All I want is for the Democrats to watch my back -- without a knife in hand

[Armstead]

86. I used that as one example --

Without getting bogged down in the technical details this is my point.

I am not looking for "instant solutions." I have seen this degenerative process occurring in all sectors since the 1970's. And I am disgusted and heartsick that we continue to allow the same basic pattern to occur over and over again.

We are at a "tipping point" regarding the whole concept of who will control the Internet because of the convergence of several factors, especially the "net neutrality" argument and the proposed merger between Time Warner and Comcast.

We can either protect Net Neutrality and at least some vestige of competition among providers. Or we can just hand them the keys and let them destroy the Internet as a public resource.....Just as has happened so many times with other issues.

True, there may have to be stopgaps that have to be put into place rather than real solutions. But the point is protecting the basics of the system and MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE OPTION OF FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

My frustration with this -- as it has been with so many other crucial tipping points, large and small -- is this: I fear that the Democrts will once again allow -- or cause -- the worst to happen, and set the stage for further destruction of our democratic system and economic justice.

They screwed us over in telecommunications "reform" in the 1990's. We blew it with "financial reform" in the 1990s. They screwed us over by letting so many mergers occur over the decades that created the whole architecture of a Monopoly economy and the fallout like "too big to fail" banks. They did it with healthcare "reform" by entrenching it in a system that will continue to screw people over because it is still ultimately controlled by predatory insurers and providers.

Now -- unless they get a sudden bolt of decency and backbone -- tey ar going to do it again to the Internet.

This does not have to happen.