US Takes Big Step Towards Despotism

For those not familiar with the term, I would suggest you learn it quickly. A despot is a tyrant, oppressor, a ruler with absolute, unlimited power. Forget individual rights, forget Congress... the ruler does what he wants.

We've seen some examples of this. For example, the EPA using a law obviously not intended to regulate "greenhouse gasses" to do so. In that case, the Executive branch of the government, in the form of the EPA, usurped the power of Congress to get done what the President wanted done.

The newest example of this is the Internet. The FCC voted 3-2 to regulate the Internet.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/21/fcc-poised-pass-network-neutrality-rules/?test=latestnews

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to regulate the Internet despite warnings that it could strangle industry investment and damage an economy that is still struggling to recover.

The 3-2 vote fell along partisan lines with Democrats capitalizing on their numerical advantage.

Lawmakers in both parties have been arguing for months that Congress, not the Obama administration, should take the lead role in deciding whether and how much to police the web. But despite a brief backing-off earlier in the year, the FCC pushed ahead with its new regulatory plan.

Forget Congress, forget free speech, the President now has the power to regulate and control the Internet. Sounds a bit like despotism to me...


"But Matthew," I hear some of you saying, "the scope of regulations approved yesterday is clearly limited." True, but can you offer examples of when, after getting their foot in the door on regulation or anything else, for that matter, the government didn't expand it later?

Make no mistake, this action is the "foot-in-the-door" for regulation and control of the Internet by the federal government. Think I'm wrong on this one? Think again.

Genachowski's two fellow Democrats voted for the rules, even though they have said they consider them too weak.

Commissioner Michael Copps said Tuesday that he "seriously" considered voting against the plan.

"But it became ever more clear to me that without some action today the wheels of network neutrality would grind to a screeching halt for at least the next two years," he said.

Did you get that? Two of the three Commissioners who voted for this regulatory coup say they want MORE regulatory control over the Internet. Still think I'm jumping at shadows?

The mentality that wants control over people isn't limited, guys. They don't want "a little" control over the Internet, they sincerely believe that it is our government that makes us great. From that, it follows that government control over the Internet will make it better. Ignore the facts on this one that show the opposite, they are pathologically incapable of recognizing that government control is the death knell for freedom and economic growth.

So, what is their goal, here? Thinking about the recent brouhaha with WikiLeaks, that should be obvious. They want regulatory control over content on the Internet, and free speech be damned. Then they don't have to worry about a WikiLeaks repeat.

This should be a target for the newly GOP-controlled House. They should pass a resolution overturning the regulations and send it to the Senate. Let's see if Congress really LIKES the FCC stepping on their toes. Get rid of these newly approved regulations, Congress, if you have even the slightest glimmer of respect for individualism and freedom.

Otherwise, this will be just one major step among many towards a despotism that will be the end of the American dream.