
Here Are the Republicans Who Sold
Your Internet Rights to Their Patrons
Smiling while preaching against the ‘heavy hand of government,’ Chairman Ajit Pai’s just fulfilled exactly what he’d been put in charge to do: to kick the teeth of the Federal Communications Commission, and yank the Internet from everybody but those who can pay to access it.
By a vote of 3 to 2, the FCC all but allowed big broadband providers to create Web lanes. It’s the Rule of the Mighty: to corporate ou social media giants, access online remains the same. To billions of small, independent sites, though, it’ll take forever. Unless you pay extra.
By betraying the its own mission, to protect everyone’s rights to a free Internet, Pai did a huge favor to both the Trump administration, and to his pals at Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, and other big providers that stand to profit from his decision. While, of course, ignoring the people’s will.
For the majority – who know what Net Neutrality is – the Web is a utility, as vital as your water service, and should be left alone by those that had no part nurturing it to become what it is today. Ironically, some of them wouldn’t even exist if Pai headed the FCC, circa 2000.
Thousands expressed support to keep the Internet as it were, through the commission’s public hearing phase. But the game was rigged, and many saw it coming on Pai’s public statements. They sounded a lot like Scott Pruitt’s words and actions running the EPA (into the ground).
But it won’t happen without a fight. Activist groups and individuals, including N.Y. Eric Schnedierman and other Attorneys General, filed suit to prevent the FCC from destroying what’s not up to it to destroy. Eventually, one hopes, even those who still have no idea what they’ve just lost will join in too. Trump supporters, are you listening?
Meanwhile, here are the Republicans who voted to end a free and democratic Internet, and how much they’ve got from telecoms since 1989, according to The Center for Responsive Politics and The Verge. Keep it in a safe place and be sure to remember their names next time you’re in the voting booth. As for Colltales, we’re taking it down either.
THE DIRTY, INFAMOUS HUNDRED MINUS
Mo Brooks, AL ($26,000), Ron Estes, KS ($13,807), Thomas Massie, KY ($25,000), Ralph Norman, SC ($15,050), John Moolenaar, MI ($25,000), Neal Dunn, FL ($18,500), Mike Bishop, MI ($68,250), Alex Mooney, WV ($17,750), Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, PA ($70,500), Blaine Luetkemeyer, MO ($105,000), Paul Gosar, AZ ($12,250), Richard W. Allen, GA ($24,250), Kevin Cramer, ND ($168,500), Greg Walden, OR ($1,605,986), Marsha Blackburn, TN ($600,999), Billy Long, MO ($221,500), Gregg Harper, MS ($245,200), (more)
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Read Also:
* The Deep End
* It Blogs the Mind
Brett Guthrie, KY ($398,500), Bill Johnson, OH ($196,666), Jeff Duncan, SC ($41,830), Earl ‘Buddy’ Carter, GA ($39,250), Susan Brooks, IN ($168,500), Gus Bilirakis, FL ($234,400), Markwayne Mullin, OK ($141,750), Mimi Walters, CA ($161,500), Joe Barton, TX ($1,262,757), Bill Flores, TX ($127,500), Pete Olson, TX ($220,500), Morgan Griffith, VA ($198,900), Tim Walberg, MI ($131,850), Fred Upton, MI ($1,590,125), Joe Wilson, SC ($104,750), Martha McSally, AZ ($84,936), Blake Farenthold, TX ($64,250), Steve Womack, AK ($104,750), Tom Marino, PA ($130,700), Louie Gohmert, TX ($85,055), Walter Jones, NC ($72,800), Leonard Lance, NJ ($290,550), Steve Chabot, OH, $332,083), Bob Goodlatte, VA ($815,099), Andy Biggs, AZ ($19,500), Mark Walker, NC ($35,750), Glenn Grothman, WI, $21,200), Ken Buck, CO, $79,350), Larry Bucshon, IN ($71,750), Chuck Fleischmann, TN ($42,00), David Rouzer, NC ($34,300), Paul Mitchell, MI ($18,000), Hal Rogers, KY ($360,450), Doug Collins, GA ($103,600), Ralph Abraham, LA ($27,300), Mark Meadows, NC ($14,500), Michael McCaul, TX ($216,500), Jeb Hensarling, TX ($270,198), Mike Simpson, ID ($125,200), Tom Emmer, MN ($28,500), Randy Weber, TX ($13,750), Rob Woodall, GA ($60,250), Ted Budd, NC ($15,500), Ken Calvert, CA ($219,212), Diane Black, TN ($104,750), Virginia Foxx, NC ($115,700), Sam Johnson, TX ($219,785), James Comer, KY ($22,750), Trey Gowdy, SC ($83,250), Lamar Smith, TX ($810,462), Steven A King, IA ($210,810), George Holding, NC ($97,750), Rob Wittman, VA ($57,250), John Lee Ratcliffe, TX ($53,950), Jason Lewis, MN ($21,050), Jim Banks, IN ($16,303), Bill Huizenga, MI ($34,000), Bill Shuster, PA ($202,500), Steven Russell, OK ($23,500), Adrian Smith, NE ($165,834), Jody B Hice, GA ($21,000), Richard Hudson, NC ($136,750), Douglas L Lamborn, CO ($110,543), Chris Collins, NY ($151,060), Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, WA ($673,530), Brad Wenstrup, OH ($33,750), and Andy Barr, KY ($51,100).
It’s not yet time to lose hope; what they want is easier said than done.
If you’ve noticed, this administration seems to think they can snap their fingers and get what they want. They haven’t yet figured out that government is long hours and hard work. When they grow up, maybe they’ll figure out that they have to spend the time to talk to people to convince them about everything.
This is a long way from over !
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That’s right, it will take time. It’s just that, as you know, the more they carve and chip away even the most basic rights, while profiting handsomely from it, well, even though it can’t last, their actions are still making everybody hurt. And fraying our nerves with such a crass disregard for anyone but themselves. But your words give me and many all the encouragement we needed today. Thanks for that. Cheers
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Grand. We’re gonna miss this lol (no joke, I know).
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Confusing to a lot of people and so many didn’t know about it. Disgusting that so many petitions were signed and of course not paid attention to. Probably fake signatures, of course
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So true. Revolting too as how it was sold: as if the ‘govt’ was somehow preventing them from investing on innovation. Thanks for your input. Cheers
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Reblogged this on Unclerave's Wordy Weblog and commented:
I did not publicize Net Neutrality as strongly as I should have, and I apologize for this. I signed countless petitions, and Shared them on Facebook, but I feel like I could have done more. Corporate control of the internet could end up costing us all, in more ways than one. We should all support the law suits that are looking to overturn this craven betrayal. — YUR
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Great job, Wes! I will be reblogging. — YUR
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