A forum attendee reads Daily Kos's letter on net neutrality.
Daily Kos delivered the names 62,032 Californians who support of Title II net neutrality to FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, Wednesday. The commissioners were testifying at a
congressional forum in Sacramento, California, called by Rep. Doris Matsui, and each delivered statements stressing their support of an open internet. They also heard testimony from a number of stakeholders.
The Sacramento Democrat, along with two Federal Communications Commission members, heard planned testimony from local and state leaders, who spoke in favor of so-called net neutrality and against proposals to create paid high-speed traffic lanes on the Internet. Some said it would harm Silicon Valley’s culture of innovation, while others, like the Sacramento Public Library’s director, said it would hurt everyday consumers. […]
Rivkah Sass, director of the Sacramento Public Library, in her testimony warned that “libraries will face higher surcharges” without rules that guarantee equal access.
“Open Internet is not a privilege for the affluent. It is the right of each and every one of us,” Sass said.
Rosenworcel came out swinging
against paid prioritization, the proposal put forward by Chairman Tom Wheeler. "We cannot have a two-tiered internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave the rest of us lagging behind," she said. While she didn't endorse reclassifying broadband under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, the solution open internet advocates are pushing, she said that she is "pleased that Chairman Wheeler has recently acknowledged that all options, including Title II, are on the table."
Clyburn focused largely on her concern that wireless networks are included in strong net neutrality rules. It's a critical issue particularly for minority and low-income people who might only have their mobile broadband on their phones to access the internet. Clyburn was squishy, though, on Title II saying the "critical question […] is first determining the right policy, and when that is established, then and only then, determine the appropriate legal framework to achieve that result." Great, except it doesn't really work that way. The FCC needs the strongest legal framework possible—which is Title II—to enforce their policy, if their policy is going to be real net neutrality. That's a basic first step.
Rep. Matsui provided a tremendous service in holding this forum—the service of allowing the public to hear what our FCC Commissioners are thinking right now, and the opportunity for them to hear where the public is. That needs to continue and the FCC—specifically Chairman Tom Wheeler—needs to be leading the way.
Please send you comments with this petition demanding that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler hold public hearings on net neutrality.