House Democrats Shelve Net Neutrality Proposal

crimeandpunishment writes "A compromise on net neutrality appears to be as likely as Google and China becoming BFFs. House Democrats have pulled the plug on efforts to work out a compromise among phone, cable, and Internet companies. House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, who shelved the proposal late on Wednesday in the face of Republican opposition, said, 'If Congress can't act, the FCC must,' and called this development 'a loss for consumers.' Internet companies and public interest groups say the new regulations are needed to keep phone and cable companies from playing favorites with traffic, while those companies insist they need flexibility so high-bandwidth applications don't slow down their systems." The net neutrality debate seems to have fallen victim to the extreme polarization evident in the larger political culture.

If I want it AND dad wants it ... it's bipartisan.

[jabberwock]

... As a wacko leftist libertarian crypto-anarcho peacenik Commie, the oldest son of a right-wing fringe element religo millennialist rapturizing nut job, I have to tell you: Net Neutrality is the one thing dad and I can safely talk about, and agree on. That, and maybe there are some foods we both like.

Re:I'll Say It Again ...

[AnonymousClown]

...I don't want my ISP to limit their bandwidth because Microsoft (or someone else) has paid a premium for priority for *their* bandwidth.

You think that's a better explanation to a conservative?

Dude. This is how you put it:

Net Neutrality allows for FREEDOM and it allows for your non-profit CHRISTIAN website to have as much bandwidth as those atheist-secular ones. It allows for your GOD FEARING content to have the same bandwidth as those abortion promoting god-less family planning websites! It will also allow you to track what the GOVERNMENT is doing because voting against NET NEUTRALITY is falling right into the government's hands.

Hit the streets now! It's in the CONSTITUTION and the Founding Fathers said that we have the right to equal access! It's true! It's in the exact same part where it says we're a CHRISTIAN Nation!

God Bless America!

That'll get Net Newtrality[sic]!!

Re:You? Why TF should they care about YOU?

[MaWeiTao]

The people who don't think the parties are equally bad are delusional.

Re:You? Why TF should they care about YOU?

[crlove]

I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure you're not Hitler.

Re:I'll Say It Again ...

[Swanktastic]

Oh please... That is exactly what I'd expect to hear from a Poopocrat.