Obama's continuing attack on free speech via regulation, is advanced with his desire to treat the Internet as an Utility rather than an Information Service.

Obama: Regulate broadband Internet like a utility so it 'works for everyone'

Editor's notes:  as you read,  take this to the bank:  Obama no more cares about "fairness" than he supports open and honest governance.  He talks about "fairness" with the intent to deceive,  a strategy he used to pass ObamaCare onto this nation's population.  The politics of "bait and switch" work well for the dishonest but biased driven agenda of the Utopian One Worlders;  it is an affront to those who which to be free in their expressed opinions.  

Make no mistake,  this is about setting the table for a (FCC) control mechanism that can,  in time,  turn off the flow of opposition speech.  That is what is envisioned in this move,  not withstanding the fact that such is not mentioned in the following text. Understand that when "large corporations," Progressive and willing to limit free speech,  are given the political power,  they will do so.  It is am Emphatico of the Law of Murphy,  which states,  "If it can happen,  it will happen," and the Obama Cartel knows it.        

 

The FCC commissioners (left to right): Ajit Pai, Mignon Clyburn, Tom Wheeler (chairman), Jessica Rosenworcel, and Michael O'Rielly.

                                              

(From c/net) President Obama urged the US government to adopt tighter regulations on broadband service in an effort to preserve "a free and open Internet."  . . . . .  

Obama wades into a contentious debate that has raged over how to treat Internet traffic, which has only heated up as the FCC works to prepare an official guideline. Those rules were expected to be made available later this year, though reports now claim they may be delayed until early 2015. The debate has centered on whether broadband should be placed under Title II regulation under the Telecommunications Act, which already tightly controls phone services.

Proponents argue that Title II regulation would ensure the free and fair flow of traffic across the Internet. Opponents, however, believe the reorientation would mean onerous rules that would limit investment in the infrastructure and in new services, and that toll roads of sorts would provide better service to companies that can support their higher traffic volumes. 

But that in turn has created widespread concern that ISPs could throttle service in some instances, intentionally slowing some content streams and speeding others.

Some of the major broadband providers have already spoken out against the plan. "Reclassification under Title II, which for the first time would apply 1930s-era utility regulation to the Internet, would be a radical reversal of course that would in and of itself threaten great harm to an open Internet, competition and innovation," Verizon said in an e-mailed statement.

"Today's announcement by the White House, if acted upon by the FCC, would be a mistake that will do tremendous harm to the Internet and to U.S. national interests," said Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, in a statement.

"To attempt to impose a full-blown Title II regime now, when the classification of cable broadband has always been as an information service, would reverse nearly a decade of precedent, including findings by the Supreme Court that this classification was proper," David Cohen, executive vice president at Comcast, said in a statement.

The broadband providers have advocated a "light touch" regulatory environment that has been in place, which they argue has been the catalyst for wireless and broadband investment.

The FCC earlier this year saw a vigorous response from the public to its call for comments on its Open Internet proposals, with the FCC's servers sometimes stumbling and crashing under the overwhelming input. The comment windowclosed in September.

"I will say it again, there is nothing in the proposal that authorizes fast lanes on the Internet," the chairman said earlier this year. "It simply asks questions, such as should there be a ban on paid prioritization. But there is nothing in the rule that authorizes it."In April, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler came under fire after an early proposal for his rules on Internet access were made available. While Wheeler has said that he fully supports the open Internet, the proposal could allow for paid prioritization of Internet traffic.

At the crux of the debate over Net neutrality is Title II of the Telecommunications Act. The section, which is more than 100 pages long, regulates how common carriers must conduct business across all forms of communication in order to act "in the public interest." Net neutrality supporters say that the language is vague and could be used to sidestep a free and open Internet and give ISPs the opportunity to sign deals with Internet companies that would provide for prioritization of traffic.

Obama, however, said that the FCC should limit some of the regulation relating to rates and "other provisions less relevant to broadband," creating potential wiggle room for further debate on the limitations.

Still, the reference to Title II marks a clear stake in the ground for the White House.

"This is a basic acknowledgment," Obama said, "of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone -- not just one or two companies."  

(except for Editor's notes,  all of the above came from c/net, here ).  

File this under "Obama's War on the Media." The commies at the FCC backed off their plan to question newsroom sources. Greta Van Susteren gave us her answers, anyway. We are in love with this woman.

<< Greta before and after her 2009 surgery. She is one courageous lady.   

The FCC announced on Friday that it would back off its planned study of U.S. newsrooms in which monitors would be dispatched to gather information on how they operate. Even so, Greta Van Susteren on Friday decided to answer the questionnaire that would have been included in the study as honestly as she could.

The first question: “What is the news philosophy of the station?”

Van Susteren’s answer: “None of your business, read the Constitution.”

Question No. 2: “How much news does your station air every day?”

“Watch and figure it out yourself, I’m not doing your work for you,” she responded.

The third question from the proposed FCC study: “Who decides which stories are covered?”

Van Susteren’s familiar answer: “None of your business, read the Constitution.”

“Read the Constitution is what they should’ve done before they even did this study,” she added.

Watch the segment via Fox News to hear the TV host’s answers to the final questions:

(Updated) File: The Takeover of America: Marxist Oriented FCC under Obama is determined to "supervise" our national news media. this is where the Democrat Party has gone. UPDATE: We won !! The FCC backed down Friday evening.

Understand that this issue,  the government suddenly using the licensing power of the FCC to question what news is being covered and what is being presented to the public, is forging ahead,  "amendments" not withstanding.    OF COURSE,  the first steps,  in this regard,  will not include federal orders,  but, given enough time,  we all know where this is heading.  The Democrat Party has made it clear,  during the Obama years especially,  that it no longer reveres the 1st Amendment,  the 2nd, Amendment,  the 4th Amendment,  the 10th Amendment and the 14th Amendment,  among others.  The Party leans heavily into Marxism and Central
Control.  The Party despises opposition opinion and has come to believe that now is the time to eliminate this Constitutional  "nuisance"

WaPo:

A proposed government study of how media organizations gather news has incited a powerful backlash, particularly among conservatives, who said that it could be part of an official effort to intimidate or second-guess journalists.

Faced with an outcry, the Federal Communications Commission’s chairman said Thursday that he would amend the effort — intended to assess whether the news media were meeting the public’s “critical information needs” — by removing questions that critics had deemed invasive.

The FCC last year proposed an analysis of news content from newspapers, Web sites and radio and TV stations. The agency said it wanted to assess the coverage of eight “critical information” subjects, including public health, politics, transportation, the environment and “economic opportunities.”

As the survey was originally designed, government researchers would have asked reporters, anchors and news managers at as many as 280 news organizations to describe their outlet’s “news philosophy” and about how they selected stories.

Among the questions the FCC proposed asking journalists: “Have you ever suggested coverage of what you consider a story with critical information for your [viewers, listeners or readers] that was rejected by management?” And: “What was the reason given for the decision?”

The idea first proved controversial within the FCC, which is an independent agency that currently has a majority of Democrat . . .  commissioners. [Editor's notes:  But,  of course,  the Commison's majority are led by Obama and his anti-colonial,  transforming America, policies ~ blog editor]  One of its Republican commissioners, Ajit Pai, blasted the proposed study in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal last week. “The government has no place pressuring media organizations into covering certain stories,” he wrote.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler responded to the growing furor Thursday by ordering the removal of questions about news philosophy and editorial judgment.

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Additional articles: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/14/federal-court-scraps-fcc-net-neutrality-regulations/ 

Obama and Marxist Dems know that key to their restructuring of the United States of America is the end of Constitutionally protected free speech.

<<< Clyburn and the Marxist chairman of the FCC board,  his daughter.   Racist members/representatives of the Marxist leaning Congressional Black Caucus are driving the current push to nullify the 1st Amendment and our freedom to disagree on important issues.  

From the Daily Caller: 

. . . .   Democrats will decide the next step because they are a majority of the five-seat FCC commission, which includes two members nominated by Republican legislators. The commission regulates, to some extent, radio and TV broadcasters, as well as telephone and cable TV companies.

The plan was slated to start with a federal inspection of media outlets in South Carolina this year.  (Editor's note:  the plan has not be funded,  as of yet).  

Pai (one of two GOP commissioners on the FCC panel ~ blog editor)  is rallying public opposition to the plan, and this week triggered a wave of skeptical media coverage.

Clyburn and daughter, Mignon

But ABC, CBS and NBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post are still silent about the attempted manipulation of the media, he said.

New outlets such as Fox, Drudge and The Daily Caller are focusing attention on the issue, along with the Wall Street Journal’s op-ed page, he said.

One of the Democratic commissioners is Mignon Clyburn, the daughter of South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a top leader in the Democratic caucus. The plan was slated to start with a federal inspection of media outlets in South Carolina this year.

You need to read the full account at the Daily Caller:   http://dailycaller.com/2014/02/21/gop-commissioner-fights-federal-media-inspection-plan/#ixzz2tz0enaTu

Updated: Obama, the FCC and his continued attack on the US Constitution. Maybe you should click on link and read this story.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/19/obama-administrations-plan-to-study-newsrooms-is-drawing-plenty-of-public-opposition/

Editor's notes:  What is most troubling to the freeman in America,  is that Obama and his minions keep coming up with these schemes,  insidious and stealth efforts to capture and control opposition speech.  There is no defense for this effort.  It is traitorous to its core,  worthy of impeachment and disqualification and, yet,  Obama continues to work to defeat free speech.  

His fairness doctrine,  a scheme to limit conservative talk on the airwaves (radio),  card check (a socialist union scheme to unionize a shop or plant without allowing a secret vote,  his NSA spying on reporters,  the sequester of press documents, and the persecution/prosecution of Administration whistle blowers,  all serve the purpose of proving the claim that Obama and his New Democrat Socialist Party care nothing about the Constitution and the freedom of speech that it protects.   

EPA to regulate farm dust ! The 112th needs to regulate our regulatory authorities immediately If not sooner.

EPA to crack down on farm dust

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering a crackdown on farm dust, so senators have signed a letter addressing their concerns on the possible regulations.

The letter dated July 23 to the EPA states, "If approved, would establish the most stringent and unparalleled regulation of dust in our nation's history." It further states, "We respect efforts for a clean and healthy environment, but not at the expense of common sense. These identified levels will be extremely burdensome for farmers and livestock producers to attain. Whether its livestock kicking up dust, soybeans being combined on a dry day in the fall, or driving a car down the gravel road, dust is a naturally occurring event" . . . . . . .

Editor's notes: with the installment of the 112th Congress (Jan 20, 2011) , one of the issues that need to be addressed is the increasing power of the several regulatory agencies, i.e. the EPA, the FCC, the SEC, the FTC and the NEA (National Education Agency) with regard to the establishment of new Federal policy or the expansion thereof.

Understand that is the EPA that may empower "Cap and Trade" without Congressional approval. It is is the EPA that may damage farming for ever. It is the FCC and the FTC that may be used to regulate conservative talk radio into oblivion. It is the SEC that may regulate Wall Street, punishing pro-conservative companies. It is the NEA that pushes issues of faith and conscience further out the door, teaching our children AGAINST OUR WILL and forbidding full classroom disclosure !!

Add to these "tools" for dictatorship Obama's abuse of the "czar" process (a 38 billion dollar collective operating as "staff," hiding behind "executive privilege," refusing to answer questions from Congress, existing without any Congressional review possible, solely answerable to Obama); the use of "executive order" and any presidential privilege that can be utilized to usurp Federal authority without Congressional review and approval.

The Obama Administration has made it clear that the US Congress is no longer needed. THAT needs to be fixed and the business of Congressional review and repair is extensive and very complicated. This review process needs to be completed before we elect out next Marxist sympathizer.

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