Why are We For Net Neutrality Again?

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September 10, 2014 by JImbo

 

I’m afraid I’m AGAIN going to piss a lot of people off. I simply don’t get the whole “Protest For Net Neutrality.” It sounds a lot like the same arguments being made for the Minimum Wages laws.

The current rule in place is supposedly “Net Neutrality.” A website provider is supposed to give equal space and SPEED to each user on their websites. In theory, this is happening and it’s fair and everyone gets free speech.

My question is… IS IT “FAIR”? Is it happening that way? Does anyone know? Is the current rule “working?”

Next, I have to ask… even if it were, would that be a GOOD thing?

The protester reasoning further concludes that eliminating the “Net Neutrality Rule” will lead to widespread screwing of people by their Internet companies.  The companies will effectively STOP content they don’t like from going through.

Technically it would be making it so slow everyone loses patience. For example if you wanted people to stop driving cars and ride buses, you would make all your cars go less than walking speed. Then, people would either walk or ride the bus. The same idea is what people SAY will happen if the Internet companies are allowed to be “unregulated.”

Alright so they’re not REALLY unregulated… they are VERY government regulated still. Plus, there’s no proven evidence that WOULD happen. Companies can already block content they don’t like. That’s why you sign that disclaimer when you sign up about them having the right to deny content they don’t like such as porno or something.

Most companies don’t give a crap. You’re a customer. You’re money.

So, that goes to the next sub-argument… that people who pay more will get faster connections.

Wait… isn’t that ALREADY the case? I know around here we have “Regular” internet and then “Express” or “Fast Lane” or whatever you want to call it. So… those “fast” and “slow” lanes already exist! People ALREADY choose if they want to sign up for “fast” or “slow” internet.

What exactly is this policy “stopping?” It doesn’t make business sense for a company to keep screwing its customers. Why is there this paranoia where businesses come from, and a willing blindness to the problems with too much government regulation?

Companies are more responsive to customers’ needs than government. No one is elected at the FCC.

On the other hand, you vote EVERY MONTH whether to pay your bill or not. If you don’t like it, you can simply cancel it and go somewhere else.

(Or cancel it anytime honestly, but they generally start/stop it at the beginning of month periods.)

THAT is democracy in action and consumer protection… not unelected bureaucrats and politicians deciding what is good FOR YOU.

How can any defender of personal liberty believe in giving the government MORE undemocratic power?

Oddly, much like the doctors being FOR the awful Obamacare… the cable providers are actually on the side of the regulators. This is a PROTEST AGAINST NO ONE. Seriously. The cable companies have FULL CONTROL over the airwaves and do they do ONE commercial or advertisement against Net Neutrality?

Nope. I haven’t seen any. If there are it’s VERY VERY few given what they COULD be doing.

Why is that?

Because they’re really in on it. The cable companies LIKE regulation. Why?

Because the regulations KEEP NEW COMPANIES OUT. They get essentially government-mandated monopolies or duopolies in most service areas. Competition is good for business and customers, but only GOOD businesses.

Once they reach a certain size and influence, it’s cheaper just to stop fighting government and hire lobbyists. If you become FRIENDS with the regulators, you get farther ahead. Then you don’t need to AVOID regulations.

You help WRITE REGULATONS… mainly new regulations to keep the competition out of the market and keep yourself rich. That’s called CRONYISM and it is NOT Capitalism. It is the OPPOSITE of Capitalism.

What you’re being told as “greedy capitalism” is actually a LACK of competition. There is no work for the companies to do. They get fat off their government contacts.

Like working out at a gym, Capitalism with healthy competition keeps businesses healthy and consumers happy. They pay for what they want. They don’t buy what they hate. So, companies give customers what they want to make money.

It’s really amazingly simple.

Comparing Cronyism to Capitalism is like blaming fat lazy guys for EXERCISING TOO MUCH. It’s a ridiculous claim that shows the person HOLDING that view has no idea what they’re talking about.

Similarly, the people for Net Neutrality (ie government regulation) are misguided at best. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt and hoping they just don’t know how things really work. I’m praying they were just misled by other ignorant folks and can be brought to the light.

The alternative is that they LIKE government control and therefore are AGAINST freedom. Freedom for the cable companies. Freedom for you.

That’s why I’m against Net Neutrality.

If you have a different view, please prove me wrong.

I want to learn.

HOW am I wrong? What am I missing?

It just seems to me that at this point the “fix” is in and people are being duped into thinking that slavery is freedom.