In May, I wrote a piece about Net Neutrality and the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's controversial proposal to create an internet fast lane. A lot has happened since then.

According to Politico, "Almost a week after the FCC voted on party lines to advance Wheeler's proposal, lawmakers summoned him to the Capitol and politely but pointedly aired their frustrations — the first of many such exchanges still to come over the future of the open Internet."

According to NetworkWorld, "In the past month, the FCC's net neutrality proceeding has generated more than 120,000 public comments, with many people calling on the agency to regulate broadband like a utility and require that broadband providers treat all traffic equally."

Net neutrality activists have been calling for broadband providers to be classified as a utility under Title II of the Communications Act instead of Title I, which is more lenient. However, a loophole in Title II would still allow broadband providers to create fast lanes. According to yesterday's Washington Post...

Advocates of an open Internet have for weeks been urging the Federal Communications Commission to re-label broadband as a utility — a move toward "strong" net neutrality that would give the FCC much greater authority to ban controversial fast lanes on the Internet. Reclassification, as the proposal is called, would allow the FCC to apply the same set of strict rules to ISPs that it currently uses to govern telephone companies. (Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, have just introduced legislation to ban fast lanes outright.)

Broadband providers have been against more regulation for a while. AT&T is making this more well-known, with an exec pointing out the loophole that would end up allowing fast lanes. According to The Washington Post, "In May, Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) introduced a bill that would prevent the FCC from reclassifying broadband." But I don't see anything about preventing the FCC from authorizing fast lanes in this bill.

Meanwhile Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), and three other Democrats recently put forward The Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act, legislation that would ban broadband providers from establishing fast lanes. The broadband providers would not be able to slow down or speed up content or collect any fees from websites or online services in exchange for faster service.

A Democrat aide who wishes to remain anonymous said the Leahy / Matsui bill probably won't get Republican cosponsors. The Washington Post quoted the aide saying, "People are missing the point," . . . "The point is: Ban paid prioritization. Because that'll fundamentally change how the Internet works."

I agree with the aide... The way I see it, banning "paid prioritization" simply restricts a government agency from taking actions that would favor a few large corporations. It protects Americans, our businesses, and our economy. I hope Republicans can see why the Leahy / Matsui bill is the best option on the table (before the mid-term elections). This is a chance for Republicans to put into play what we learned from Dave Brat... Our lawmakers don't work on behalf of a few corporations, but for the betterment of all Americans.

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Summer 2014: U.S. to implement capital controls

Not since F.D.R. confiscated Americans' gold in 1933 has there been such a direct attack on private wealth... Learn about Obama's crazy new law here.

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Once again, thank you for sending me your e-mails. I can't respond individually, but do read and consider all of them. Send your question, comment, or complaint to wendy@theprojecttorestoreamerica.com.

https://patriotpost.us/opinion/26760 – Anonymous

Bidwell comment: As many as 24,000 messages, crucial to the House's investigation are missing. The files seem to have been missing for a year now, but were never reported by the IRS as so.

Everyone has forgotten, but according to HotHardware, Justin Elliott of ProPublica submitted a FOIA request to the NSA, "asking for emails between NSA employees and the National Geographic Channel within a certain time period so he could research how the NSA handles public relations. He said that NSA Freedom of Information Act officer Cindy Blacker told him: 'There's no central method to search an email at this time with the way our records are set up, unfortunately,' added (probably with a nervous laugh) that the NSA's email system is 'a little antiquated and archaic'."

Regarding the reader comment that PhD professors in academia are the liberal voice "educating" our youth – This comment made me think that such isolated evolution in thinking that by its design nature occurs in such settings is the mental parallel to the biological decay that happens in incestuous procreation. In other words, we must take active steps to ensure that our institutions of higher learning do NOT suffer from mental incest... It is amazing how intolerant and narrow minded the window for accepted thought can become at universities – all while they proclaim being open-minded. Best Regards, Allan

Olugbemi comment: Perhaps the good news is that PhD professors in academia are no longer the only voice "educating" our youth. For example, AT&T has a program called AT&T Aspire. Through this program the company invests on the future of various students globally. Just three days ago, AT&T announced a collaboration with Udacity in developing a segway program so that individuals who complete the program can work for AT&T. An article by John Donovan of AT&T says...

It's called the nanodegree, and it will be delivered through the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform for software development skills. The nanodegree is designed to be completed within 6-12 months at a lower cost compared to traditional college degree programs. Students who complete the nanodegree program will be certified for the skills they learn and qualify for software... We're planning to ensure the nanodegree is available to diverse populations – working with Udacity and non-profit groups to offer full scholarships. AT&T will offer up to 100 internships to nanodegree graduates. We're also encouraging our employees to pursue tech skill development opportunities like the nanodegree program. Obviously, this new model benefits AT&T. Our technology-driven business requires a workforce pool with the skills we need to advance the network of the future.

You can expect to see more programs like these really conflicting with the traditional college education. The whole idea that a college education and success are intertwined will be challenged. If more companies begin to do this, the whole college education system will have more pressure to graduate young people ready for the rigors of an increasingly competitive job market.

*Olubukola Olugbemi is a college student currently interning for The Project.

http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=9fef20342eb918a950d416bb0&id=243132885a&e=8dd2b3dfdd