served bush as GC for his first pres. campaign. Martin’s wife worked for Dick and is (was?) a special assistant to bush on economic policies. I wonder how that worked out for us. And oh, the FRC loooooves him.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Yes, this is yet another travesty from the Bush administration.

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