The Net Neutrality debate is not so much centered on the problems inherent with dual ownership of content and delivery medium, rather it centers on the Telecoms desire to create a preferential pricing structure for their pipes and routers, creating a fast lane and a slow lane, as it were, on a highway which until now all traffic flowed freely and equally. Many are of the opinion, myself included, that this is simply charging twice for a product or service. I pay for my broadband connection, Google and Yahoo pay for their connectivity, and now the Telecoms want to be able to price preferentially transport through their routers and over their network. It is a system which does not value success based on merit and is not in keeping with the most basic tenants of Capitalism.

Posted at October 24, 2006 11:18 AM in response to Oh, No, Mr. Bill! A Former FCC Chairman Opposes Net Neutrality

Most disappointing is the fact that the Baby Bells are essentially holding hostage the deployment of Fiber to the Home (the next generation of Last Mile systems) until they, according to their own statements, see legislative and regulatory ‘relief’ for their anti-Net Neutrality positions. There are some deployments currently aimed at collecting the obvious low hanging fruit (verizon’s Fios project, Qwest’s work in Greenfields) but compared to areas of Japan and Korea the availability and performance of broadband Last Mile systems in the United States is shockingly poor, the only bright spot being the few municipal deployments underway and being considered. And, of course, the Baby Bells are fighting tooth and nail to prevent those.

Posted at October 24, 2006 9:45 AM in response to Oh, No, Mr. Bill! A Former FCC Chairman Opposes Net Neutrality

And I don't know what you mean by: "The Democratic Party is still trying to figure out who its voters are, and flails about with slogans and props. "

Who is flailing about with slogans and props, Democrats? Are you suggesting the Republican Party isn't relying on slogans and props, or not as obviously as the dems? Or are you simply implying that Republicans flail less than Democrats in front of the media?

Democrats are saying that Iraq is idiocy, that wages are terrible, and that corrupt Republicans are responsible for both. But the Republican Noise Machine attempts to drown that out and distort their views.

I believe you have fell into the trap laid by the Republican Noise Machine by portraying the Democrtaic Party just the way they want you to, as indecisive and weak.

Posted at September 15, 2006 9:21 AM in response to Election Endgame: Enough Already