Net Neutrality - Broadband for All

 Top/Down:  Commissioner Ajit Pai - President, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel,
Left/Right:  Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner Michael O'Reilly, Commissioner Brendan Carr

November 12, 2017

MILWAUKEE || Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC support for Net Neutrality goes back to early 2000.  Mary Glass, Chair/CEO/CVO, an IT activist for urban Milwaukee, followed closely the works of the FCC/Federal Communication Commission through the works of Free Press - specifically the leadership of Milwaukeean Michael Copps.  Copps was with the FCC for 10 years (2001-2011).  He is now working with Common Cause in Washington, DC.

*************************************

Full-Staff

The FCC Commission is back to full-body now that nominees Jessica Rosenworcel (Democrat) and Brenden Carr (Republican) were confirmed by a voice vote of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee a voice vote of confirmation.  Ajit Pai, Chairman (Republican) was appointed in January 2017, by Donald Trump was reconfirmed on October 2, 2017, by the Senate.
==============

SMART Conversations Infrastructure centers around the engagement of the FCC/Federal Communication Commission and the Lifeline support for Broadband services to the UNDERSERVED.  Given the stark comments by Ajit Pai, Chairman of the FCC, we must make sure that our policy arm is firmer and in focused as a laser to the office of the FULL Commission for REJECTION of changes to NET NEUTRALITY. 

FACES OF NET NEUTRALITY

Below are reasons for great concern and "action-oriented" response by Milwaukeeans.

==============
 "I am deeply grateful to the US Senate for confirming my nomination to serve a second term at the FCC and to President Trump for submitting that nomination to the Senate," Pai said after today's vote. "Since January, the commission has focused on bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and making the FCC more open and transparent. With today's vote, I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to advance these critical priorities in the time to come.”

Pai “chooses corporate interests over consumers”

Nelson blasted Pai for making it harder for low-income Americans to buy subsidized broadband with changes to the Lifeline program; for limiting the amount of information broadband subscribers receive about fees and data caps; for supporting the rollback of consumer broadband privacy protections, and for several other policies.

Pai has "acted as if the way to improve broadband in rural America is to lower standards and saddle our most remote communities with slower speed and worse service," Nelson said. With his proposal to eliminate net neutrality rules, Pai wants to revoke "essential consumer protections on the Internet," he said.

"At every turn, Chairman Pai chooses corporate interests over consumers," Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said, according to Broadcasting & Cable. Under Pai, the FCC stands for "Forgetting Consumers and Competition," Markey said.

Pai "has demonstrated a disdain to these important public interest principles that he's supposed to be upholding," Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said.

Cantwell and others made Pai's stance against net neutrality rules a key part of their arguments. The rules prevent ISPs from blocking or throttling lawful Internet content and prohibit providers from charging websites or other online services for "prioritization."

Pai is "planning to blow up the level playing field that is so crucial to innovation and free speech online and that allows the startup trying to get out of the garage to become the next YouTube, Google, or eBay," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said.