Net neutrality champ, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)
Net neutrality champ, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)
Because Republicans have to poison absolutely everything in existence, and to do it in legislation that absolutely has to pass in order for government to continue to function, we already know that
gutting net neutrality (and a bunch of other nice things) is on their list of things to do to keep government funded and operating. Senate Democrats are
putting Republicans on notice that they'll be having none of that.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) even predicted during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday that President Obama would veto any omnibus bill in December that included provisions to block the Federal Communications Commission's new Internet regulations.
"I think the president should veto it. I think the president will veto it," Markey said. "This is a central economic growth issue for his administration. When a rider is going to distort the marketplace in the United States in such a radical way, and on a signature issue of the Obama era, then I think it is very clear that the president will put up a veto threat against inclusion of that rider." […]
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), however, said Democrats will fight to make sure any rider does not make it that far.
"Our job is to prevent it from being in that bill," he said.
If it comes to it, there will be strong coalition power pushing President Obama to veto it—as strong as the coalition that achieved the FCC rule in the first place. It
might not come to it, as it's possible that Republicans will reserve their big fights for Planned Parenthood and Obamacare. It's possible—actually likely—that the House will still be in total disarray in December when the must-pass spending bill has to be done and they'll end up doing yet another stop-gap spending bill, a continuing resolution, at current funding levels that doesn't include any riders.
But it's worth reminding congressional Republicans now that if they touch net neutrality, there will be hell to pay.
Tell Congress to stop the sneak attacks on net neutrality. Tell them to block any appropriations riders that threaten to undermine the FCC and the internet.
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