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Internet Activists Urge Congress to Fire Trump's FCC Chief Ajit Pai (vice.com)
Open internet advocates and Democratic lawmakers are mounting a last-ditch effort to remove Federal Communications Commission chief Ajit Pai over his anti-net neutrality stance, just days before Pai is set to be approved by the Senate for a new term. From a report: Since being elevated by President Trump to lead the FCC in January, Pai has become the bete noire of open internet advocates for a variety of anti-consumer actions, but none more so than his crusade to kill federal rules protecting net neutrality, the principle that all internet content should be equally accessible to consumers. [...] During a blistering floor speech on Thursday, Sen. Ron Wyden, the Oregon Democrat, portrayed Pai, a Republican former Verizon lawyer, as an industry stooge who has worked relentlessly to deliver gift after gift to the nation's largest broadband companies. "Mr. Pai has a long track record of putting big cable before consumers, big corporations above small businesses, and pay-to-play over the free and open internet," Wyden wrote in a blog post accompanying his speech. Free Press, a DC-based public interest group, has also launched a campaign to pressure the Senate to "fire Pai," citing his proposal to kill the FCC's net neutrality policy and other anti-consumer actions. But if reconfirmed, Pai is expected to try to ram through his plan to torpedo the FCC's net neutrality rules before the end of the year. "Rehiring Pai to head the agency that oversees US communications policies would be a boon for the phone and cable companies he eagerly serves," Tim Karr, Free Press Senior Director of Strategy, wrote in a blog post.
I see a lot of people whining about the FCC's stance turning around and gloating about corporate freedom everytime Apple/Google/Twitter/Facebook/Cloudflare takes down or censors another White nationalist app or alt-right website.
Ajit Pai is Trump's sort of guy -- advancing the desires of big business over what's good for the average joe.
but I doubt it's going to happen for two reasons. First is that the FCC isn't one of those headlining institutions that the GOP cares about. In fact, they'd rather it all just go away right now because they can't be bothered to govern let alone care about governing. So as long as Pai isn't causing it to rain on their parade, they couldn't care less. And second, I'm pretty certain if it came down to a close vote there would be more than enough lobbying action on his behalf to see him through. There's a lot of moneyed interests that want to keep him that post.
Not to mention that if does deliver on this agenda there's probably a pretty cushy job waiting for him with whichever telecom or cable operator he chooses when it's all over.
And yet one party seems to continually come up with legislation to help the average person, while the other party does the exact opposite every single time.
Except bête means animal, not penis.
Senator Coons (D-DE): Call (202) 224-5042
Senator Donnelly (D-IN): Call (202) 224-4814
Senator Tester (D-MT): Call (202) 224-2644
Senator Manchin (D-WV): Call (202) 224-3954
Senator McCaskill (D-MO): Call 202-224-6154
These are key swing votes that need to hear from you today!
The Democratic opposition to Ajit Pai's re-confirmation was launched today by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who accused the Federal Communications Commission chairman of abandoning the public interest. Cantwell criticized Pai's in-progress attempt to eliminate net neutrality rules and said he has taken other actions that hurt Americans.
And based on your political leanings the two parties referenced in your statement are completely interchangeable.
Are you seriously suggesting that Wheeler and Pai are interchangeable as chairmen of the FCC?
See, I don't want to assume you're nuts. I want to make sure.
I live ze unknown. I love ze unknown. I am ze unknown.
AFAIK "bete" means "beast".
AFAIK "bete" means "beast".
Yup. That's what I was taught in my high school advanced English class. It means "black beast."
An effective "democracy" creates the illusion the people have a say in their government.
You were probably taught Modern French, not Old French, in high school. We're talking about Old French here, because we're discussing the etymology of the phrase "bete noire".
Since we're looking at the origin of the phrase, and it's an ancient phrase, we need to look to the meaning of the word "bete" in Old French, and not its meaning in Modern French.
There are similar situations involving words derived from Old English where the earlier definition differs from the more common Modern English definition, and often in ways that we wouldn't expect.
For example, the Modern English word "weapon" is derived from an Old English word that meant "penis".
Another example is the Modern English word "tweezers". It's also derived from an old English word that meant "penis".
English is a fascinating language, especially when it comes to how it has borrowed from so many other languages. French is also fascinating, although it doesn't derive as many words from non-Latin sources. Both exhibit many modern words that have very unexpected original meanings.
Many words that are seen as innocent today were originally used to describe very primal things or actions such as the penis, the anus, intercourse, defecation, and so forth.
...please keep in mind that these are ancient sayings...
Except it isn't ancient. The first known use of "bête noire" dates to 1805. So it is "black beast".
I live ze unknown. I love ze unknown. I am ze unknown.