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In reply to the discussion: The FCC Did a Lot More Than Just Approve Net Neutrality Today [View all]babylonsister
(170,963 posts)10. But perhaps he did in fact have influence...
How Obamas net neutrality comments undid weeks of FCC work
By Brian Fung November 14, 2014
When President Obama told his top telecom regulator Monday to apply "the strongest possible rules" on Internet service providers so that they couldn't speed up or slow down certain Web sites over others, he galvanized Democrats around a populist technology issue and set up a showdown with congressional Republicans.
But the White House's move also undermined weeks of work by the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission to develop an alternative policy, which he has said in private meetings could preserve a free and open Web while also addressing concerns by the Internet providers. Because of the unprecedented nature of the FCC's compromise proposal and its controversial nature -- critics fear it would not prevent Internet providers from slowing down content they don't like -- the agency held a flurry of meetings with a wide range of groups, including major tech companies, lobbyists, consumer advocates and the telecom industry to see if it could bring a broad coalition together around its plan, according to a half-dozen people familiar with the discussions.
In the days before the president's statement, the agency's efforts appeared to be working. Some tech companies, including at least one major firm, and several tech interest groups showed signs of warming to the outreach by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. They and Wheeler scheduled a series of critical meetings on Monday at the FCC to discuss their differences. Talk emerged of working out language in a letter that would clarify the sentiments of all involved and help build consensus for Wheeler's plan.
But all of that was thrown off-track as soon as Obama called for "bright-line rules" backed up by the FCC's most aggressive powers. Now a number of companies who were close to signing onto the "hybrid" plan proposed by Wheeler are in a holding pattern. Demand for a less-compromising stance has increased. And pressure is building on Wheeler and the FCC to decide what it should do.
"If the week had started not with the president's announcement, but with the tech community and lots of big names lining up in favor of the hybrid, we'd be having a very different conversation right now," said one tech industry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meetings were private.
more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/11/14/how-obamas-net-neutrality-comments-undid-weeks-of-fcc-work/
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I appreciate that and am willing to give the President his due. However, I don't understand why
rhett o rick
Feb 2015
#12
I will never "relax" and stop "griping" as long as millions of American children go to bed hungry.
rhett o rick
Feb 2015
#19
DUzy. Good job. Some people just don't want any credit to go to Obama for anything
uhnope
Feb 2015
#63
If an Executive Branch agency does something most people like, Obama influenced it. If it does
merrily
Feb 2015
#28
So was the Attorney General but that's beside the point I was making, which was about what gets
merrily
Mar 2015
#84
because Rightwingers are idiots....they just hate Liberals..so they hate anything Liberals like....
VanillaRhapsody
Feb 2015
#27
Wheeler was an industry insider. So are most lawyers in the FCC's legal department.
merrily
Feb 2015
#30
Not true. Industry watchdogs know industries. In this case, there were, within the FCC itself.
merrily
Feb 2015
#33
Truthfully stating Wheeler was an industry insider is dragging him through the mud? Dramatic much?
merrily
Feb 2015
#38
Josh, I know from experience that you'll keep posting nonsense forever, then bizarrely
merrily
Feb 2015
#41
"The Federal Communications Commission will allow some cities and towns to set up and expand
Cha
Feb 2015
#2
This was an extremely important issue that had me worried. I am happy on two accounts. One the
rhett o rick
Feb 2015
#44
Thanks Obama and the many, many Americans that took the time to convince the FCC to
rhett o rick
Feb 2015
#17
Look for cable companies and phone companies to start arguing about pole position...
Thor_MN
Feb 2015
#49
Totally agree. Out here on the rez internet service is terrible. The tribe has been talking about
jwirr
Feb 2015
#62