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FCC Will Also Order States To Scrap Plans For Their Own Net Neutrality Laws (arstechnica.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In addition to ditching its own net neutrality rules, the Federal Communications Commission also plans to tell state and local governments that they cannot impose local laws regulating broadband service. This detail was revealed by senior FCC officials in a phone briefing with reporters today, and it is a victory for broadband providers that asked for widespread preemption of state laws. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposed order finds that state and local laws must be preempted if they conflict with the U.S. government's policy of deregulating broadband Internet service, FCC officials said. The FCC will vote on the order at its December 14 meeting. It isn't clear yet exactly how extensive the preemption will be. Preemption would clearly prevent states from imposing net neutrality laws similar to the ones being repealed by the FCC, but it could also prevent state laws related to the privacy of Internet users or other consumer protections. Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

280 comments

  1. B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    states rights!

    1. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Civil war or a revolution is not far off if the Washington royalty keeps this crap up

    2. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This.

      This is like retiring the United states postal service and replacing them with fedex and ups, then saying the sealed, certified letter between you and your lawyer that's marked "confidential" can be opened and handed to the government because some techno-geek had a good-sounding excuse. How the government will even be able to argue any kind of electronic communication between lawyers and clients is confidential is fully beyond me. You already have legalized theft via "asset forfeiture" that's enabled by ignoring the 4th amendment via "paralell construction".

      With all that said; there's absolutely nothing websites can do to stop people from running bots that intentionally inject human-looking junk data into them, and that's where this is headed.

    3. Re:B-b-b-b-but by shaitand · · Score: 2, Insightful

      We need net neutrality but this is interstate commerce is one of the few things that actually is within the authority granted to the federal government. That's why you don't have to pay sales tax on online purchases and mail order. Just like that sales tax there is nothing giving them authority over transactions within the state even if they are of the same nature that potentially could cross state lines though...

      We really really need to stop supporting twisting the law and watering down the Constitution when it means getting some policy we want. The ends do not justify the means. There hasn't been a single policy change seriously considered or implemented in this country that provides more benefits or prevents more harm OVERALL than the limitations on government power in the Constitution. Suffrage for women and abolishing slavery are the only things that come even remotely close.

    4. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think all the intelligent things about net neutility have already been said. Now it's just fuck Ajit Pai, and fuck Donald Trump, and fuck rich corporations that just look for ways to screw people more instead of adding something of value to society.

    5. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Immerman · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually I believe you are still required by law to pay sales tax on internet purchases. It's simply that the merchant isn't required to collect those taxes and pay them for you when they are operating out of a different state.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    6. Re:B-b-b-b-but by interkin3tic · · Score: 2

      We really really need to stop supporting twisting the law and watering down the Constitution when it means getting some policy we want. The ends do not justify the means. There hasn't been a single policy change seriously considered or implemented in this country that provides more benefits or prevents more harm OVERALL than the limitations on government power in the Constitution

      What does that have to do with the issue at hand though? You can almost always make an argument about something is/is not constitutional. This is no different. Nothing is squarely unconstitutional, and the constitution is intentionally NOT a guide for every policy question.

      Please, tell me what is twisting the constitution to regulate ISPs as common carriers. Or what is twisting the constitution to NOT regulate them that way. Or to tell the states they can't regulate ISPs by claiming it's interstate commerce.

      And I'd be REALLY interested in how you have an opinion on the constitutionality of Pai's dictate or counter-arguments... when there are no details about the policy yet....

    7. Re:B-b-b-b-but by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      "ISPs that do not conform to state regulations (which specify net neutrality) will be denied business licenses in our state as will anyone contracting for such ISPs."

      Seems like states could, if they wanted, find a way to force the issue.

      I mean, sure, they won't, because state and local legislatures are even worse than the national legislature...

    8. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      https? let US serve as a warning beacon!

    9. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      B-b-b-b-but my swamp?

    10. Re:B-b-b-b-but by shilly · · Score: 0, Troll

      Did you really just say that suffrage for women and abolishing slavery did more harm than good because they involved an expansion of the powers of the government beyond those set out in the Constitution?

    11. Re:B-b-b-b-but by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Partially correct; you have to pay a use tax for products bought out-of-state. It is always pegged at the same rate as a sales tax, but it is not a sales tax - it is a use tax. And the purchaser must report it to their own state, for all out-of-state products you brought back to your state or purchased and had delivered.

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    12. Re:B-b-b-b-but by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      That law would get tossed on the grounds it contradicts Federal law. State law cannot override Federal law.

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    13. Re:B-b-b-b-but by gtall · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Bullshit. You recall the FDA, not in the Constitution. Yet they prevent Joe's Bait and Pill Emporium from poisoning your mother with fake headache pills, or you with fake erectile dysfunction "medicine". The NiH does research into diseases with your name on them, not in the Constitution. The FAA prevents airlines from using accounting methods to find the correct price point between crashes and loyal ridership. They also have vehicle emissions standards so we don't revert to LA circa 1960's air, much as the alleged Administration looks back in fondness at those times. Rules and laws against workplace discrimination, again the alleged Administration looks back fondly at the 1950s, which is strange because most minorities do not have such fond memories. Neither do women.

      The list goes on.

    14. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Hognoxious · · Score: 0

      Did you really go to school? Like, ever?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    15. Re:B-b-b-b-but by shilly · · Score: 1

      Not only did I go to school, I am pretty confident I went to a better school than you.

    16. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It seems to have worked for the marijuana legalization folks. Haven't seen any challenges to those referendums on the grounds that "federal law supercedes state law, so the laws must be abandoned."

    17. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Dog-Cow · · Score: 0

      They failed you. Or you are too stupid to ever be a success.

    18. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Dog-Cow · · Score: 3, Informative

      FCC does not make law. They make regulations.

    19. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Talderas · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Interstate commerce has frequently been abused since the 1942 ruling in Wickard v. Filburn which pretty much held all economic activity as interstate. Electing not to purchase something is interstate commerce that can be regulated because you are participating in the interstate market by lowering the demand in the market. If you want to talk about twisting the Constitution around, this is probably one of the most egregious rulings from the Supreme Court permitting twisting.

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    20. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, you do have to pay sales tax on online purchased in most (all?) states.

    21. Re:B-b-b-b-but by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Did you really just say that suffrage for women and abolishing slavery did more harm than good because they involved an expansion of the powers of the government beyond those set out in the Constitution?

      Welcome to Slashdot, can I take your coat please, suh?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    22. Re:B-b-b-b-but by shilly · · Score: 1

      Or alternatively, they succeeded, and so did I! What a shame the truth doesn't match your razor-sharp put-down. Still, at least you got to show your bantz skillz, eh?

    23. Re:B-b-b-b-but by slinches · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So pass an amendment that gives the federal government those authorities. Undermining the constitution, even for good reasons, still weakens our rights and threatens the fundamental concept of consent to govern. How can we feel represented when the fundamental rules of our government are ignored whenever it's convenient for whoever is in power?

      --
      Knowledge Brings Fear
    24. Re:B-b-b-b-but by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      Is there a federal law that ISPs WILL be given business licenses regardless of state laws?

      If certain puritanical states and counties can find ways to limit or ban the sale of ALCOHOL, I'm pretty sure they can find ways to make sure Comcast follows some reasonable rules.

    25. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The FDA barely does anything. Companies send their own fake research in. http://www.medicaldaily.com/ph... posted AC as I used mod points in this thread - TheCastro

    26. Re:B-b-b-b-but by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 1

      Are you a fucking moron. States can levy sales tax on business that operate in their own state. So if you purchase something from a business that operates in your state, that state can collect sales tax.

      And the federal government never said States could not collect tax on purchases made from other States - in fact States have enacted a "use" tax to collect tax on purchases from businesses operating out of state. The fed's position was to place a moratorium on collect taxes on on-line transactions to allow the growth of the industry. Given it's size and scale, it's no longer necessary to have the moratorium in place. Certainly Amazon can't claim they need it.

      So no ass-hole this was never about States lacking the right to collect taxes.

    27. Re: B-b-b-b-but by tsa · · Score: 1

      You've been in need of that ever since GW.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    28. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you really believe suffrage was overreach then you're so retarded you should be wearing a helmet. Full stop.

    29. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the retailer has a physical presence in your state, then they ARE required to collect sales tax, even if they ship it in from out of state. And since your end-user ISP has to have a local physical presence to provide service to you, they should be also be subject to the laws of your state. It should also b possible to aply terms to the franchise agreements between localities and the ISP's, as those are legal contracts.

    30. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those regulations have the force of law.

      What happens is Congress authorizes the creation of an agency, and passes a law saying any regulations made by that agency have the same standing as law. Basically, Congress delegates out some authority to another agency. This is also how the DEA gets to decide which substances are and are not scheduled and level charges accordingly.

      Source: I work at a telecom. If FCC rules didn't have force of law behind them, there are more than a few we wouldn't follow because they're asinine.

    31. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      US constitution, article 1, section 8, gives Congress the power to provide for "the general welfare". That's all the authority they need for everything described in the GP.

      In other words, all this stuff is in the constitution and it's been there all along. Longer than the Bill of Rights, even.

    32. Re: B-b-b-b-but by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 0

      Go light up in front of the FBI or Federal court in your State, then. The Feds will still bust you. Just because local jurisdictions no longer emphasize enforcement of pot laws, doesn't mean they not exist. Feds arrested plenty of people in Colorado where pot was legal from a State standpoint...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    33. Re:B-b-b-b-but by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Regulations arise out of legislation. At some point, a law was written that drove the creation of those regulations. It's why you can challenge regulations on the grounds they exceed the original intent or scope of the underlying law. But regulations are, in fact, the "details" about the law.

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    34. Re:B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not required to pay sales taxes on interenet purchases because I don't live in a socialist hell hole. I live in New Hampshire where most of us don't believe in taxation. Unfortunately the minority interests get into power every now and then and we end up with taxation and fees elsewhere.

    35. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sales tax is state regulated and you do pay sales tax on states that impose it.

    36. Re: B-b-b-b-but by slashrio · · Score: 1

      You have the right not to purchase anything from these corporations (except for health insurance of course).

      --
      "Trump!!", the new Godwin.
    37. Re: B-b-b-b-but by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      Hit the Republicans and stress reelection depends on network neutrality, so does international traffic about finance, medical exchanges, working realtime with operating theatres and more.

      You have not shown the dangers of ignoring network Neutrality

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
  2. Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thanks again, Trump voters! I really can not express strongly enough what an awesome decision you made.

    1. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      This has been in the works for decades and you wanna blame the new guy.

      You're an idiot.

    2. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey Einstein, you fail to notice the orange asshole is the one who did it

      You, are the idiot.

    3. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      This isn't just about President Trump as he appointed someone from Obama's FCC flock.

      (From Wiki)
      "In 2011, Pai was then nominated for a Republican Party position on the Federal Communications Commission by President Barack Obama at the recommendation of Minority leader Mitch McConnell. He was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate on May 7, 2012, and was sworn in on May 14, 2012, for a term that concluded on June 30, 2016"

      What we're seeing here is the long-haul carriers and content lobbyists throwing more cash than J.K. Rowling has ever seen at world+dog so they can change the rules.. to rebuild the amazing pile of ca$h for their employers and the shareholders of those companies.

      We all know the ISPs have been suffering terribly from net neutrality rules.. it's impacted their ability to afford Charlie-Sheen type parties for years now.

      This is business as usual in government. Ca$h is king and the people are serfs.

    4. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was 'her turn.' All through the election I predicted it would go the same way for her that it did for Bob Dole, who patiently waited for 'his turn' to be presumptive, just as Hillary did.

    5. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by fyrewulff · · Score: 3, Informative

      By law, the FCC must have 2 members from one party and 3 from the other. Obama was literally required to appoint Pai to the board.

      --
      "We need to get over this notion, that, for Apple to win... Microsoft must lose." - Steve Jobs, 1997
    6. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Fuck that. I blame people that actually voted for Trump and those that didnâ(TM)t vote.

    7. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by mukinrestak · · Score: 5, Informative

      No, he was required to appoint a Republican. He didn't have to choose an ISP mouthpiece/lobbyist as the one he appointed.

    8. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You just said he was required to appoint a republican to the board and then said he wasn't required to appoint a republican. Which is it?

    9. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by pots · · Score: 1

      Since the minority commissioners have very little power, standard practice is to nominate mainline opposition candidates to those positions in order to make the appointment of the majority candidates easier.

      In other words, the fact that Obama nominated this guy is meaningless.

    10. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plenty of nominally Republican people like myself support net neutrality and think this is a stupid decision. If they'd have looked a bit harder, we're not that hard to find.

      Lest you forget, back when net neutrality was first coined and everyone saw the idiotic ideas the ISPs had about monetizing things, pretty much everyone was outraged, left right or otherwise. That's why lobbyists have been working non-stop since then to find ways to divide and conquer us by turning it into a left/right thing so they can more easily buy off the right people in Washington to screw the rest of us.

    11. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I didn't know there were only 2 parties. Who have I been voting for all these years then?

    12. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by spongman · · Score: 1

      you're a Sanders supporter? did you vote for the democratic candidate in the presidential election?

    13. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You just said he was required to appoint a republican to the board and then said he wasn't required to appoint a republican. Which is it?

      Are you retarded? He was required to appoint a republican. ANY republican. There are millions of them - and most aren't former Verizon lawyers. He's saying he could have chosen a different republican.

    14. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      you should thank HRC

      I'll thank her - l'll thank her for being such an abysmal choice that even one person was willing to vote for Ruprecht...

    15. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The waste-my-vote party.

    16. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Uberbah · · Score: 1

      In other words, hand waiving that does nothing to explain why he's on the commission in the first place.

    17. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      Because Mitch McChildeater said so. Duh. And Obama didn't want to pick up a fight over a minor commissioner with essentially zero power.

      Do you seriously think that Republicans wouldn't have appointed somebody like him anyway?

    18. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Uberbah · · Score: 0

      Because Mitch McChildeater said so.

      So tell him to pound sand. As other posters have pointed out, there are millions of other Republicans in the United States who aren't lobbyist hacks.

      Duh.

      a minor commissioner with essentially zero power

      He's one of a handful of votes, which made him extremely powerful. Same as any single Supreme Court justice has power, despite there being 8 other jurists.

      Duh.

      Do you seriously think that Republicans wouldn't have appointed somebody like him anyway?

      Then it would be entirely on Republicans, and not Obama for appointing him to the commission in the first place. Kinda hard to block the guy when your own party's leader just named him to the panel.

      Duh.

    19. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pai was not the chairman when Obama was in office.
      He was appointed to the commission as a member by Obama, but not as chairman.
      Trump appointed Pai chairman after Trump assumed the presidency.

    20. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is super sad to see you spinning *so* hard to make it Obama's fault.
      Own up to the fact that while Obama appointed him to the commission the party you are trying so hard to keep spotless moved Pai to the chairmanship and has supported the "my constituents are large businesses and their profit margins, not American Citizens" line Pai has taken since assuming the chairmanship. Drain the swamp, indeed.

    21. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

      The guy before put the protections in place that the ultranationalist, big corp hugging billionaires now want to remove. That is clearly and exclusively without any doubt on the new guy! Trump voters fucked up the entire country. Are you happy now?

    22. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Pssst...don't confuse the Trump fanbois with facts!

    23. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sad that those in people have you mouthing like a fool. All those multi-millionaire senators care about you and your family's shittie little lives. Really, they do. The parties are different, not bought and paid for by all the billionaires. Dems support the little guy. Sure they do. Someone need a lollipop, cause I hear a sucka.

    24. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by tbannist · · Score: 1

      Sad that those in people have you mouthing like a fool. All those multi-millionaire senators care about you and your family's shittie little lives. Really, they do. The parties are different, not bought and paid for by all the billionaires. Dems support the little guy. Sure they do. Someone need a lollipop, cause I hear a sucka.

      And yet here's direct evidence that the Democrats are different than the Republicans and here you are ignorantly trolling with the same tired bullshit. We have clear evidence that the Democrats implemented net neutrality and the Republicans are going to abolish it.

      But sure they're exactly the same even though they're doing opposite things.

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    25. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by tbannist · · Score: 1

      As I understand it, the President was given a short list of candidates by the Republican party, and he is supposed to select the best candidate from that list. Pai may be terrible, but you really need to look at the other candidates too. From what I've heard Pai was the best candidate on the list, which should speak volumes about the people who made up the list.

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    26. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You just get fucked in different ways. That's the difference.

    27. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Seems like that law would be illegal for not including parties outside of the D or R and exclude non-party affiliates.

    28. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Democrats want what's best for everyone.

      Reupblicans want what's best for other fuckstick Republicans.

      Documented fact, time and time again. Read a book motherfucker, get an education

    29. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll fuck you right in the ass you ignorant fuckstick. Just come outside, I'm waiting for you!

    30. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by lactose99 · · Score: 1

      No, you blame the fuckstick who makes the retarded vote, not the one who "pushed" them.

      Actually fuck it, blame them both!

      --
      Fully licensed blockchain psychiatrist
    31. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FYI, Obama appointed Pai to the FCC in 2012.

    32. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Uberbah · · Score: 1

      It is super sad to see you spinning *so* hard to make it Obama's fault.

      Just how willfully obtuse are you, really? Do you practice a few times a day, or does it come naturally?

      Own up to the fact that while Obama appointed him to the commission the party you are trying so hard to keep spotless moved Pai to the chairmanship

      Which does nothing to change who named him to the commission in the first place. Hard to say he was unacceptable to head the commission when he was perfectly acceptable to Democrats to be named to it in the first place by your party's leader.

      Can't wait to see you whine the first time Trump signs a Patriot Act extension, after years of not giving a rats ass when it was Obama doing it.

    33. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can blame her (and the DNC) for their pied piper strategy that gave us Trump. If the DNC, through the lamestream media, didn't push Trump so hard in the primaries we might also have President Rubio, or President Kasich, or some other Republican than Trump.

  3. Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I cannot think of a better way to kill the tech sector.

    1. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I cannot think of a better way to kill the tech sector.

      That's why the Orange Fuhrer is all for eliminating net-neutrality. He knows the tech sector is made up of those "evil liberals" and he wants to take it away from them. That racist piece of shit wants only crackeRepublicans to have anything whereas anyone else are nothing more than scum that should die. The orange Chump is pushing the minorities into calling for a revolution and he thinks he's going to win. He's sorely mistaking as he is going to be amongst the first to die when the minorities get together and burn Amerikkka to the mother-fucking ground.

    2. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just finishing off the job that was started in 2001, I'd guess.

    3. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by boudie2 · · Score: 1

      Resistance is futile. And that burn it to the ground stuff was tried in the sixties. Didn't work then and now the cops have flack jackets and semi-auto handguns that hold 15 or 16 shots it definitely won't work now. In fact the gov't is hoping you'll try.

    4. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nah, the Tech Sector will just go where Stem Cell and similar research went after it was killed off by the Bush Administration, and where the SSC went after it was killed off 25 years ago- Overseas. Let's see, what else...
      Russians still fly American Astronauts to the ISS, and the next Human to set foot on the Moon will either be Chinese or Indian.
      American Ascendency was due to the Power Vacuum that occurred after WWII, and the fact that its Infrastructure was left untouched, unlike that of most of Europe and much of the Western Pacific Rim. If not for that, the US would have been what it was before, a bigger dumber version of Canada, only with more assholes with more guns, a situation that most of the rest of the World witnesses every night on their News. Then they see and hear the latest Tweets from our resident Twitler...
      The only thing exceptional about American Exceptionalism, is that a huge number gullible Yanks still believe in it.

    5. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your crowd wee'd in your britches this same way when Reagan was President. So tired. So predictable...

    6. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by queazocotal · · Score: 1

      The russian space program is tanking, and an american rocket is taking away all its buisness.

      The insurance on a russian rocket is now considerably more than on american, and it's no cheaper.
      An american company is already developing a craft that can land 150 tons of people and supplies on the moon in ~5 years time. The engines are already mostly done.

    7. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What it 'was before' is the country everybody was clamoring to emigrate to. The Ellis Island era long preceeded WW2.

    8. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by shaitand · · Score: 2

      Semi-auto handguns with 15-16 shots? What are you an anti-gun nut? These aren't exactly military grade weapons. I would have thought emulating a military rifle in Vegas would have highlighted the difference for everyone. Military SMALL arms are FULL AUTO (selectable of course). Semi-auto doesn't mean much of anything, 15-16 shots is really just needed with a handgun since they are completely inaccurate and generally useless unless you are within baseball bat range.

      If you are going to talk about the police weapons I'd mention the shot guns, high powered rifles, grenades and tanks.

    9. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by boudie2 · · Score: 0

      I've forgotten more about firearms than you'll ever know sonny.

    10. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Won't kill it. Just turn it into something more like cable TV.

    11. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by ClickOnThis · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I cannot think of a better way to kill the tech sector.

      Won't kill it. Just turn it into something more like cable TV.

      The difference being?

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    12. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Khyber · · Score: 1

      "they are completely inaccurate"

      Found the idiot that doesn't know how to aim.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    13. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those minorities you are talking about, weren't they already agitating during Obama's watch? Wasn't Obama actually encouraging this behavior? The pot was already boiling over long before the first primaries were going on and Trump was on anyone's radar.

      Damn, I fed the troll. Anyone who spells America with 3 k's obviously is one.

    14. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by aevan · · Score: 1

      Hey now, I can hurl a baseball bat pretty far. Definitely farther than the distance Joe Average can be accurate at :P

    15. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oooh you're so butch.

    16. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by gtall · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The Orange Fuhrer has no opinions in the sense of most of the rest of us, he doesn't do policy. He only repeats what Fox News tells him is "twooo".

      One thing to remember about that Knob, he's got no strategy for anything. It is simply gut reactions to everything. He's easily manipulated and only repeats whatever he heard last. He's completely incapable of fitting the pieces of his alleged Administration into any cohesive plan for governance. You can see this when he uses to the Press to communicate with the heads of the executive branch agencies.

      You can also see his incompetence in the people he puts in charge of those agencies and in other positions. He'll take someone with no expertise in an area and make them head of the executive fiefdom for that area. The only reason the U.S. hasn't folded up on itself is inertia. And it will continue that way until that Knob leaves office. The problems he's set in motion will come back to bite us, especially the tax giveaway currently giving the R's wet dreams. When the budget gets sucked up by interest payments, then people will realize what damage he really did, but it will be too late. And Grandma will be coming to live with you because the government can no longer afford her. Better start saving.

    17. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Gilgaron · · Score: 1

      Eh I dunno, it is pretty hard to aim well in a stressful situation. That's why when you read about police shootings and how many rounds fired versus hit the suspect they have such a low hit percentage, even though they train at the range on a regular basis. From the ones I've seen at the range they are very skilled, but no doubt it gets worse when in the field.

    18. Re: Folks, we are in big trouble by kenh · · Score: 1

      Russians still fly American Astronauts to the ISS, and the next Human to set foot on the Moon will either be Chinese or Indian.

      So what, there are many, many more Indians and Chinese people in the earth than there are Americans. Based on recent immigration arguments I've heard from the left, America needs immigrants from places like China and India in order to compete in areas of science and technology, with the clear implication they are better than Americans, so what is the problem if a few stay home and help their birth nation move forward?

      --
      Ken
    19. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by tbannist · · Score: 2

      When the budget gets sucked up by interest payments, then people will realize what damage he really did, but it will be too late.

      Sadly, I don't think they will. By the time the damage comes home to roost, the Republicans will have a new scapegoat and because the liberal media is "totally fake", their prime voters will only hear their stories. It'll be the democrats fault, just like how they tried to blame Obama for the 2008 meltdown that started before he was elected. Any anger at the Republicans will be channelled into a conservative-controlled group like the Tea Party so that it can be redirected at the Democrats and the whole mess can happen again.

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    20. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      15-16 shots is really just needed with a handgun since they are completely inaccurate and generally useless unless you are within baseball bat range.

      What? You're fucking kidding me, right? Now, I'd shot before, but I bought my 1911 because I went into the range and first time I ever fired it, was able to put all the rounds in two clips through the silhouette... at medium, and then at long range. A trained shooter can do grossly better than that. A modern pistol with a bull barrel is accurate enough to merit a small scope.

      You really have not the faintest idea of what you are talking about. I'm a mediocre shooter and I'm dramatically better than you think people can be.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    21. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Eh I dunno, it is pretty hard to aim well in a stressful situation. That's why when you read about police shootings and how many rounds fired versus hit the suspect they have such a low hit percentage, even though they train at the range on a regular basis.

      No, no it is not. If you actually practice, shooting something is second nature. You point, you click. At close range, a trained shooter should be able to hit a target without using the sights, it is called point shooting and it's something that real gunmen train at, whether criminal or military.

      Cops, on the other hand, have grossly uneven training. Before you decide that they actually know how to shoot, read this entire thread full of comments from law enforcement officers. The simple fact is that some of those cops can't hit a barn door with a bass fiddle, and have to cheat through their qualifications — which, mind you, are typically pathetic. Any asshole who is not afraid of recoil should be able to pass the average police handgun qual test.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    22. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      One thing to remember about that Knob, he's got no strategy for anything. It is simply gut reactions to everything.

      45 does have a plan, and that plan is to milk the government for enough money to buy his way out of debt by funneling money through mar-a-lago every weekend (and on holidays.) He doesn't have a plan for running the country, but that was never his goal.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    23. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, the Internet was running just fine when the government owned the infrastructure. We had complete and unrestricted freedom. But oh no! We can't have that. That's communism. We need to shift control of public infrastructure from elected representatives to unelected profiteers. We have to have private business own all of the infrastructure. After all, capitalism will make it all great again. Here we are. Good going morons.

    24. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any anger at the Republicans will be channelled into a conservative-controlled group like the Tea Party so that it can be redirected at the Democrats and the whole mess can happen again.

      Speaking of which, what happened to the Tea Party? *poof* gone.

    25. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Holi · · Score: 1

      Ooo internet tough guy... stand back everyone.

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    26. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Holi · · Score: 1

      Oh my god, you actually believe that?

      Then I guarantee you have never returned fire before in your life. About 99% of rounds fired by the military in a real situation miss their target.

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    27. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by boudie2 · · Score: 0

      Just saying, am not going to let someone who doesn't know what they're talking about tell me about guns. Did it really take you fourteen hours to think up "Ooo internet tough guy"? Go ahead, ask me a gun question, I'm game.

    28. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One thing to remember about that Knob, he's got no strategy for anything. It is simply gut reactions to everything. He's easily manipulated and only repeats whatever he heard last. He's completely incapable of fitting the pieces of his alleged Administration into any cohesive plan for governance. You can see this when he uses to the Press to communicate with the heads of the executive branch agencies.

      You can also see his incompetence in the people he puts in charge of those agencies and in other positions. He'll take someone with no expertise in an area and make them head of the executive fiefdom for that area. The only reason the U.S. hasn't folded up on itself is inertia.

      The people that voted for Trump know all this. They'd rather have a ring tailed lemur that suns itself all day in the oval office than an effective planner who (as they see it) intends to destroy/enslave America. They see Trump as a left-leaning, right-mouthing, ineffectual baby-man, and they're happy that he will get nothing done. Good *and lasting* change happens over time, and the U.S. needs a nice period of gridlock so we can suss out what the people want instead of what the media or politicians want.

    29. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      About 99% of rounds fired by the military in a real situation miss their target.

      That is by design. With modern squad tactics, you bring boatloads of ammunition and use suppressive fire tactics which expend it rapidly. This was enabled by the invention of the light machine gun. Back when it was all bolt-action rifles, people expended a lot less ammunition and they expended many fewer rounds per kill. Back then, a fight was determined very much by how many men you had; that's obviously still a factor, but how much ammunition you've lumped along has gained dramatically in relevance. If you're going to send people in where you can't have boatloads of ammo, then you're back to using more aimed shots, in the hands of higher-trained personnel.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    30. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      And aimed rifle shots weren't all that useful in WWII, and that trend has only continued. In a battle, you're unlikely to see someone you want to kill.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    31. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by syril · · Score: 1

      Is this where the one million of soros' money is going? How about you show your face you slime.

    32. Re:Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those minorities you are talking about, weren't they already agitating during Obama's watch? Wasn't Obama actually encouraging this behavior?

      What do you expect when a group of racists state that their "number one priority is making sure president Obamaâ(TM)s a one-term president."? It wasn't because he was liberal because he is moderate in the same way Dwight D Eisenhower was. It was because the Rethuglicans in 2010 hated that a black man was elected. Their seething hatred came through as they became obstructionists, all because of their innate hatred towards minorities, hence their support for a misogynistic, racist moron. Your Orange Fuhrer represents the authoritarianism that was seeded into the GOP by Nixon. He was the one that started the birther movement and he is still spreading such lies against Obama.

  4. Phase of punishment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This is the "and you are not permitted lube" phase of the punishment.

  5. Bonus by mrwireless · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "And if you can kill it at the state level too, we'll throw in a private jet"

    Sigh.

    It's a sad thing for the world.. but a great opportunity for Europe.

    1. Re:Bonus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you can't make it stick before a jury we repossess the jet.

    2. Re:Bonus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

      Europe is morphing into a neoliberal dystopia, run by bankers, and riven with social unrest. And that's without the UK. Your bits won't be free there either.

    3. Re:Bonus by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 1

      Don't worry, I'm sure the next step will be to charge European countries for access to web servers on US soil.

    4. Re:Bonus by Baron_Yam · · Score: 3, Informative

      >It's a sad thing for the world.. but a great opportunity for Europe.

      For the rest of the world, services can be hosted outside the USA and we won't have a problem. Any American content that can be locally cached in our countries will be fine, too. So maybe we'll have issues with American sporting events, possibly trouble if we want to join a multiplayer gaming server in the US. I don't think it'll hurt the rest of the world enough to care. If anything, it'll reduce American media influence around the globe.

      For you Americans, though... if your American ISP decides to charge based on packet type AND either the origin or destination, you're done. It's not like you can use a VPN connection to access services from outside a 'no-net-neutrality zone', because they'll be charging the highest rates for that kind of traffic specifically to prevent such behaviour.

      Americans will get less choice and higher prices as ISPs promote vertical integration by adding costs to services they don't own (or aren't owned by).

    5. Re:Bonus by shaitand · · Score: 0

      You are aware that pretty much without exception anything that the media and copyright cartels get in the US they subsequently get in Europe as well, right? The only difference is European politicians are cheaper.

    6. Re:Bonus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For which they will say: Non, merci. And mind their own business. Europeans don't need most of the services US provides. I see more European products and services bought by USA

    7. Re:Bonus by ClickOnThis · · Score: 1

      It's a sad thing for the world.. but a great opportunity for Europe.

      You misspelled "China."

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    8. Re:Bonus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So your solution is to shoot yourself in the other foot too?

    9. Re: Bonus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The social unrest part is Fox News bullshit. We're fine. Fix your own shit, USA.

    10. Re: Bonus by dave420 · · Score: 1

      These Muslims are writing the laws now? Eh?

    11. Re:Bonus by dave420 · · Score: 2

      That's demonstrably not true, though. If it was the case, European ISPs and communications would be as crippled as they are in the US, which is not the case.

    12. Re:Bonus by tbannist · · Score: 1

      Don't forget Canada, it's a bit closer than Europe and has a thriving tech sector.

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    13. Re:Bonus by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That's demonstrably not true, though. If it was the case, European ISPs and communications would be as crippled as they are in the US, which is not the case.

      They have more competition because they have more countries. Remember, we can't just pack up and move to some other nation with superior laws. We have to go through a whole process. We can move to another state, but that's of only limited usefulness.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  6. Yo anti dawg by lucasnate1 · · Score: 1

    We heard you hate regulation, so we put some deregulation in your regulation so you can deregulate while you regulate.

    1. Re: Yo anti dawg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Regularity is the key to good health!!

    2. Re:Yo anti dawg by BancBoy · · Score: 1

      Deregulators, mount up.

      --
      [UID-HeinzIntel]
  7. Interstate service but not a utility? by Tinsoldier314 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Somehow the rationalization that the internet is simultaneously a vital interstate service that precludes state regulation and a purely market driven business seems like a big business wet dream.

    States can regulate and tax most businesses but not *this* business because it's special for "reasons".

    1. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Business done over the Internet is clearly interstate commerce.

      The business of providing a connection to that network is unequivocally local, unless you are referring strictly to long-distance dialup.

    2. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 2, Informative

      Are you old enough to remember life before the Internet? Some of us are, and some of us are prepared to go back to living without it, if necessary.

    3. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You think you're prepared? That's cute.
      I hope your prep involves lots of guns and ammo because the people who aren't prepared will be a problem.

    4. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Tailhook · · Score: 2

      Indeed. Entities that simultaneously have no Title II obligations yet enjoy Title II-like protection from liability for criminal activity conducted using their facilities.

      --
      Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
    5. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one wants to hear your shit about the "good ol' days" when you were ten and had copious amounts of discretionary free time, your mom made your meals, and you had no aches or pains. It was better for you for those reasons--its got nothing to do with the internet.

    6. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by shaitand · · Score: 2

      Verizon AKA MCI AKA Former AT&T has managed to be protected by telco regulation while avoiding any inconvenient telco regulation as a broadband provider for decades. This is just the next generation of the wet dream.

    7. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by shaitand · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I remember. It doesn't make much difference. Last time the net went down on my block for nearly four hours we were close to declaring a national state of emergency.

    8. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by Fly+Swatter · · Score: 2

      How will they be a problem? Once the internet is gone they can't hail an uber ride or order supplies. GPS without on-line maps will make it hard for them to find even their own house. The withdrawal symptoms alone will render them useless. They won't know what to do because social media isn't there to tell them what to think.

    9. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And states can't regulate it unless they want to prohibit cities from doing it??

    10. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Business done over the Internet is clearly interstate commerce.

      Bullshit, how is it not international commerce and therefore immune from federal law by the same bullshit theory?

      What else you got?

    11. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mapping GPS existed long before the internet connected GPS everyone is familiar with these days. I have a two Garmin GPSMAP 76 series handhelds for out in the back country where there is no cellular much less internet access.

    12. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by BancBoy · · Score: 1

      Not old enough to remember life before the internet. I remember life before _I_ was on the internet. But I was on the internet in the early to mid 1980's, so that's not saying a lot. Life before the world wide web, I remember well.

      --
      [UID-HeinzIntel]
    13. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by eyenot · · Score: 1

      exactly this

      --
      "Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
    14. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Some of us are, and some of us are prepared to go back to living without it, if necessary.

      So just to be clear, you live on a remote, inaccessible farm which receives enough rainfall every year for all of your purposes? Because anyone who doesn't live in such a situation will be absolutely and totally fucked right in their ignorant arsehole if the internet goes away. And frankly, so will all of those people too, when the hungry come around.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    15. Re: Interstate service but not a utility? by lucasnate1 · · Score: 1

      The only reason why people use social media is because other people use social media. If social media suddently died, there would be a short period after which people adapt. Using social media doesn't somehow automagically lobotomize one, just like video games, d&d, and rock music didn't.

    16. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Verdatum · · Score: 1

      An agreement to build a physical connection between a node in one state and a node in another state is interstate commerce. An end user's subscription to an ISP is local commerce. When that end user makes use of that internet connection to purchase something from an out-of-state store, it is interstate commerce. Agreements to form physical connections between a US company and a foreign nation is international commerce. End users purchasing items from stores in other nations is likewise international commerce. And Federal laws DO apply to international commerce, because the constitution says so.

    17. Re:Interstate service but not a utility? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      Uh, what the actual fuck are you even talking about? Are you being ironic or sarcastic, or do you really believe that the Internet becoming unusable will result in some sort of Apocalypse? Seriously I have NO idea what you're on about.

      All I am saying is: If ISPs are allowed to do whatever the fuck they want, and there is no real value in paying for Internet anymore, I'll dump it and do without -- and recommend everyone else do the same. I can manage without it. Won't be fun at first but so is going on a diet. Enough people dump the internet because it's becokme too shitty to use, and either Net Neutrality comes back with a vengeance, or there's no more Internet anymore, and nothing of value is lost. Either way it's shoe-on-head retarded to keep paying for it *IF* ISPs turn it into 'walled gardens' or otherwise turn it into completely unusable shit for what it costs.

  8. "I am altering the deal...." by Ichijo · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Pray I don't alter it any further."

    --
    Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
    1. Re:"I am altering the deal...." by ScentCone · · Score: 0

      Yeah, except ... there IS no deal, and he's not altering. Obama altered it, essentially by fiat, using a 1934 law aimed at a telephone company. You want to tell some small ISP in rural America that they need to dedicate essentially all of their resources to tending to traffic from Netflix? Legislate it. At the federal level, where such things must be done when they impact interstate matters like this.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    2. Re:"I am altering the deal...." by Tenebrousedge · · Score: 1

      When you get back from looking up the regulatory history we will allow you to apologize for your ignorance.

      --
      Those who advocate genocide deserve every protection afforded by law, and none afforded by common human decency.
    3. Re: "I am altering the deal...." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude's a Russky, what did you expect?

    4. Re:"I am altering the deal...." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      See, the difference between reality and fiction is that in fiction, those doing this would already have been annihilated by the good guys in a massive battle. The whole audience cheers when the Death Star blows the hell up, even though it's filled with tens of thousands of techs and regular soldiers.

      In reality, everyone's been too greedy or too cowardly to cleanse Washington DC in the nuclear fire it needs and deserves.

    5. Re: "I am altering the deal...." by ScentCone · · Score: 0

      Is it fun, living in your little fantasy world where everyone you can't muster the intellectual honesty to actually debate on the substance ... is a Russian? What are you, 12 years old? Or am I rounding up, here? Don't mean to insult other 12 year olds.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  9. Dear Mr. Pai by JohnFen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck you twice, then. Once for letting the foxes into the henhouse, and once more for locking the door behind them.

    1. Re:Dear Mr. Pai by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Pai is the fox.

    2. Re:Dear Mr. Pai by shaitand · · Score: 1

      Nah, he's just a squirrel who works for them.

    3. Re:Dear Mr. Pai by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But now you're guaranteed to have a decent broadband service in the entire federation! Or at least one that is spread and spattered over the walls of the hen house.

  10. Re:Slashdot Logic by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 0

    1. Net Neutrality: OMG Its the END OF THE WORLD that corporations will get to choose what they want to do with their own infrastructure no matter how much this will suppress competition and free speech. FU Trump for allowing this to happen! 2. Internet Censorship/Corporate Mergers: Its WONDERFUL that corporations will get to choose what they want to do with their own infrastructure regardless of how much this will suppress competition and free speech. FU Trump for not allowing this to happen!

    You missed your anger management classes again, didn't ya?

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  11. Broadband by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, what I get delivered isn't anywhere near the standard for "Broadband", so I guess they can still regulate.

    1. Re:Broadband by Xenx · · Score: 1

      They're trying to fix that loophole already.

  12. Obligatory Robot Chicken by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 3, Funny
    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  13. The best part about this by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    is it will be used as ammo by anti-federalists to push states rights issues, completely ignoring the fact that it's cheap as free to buy off state legislatures and that with few exceptions they're all in the hands of the likes of the Koch bros. et al. e.g. in the absence of the FCC forcing NN we wouldn't have had it in the first place as each of the State legislatures was picked off one at a time by the elite ruling class. Anyone else remember that picture of the snake cut into 13 pieces? Anyone?

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:The best part about this by bobm · · Score: 1

      Perfect example is where Uber didn't like the law that Austin Tx passed so bought off the state to override.

      https://austin.curbed.com/2017...

  14. Re:Slashdot Logic by Jarwulf · · Score: 1

    I'm for net neutrality. I just think its a little rich that people are so vehemently for it while at the same time supporting things that will essentially put us in the exact same place as if we repealed it entirely.

  15. Re:Slashdot Logic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What on earth are you talking about? I don't see anyone who wants 1 and 2 together. They either realize that net neutrality is better for everyone, or they they realize that businesses should run the world without any restrictions.

  16. Re:Slashdot Logic by Jarwulf · · Score: 0, Troll

    You must have missed the daily submissions here and on other sites where people extol the virtues of allowing Google/Yahoo/Twitter etc to censor and ban people from their services to their hearts content while excoriating any attempt to waylay the AT&T merger.

  17. Watch the states by Chas · · Score: 1

    Tell the FCC to fuck off and die.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
    1. Re:Watch the states by shaitand · · Score: 1

      I'm sure. The Constitution explicitly gives the feds the right to regulate interstate commerce, it never stopped states from requiring you to disclose your interstate purchases on state income tax forms.

    2. Re:Watch the states by Chas · · Score: 1

      It also never stopped the various states from enacting laws that ameliorate the effects of (or completely counter) federal law either.

      --


      Chas - The one, the only.
      THANK GOD!!!
    3. Re:Watch the states by ClickOnThis · · Score: 2

      Tell the FCC to fuck off and die.

      In more polite terms, I would not be surprised if individual states begin to do exactly that, through the courts. I wish them luck, sincerely. IMHO, I would tell them to reset their mission to one that protects consumers from thoe who provide service to them.

      The internet, from its beginnings, has aspired to be a communication medium. In the hands of ISPs and their allies in government, it has slowly evolved into a broadcast medium. Imagine a telephone company that only lets you say one word for every X that gets spoken back to you, and X varies with who you call. That's where we're headed, if we aren't there already.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
  18. Re:Slashdot Logic by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    You missed your anger management classes again, didn't ya?

    "I'M NOT MAD I'M ACTUALLY LAUGHING, ASSHOLE!!!"

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  19. Call Ajit Pai by duke_cheetah2003 · · Score: 1

    I found his office's phone number on an imgur post: 202-418-1000

    Not verified, but feel free to check it out and leave love messages!

    1. Re:Call Ajit Pai by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      That's just the FCC's switchboard. However if enough people call it, perhaps the minimum-wage drone who's responsible for answering the phone will give you his direct number.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  20. what if the states tell the FCC F.U. by FudRucker · · Score: 1

    we will build our own internet, we dont need you telling us how to surf the internet anyway, as far as i am concerned this is federal government overreach and the FCC needs to go find something else to do

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
  21. This bad for the telecoms. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They're going to get killed, believe me. It isn't good for them. Drain the swamp!

  22. Tell the Red Commie Beltway NO! by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 0

    We have privacy and more GDP than the Red Commie GOP Beltway does.

    FCC can go to Hades.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Tell the Red Commie Beltway NO! by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      you have privacy? lol

  23. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good thing me being an idiot doesn't change the fact that OP is a reactionary idiot.

    Also I didn't say I agree with any of this.

  24. Re:Slashdot Logic by FudRucker · · Score: 1

    what if they kill off good stuff like ad blocker plugins for your browser, they kill off internet forums that allow free speech, they might even kill off linux & bsd and your only choice is ms-windows or apple's osx or android, and there is an american version of the great wall of china firewall so the only websites you can visit or spammy websites that want to sell you something at every turn, and the giant online retailers, it will kill the internet or cripple it,

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
  25. 10th Amendment baby! by sphealey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    - - - - - In addition to ditching its own net neutrality rules, the Federal Communications Commission also plans to tell state and local governments that they cannot impose local laws regulating broadband service. - - - - -

    I suspect that tomorrow will not be a big day for my hard Radical Right coworkers to expound on the centrality of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, nor to opine on "states' rights". Just a guess.

    1. Re:10th Amendment baby! by jader3rd · · Score: 0

      nor to opine on "states' rights"

      States rights folks only want states rights to apply to Slave ownership and Jim Crowe laws. Nothing else really matters.

    2. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ummm, no. It's so easy to dismiss people as racists instead of understanding them.

    3. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We understand them. We understand they're racist. It's pretty simple really. The only difficulty in understanding is from those that keep doing racist things and don't understand why people call them racists.

    4. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Ogive17 · · Score: 4, Funny

      They can't count past the 2nd Amendment.

      --
      "Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
    5. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The South has only been in favor of State's Rights since the Civil War.

      When individual Northern states passed personal liberty laws that gave protection to run-away slaves and freed men, the South wanted Federal Fugitive Slave Acts to take precedence over the state laws.

      The South was never a deeply principled bastion for State's Rights. The only thing that they were consistent about was their determination to preserve the institution of slavery.

    6. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Orgasmatron · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Holy shit! President Trump has magical abilities. For something like 100 years, the left has consistently pretended that the 10th Amendment applies to nothing, ever. Less than a year into his first term and the Communists have not only discovered Federalism, they've decided that they were always in favor of it!

      --
      See that "Preview" button?
    7. Re:10th Amendment baby! by C0R1D4N · · Score: 1

      Or radicals of every stripe use states rights when it suits their interests (marijuana, segregation). Some actually believe in the ideal. Hell I'd rather the country just dissolve into smaller nations. Better for the people, better for the planet.

    8. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Amazing! It's just like how the antebellum South was against state's rights until emancipation, then poof! They were for state's rights! Incredible!

    9. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Crowe?"

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws

    10. Re:10th Amendment baby! by mvdwege · · Score: 2

      No, they're pointing out that the Right has always been hypocritical about 'States' Rights'. Shenanigans like this just prove that it always has been about one thing: enshrining bigotry in law.

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
    11. Re:10th Amendment baby! by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You hyperpartisan nutcases are basically going to be the ruination of this world.

      You appear to swear near undying allegiance ot the party in power and hate the scum in opposition.

      Essentially the party in power has done something you don't like so you find a way to make that a criticism of the scum you despise rather than the ones you worship.

      Drop they hyperpartisan bullshit, pull your head out of your arse and start evaluating the actions on their own merit rather than whether they come with a little red or blue flag attached.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    12. Re:10th Amendment baby! by jez9999 · · Score: 1

      Or maybe just maybe not everyone is as partisan as die-hard Democrats, and they can have voted for Trump but still oppose the end of net neutrality because they don't have to support everything he does? Just a guess.

    13. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Uberbah · · Score: 1

      Not even that far, given how they skip over "well regulated militia". Maybe someday they'll get to the part where if they were to take up arms against the government, not only would they be traitors, but the Constitution allows Congress to suspend habeas corpus in times of rebellion. So the government wouldn't even need trials to throw their dumb asses in prison.

    14. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Green+Mountain+Bot · · Score: 1

      In my observation, the main thing that Trump supporters like about Trump is that he does things that piss off the people they don't like. I guess to them, that's worth all the damage he's doing.

    15. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typographical_error

    16. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Well regulated" in those days meant "in working order". And in many states everyone is considered part of the unorganized militia. Nice try.

    17. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Racists deserve no understanding, they deserve a bullet to the brain for treason. Same you don't understand that.

    18. Re:10th Amendment baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its more complicated then that...here is a less political discussion on gun rights...
      http://factmyth.com/factoids/the-point-of-the-second-amendment-is-to-protect-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms/

      Quoted from the link...
      Because the “well-regulated” part is clearly the main intention of the Amendment, we can see how current U.S. gun laws fall short. Those with no training or intention of being well-regulated are currently able to obtain powerful semi-automatic weapons in most of the country. While our laws do a good job at ensuring the right to bear arms, the same cannot be said of their theoretical effort to ensure a well-regulated militia who would be able to form together as a unit in defense of the state.

      So "Well regulated" still means officially organized no matter how its spun, a gun sale without sufficient training and organization to create a State Militia would not be constitutional. In order for gun sales to be constitutionally legal they must be part of a properly organized STATE militia. This is stated on both sides of the federalist papers from both Hamilton and Madison. They were thinking about things like Shay's Rebellion at the time the 2nd Amendment was being drafted where they were trying to draw a line of legitimacy between non-State sanctioned militias (Shay's Rebels) vs Official State Militias (the people who crushed Shay's Rebellion). Now due to more recent case law, States have fairly wide latitude for what is considered a legal gun sale but technically they would not be following "Originalism" principles unless those sales were intended to create a well organized and state sanctioned militia...full stop

    19. Re:10th Amendment baby! by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      That assumes they get there in the first place, past the freedom of religion clause in the First.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  26. FCC *can* override State laws? by redmasq · · Score: 2

    I remember something about Tennessee...
    http://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.go...

    Maybe related?

    1. Re:FCC *can* override State laws? by ScentCone · · Score: 1

      Yes, just like the FAA can override local laws that try to regulate something that has been legislatively established as federal territory.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  27. Re: Slashdot Logic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People who make daily submissions are called shills.
    We've been ignoring them so long we don't notice them anymore.

  28. Don't oversimplify by irving47 · · Score: 1

    Does anyone think that having different states putting their fingers in the mix will help anything? Whether NN dies or not, I don't want ANY mix of states stickign their noses into the traffic when the purchase I'm making is on an E-commerce site hosted in California, for a company whose physical presence is in Oregon, but incorporated in Delaware, but shipping from Texas... (Yes, I want NN, but mixed state regulations for medical marijuana and guns make things into a clusterfuck as it is. No need for more.)

    --
    I had a sucky sig.
    1. Re:Don't oversimplify by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

      >, I don't want ANY mix of states stickign their noses into the traffic when the purchase I'm making is on an E-commerce site hosted in California, for a company whose physical presence is in Oregon, but incorporated in Delaware, but shipping from Texas...

      An interesting problem. In terms of customer taxation, I think the sale should count from the last physical location owned by the merchant on the item's route to you. That works for 'cloud' services, too... wherever the server you connect to is located, that's the point of taxation. If it is distributed, then the vendor can worry about splitting up the taxes after collecting the combined amount from you.

      But that would probably make some kind of sense, and thus never actually be codified in law.

    2. Re:Don't oversimplify by shaitand · · Score: 1

      That clusterfuck is exactly the way things are supposed to be... so you can move to Oregon, Texas, or Deleware freely and pick the radically different legal environment the residents have selected in what should definitely not just be effectively a clone of every other state with almost entirely the same laws. That clusterfuck is supposed to make an entire swath of bullshit effectively unenforceable.

    3. Re: Don't oversimplify by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is simpler than that. Tax is comupation based. Where it is cusumed. General people thing that is point of sale but actually where it is delivered. So McDonald it is in store where you get handed the food. But online shopping... that becomes a question for sales contract. That contract states that carrier works for you not them so you take ownership at the warehouse. Where both you and warehouse are in the same state then tax is applied at warehouse since your agent consumed it there.

      Changing that one thing. Make the carrier work for seller than taxes would collected at your door step via the carrier.

      To keep going down this rabbit hole. USPS which owns your address would become tax rate owner so that validating an address would also give the tax rate. So everyone can get correct amount. Carriers become tax collection so no one else would have to do it. Also keeps auditors from everyone's else door step.

    4. Re:Don't oversimplify by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does anyone think that having different states putting their fingers in the mix will help anything? Whether NN dies or not, I don't want ANY mix of states stickign their noses into the traffic when the purchase I'm making is on an E-commerce site hosted in California, for a company whose physical presence is in Oregon, but incorporated in Delaware, but shipping from Texas... (Yes, I want NN, but mixed state regulations for medical marijuana and guns make things into a clusterfuck as it is. No need for more.)

      When all is said-and-done, you'll be paying an Internet 'transit' tax in California, Oregon, Delaware, & Texas.

    5. Re:Don't oversimplify by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does anyone think that having different states putting their fingers in the mix will help anything?

      If enough populous states had neutrality laws, it would be cheaper for ISPs to just obey them everywhere.

    6. Re:Don't oversimplify by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      The E-commerce you talk about is definitely interstate commerce, and definitely in the purview of the Federal government and not State governments. Whether your connection to an ISP should be considered interstate commerce is more debatable.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  29. California solution: find the right liberal judge by taskforceken · · Score: 0

    California will sue the FCC, and given all of the liberal federal judges in the local circuit, will likely win.
    Or maybe some of Pai's past girlfriends will come out of the closet and allege sexual harassment.

  30. Hell Yes Its A Utility by speedlaw · · Score: 1

    I used to pay taxes monthly to the bank. Every month, I sent a decent sum to the govt for not much. One day, I was told no more. I needed to go "on Line" and pay that way....not only the Feds, but New York State too.... Now, I go online, and like sort of the inverse of buying stuff on Amazon, I pay taxes. I am required to do it this way. The internet is the post office.

  31. This could be better than we think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does this mean states no longer have the ability to limit 3rd parties coming in and using the service poles (e.g., google fiber or cities/towns establishing their own ISP) ?

  32. Welcome to the Corporatocracy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How soon before you will be imprisoned for speaking against Comcast? Congress never read 1984, or decided to implement it, and not learn from it.

  33. Re:California solution: find the right liberal jud by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I didn't think his Reese's mug was anthropomorphic.

  34. Interesting! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Interesting that the actual plan comes out tomorrow, and no one will read it.
    Instead they'll trust Slashdot and CNN and Fox to tell them how to feel.

    I'm thinking I'll read it and decide for myself.

    And also see who actually publishes links and quotes from it. I'll bet no media outlet does.

    1. Re:Interesting! by Verdatum · · Score: 1

      No, the actual plan comes out in a couple weeks.

  35. Nixing local regulation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would this potentially provide standing to fight the effectively monopoly style local level deals since the FCC is classifying broadband as an interstate service would this limit local communities power to enter exclusive agreements with broadband providers?

  36. Jurisdiction by Bert64 · · Score: 1

    Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

    It's actually an international service, so by the same logic surely the federal government shouldn't have jurisdiction either?

    --
    http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    1. Re:Jurisdiction by Verdatum · · Score: 1

      The federal government does have authority in international trade though. Constitution says so. Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 3.

  37. I love the smell of corruption in the morning... by Cyberpunk+Reality · · Score: 1

    Smells like... oligarchy. Some day, this country's gonna end...

    --
    Rule 35 of the internet: "If it can be hacked, it will be". - Charles Stross
  38. wouldn't actual legislation be required here.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and not just a verizon shill posing as the fcc chairman making shit up as he goes?

  39. As a great lady in TX once said by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FUCK TRUMP and FUCK YOU for voting for him!
    You dip shits get exactly what is coming to you and then some you fascist fucks!

  40. Re:I love the smell of corruption in the morning.. by ScentCone · · Score: 1

    How is pointing out that a federal regulatory agency has the authority over an interstate matter "corrupt?" This isn't any different than the FAA having the authority to tell states/localities that no, they can't pass local laws controlling the airspace. That's not "corrupt" either - it's been legislatively established as such (in both cases) precisely so we don't end up with a patchwork train wreck of conflicting rules.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  41. Can't wait to hear the people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who said Arizona couldn't enforce it's own immigration laws (which were near identical to Federal immigration laws) when the Fed chose to not enforce US immigration laws, cry foul now that the Fed will tell states they can't supersede FCC regs (or lack thereof) with their own. ..IRONY :D

  42. It is about common carrier MAYBE? by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    I hear see comments, but I still do not think it matters!!

    Net Neutrality!!!! The Holy Grail, Oh my god we have to have it!!
    I feel this is about common carrier law legal liability isolation the phone companies got back in the day!!
    If they peek, route or tier the trial lawyers will carve them up, Maybe?
    Under common carrier, how can they peek and not be responsible for bad things.
    I think they feel they can do it, I am not a lawyer, but I think the system will teach them an expensive lesson!

    Just my 2 cents ;)

    1. Re:It is about common carrier MAYBE? by Verdatum · · Score: 1

      That's exactly what they're talking about doing: Declaring that, unlike telephone service, internet connectivity stops being considered common carrier. Once it is no longer common carrier, ISPs can route your bits descriminately based on their contents.

    2. Re:It is about common carrier MAYBE? by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      "Net Neutrality" is crappy. "Common Carrier" is far more clear. The concept is the same, and is vitally needed, but the phrase "Net Neutrality" sucks.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  43. I say we start our own new internet by Skuld-Chan · · Score: 1

    With blackjack and hookers - in fact forget the blackjack.

  44. Anti-trust? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If we had a true marketplace for ISPs, we would have competition that would allow consumers to avoid the worst outcomes of these changes by switching to ISPs that weren't working against the consumers' interest.

    But we don't have a functioning market. We have regional monopolies, likely established through collusion, where there is no competition.

    Worst case scenario, Ajit's changes are only spurring a movement to break up the major cable companies through anti-trust.

    I would love to see this happen.

  45. Re:Slashdot Logic by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

    what if they kill off good stuff like ad blocker plugins for your browser, they kill off internet forums that allow free speech, they might even kill off linux & bsd and your only choice is ms-windows or apple's osx or android, and there is an american version of the great wall of china firewall so the only websites you can visit or spammy websites that want to sell you something at every turn, and the giant online retailers, it will kill the internet or cripple it,

    Well, then they kill off a whole lot of the internet. I'll find something different to do with my time if say, they make adblockers illegal. A few times when I had to turn off adblock and no script, the internet was damn near unuseable.

    Of course, I won't be spending the bucks for my internet connection either.

    Do you figure that Pai would have done this if But Her Email was elected president? My guess is no. But the American people have spoken. Republican politicians have been against net neutrality for years, and with the American people making up congress by their votes, they have tacitly demanded the death of Net Neutrality.

    The last part was sarcastic, I suspect that only certain companies and the politicians they own actually want to kill it, and very few Americans, left or right do. Then again, with less than 50 percent voter turnout, maybe they actually don't care? That part isn't sarcastic.

    One thing I always wondered about My Republican friends have always screamed about unelected people making law. I don't remember any ballots that Pai was on. But either way, we are not getting anything we don't deserve.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  46. GoFundMe to pay for legal bills re: punching Ajit by jsepeta · · Score: 1

    It's simple to set up a GoFundMe to cover the legal bills related to punching Ajit Pai in the nose. Just sayin'.

    --
    Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
  47. you either keep control or you lose it, no both by eyenot · · Score: 2, Interesting

    a few things before i start in:

    * I actually remember when the EFF was about preventing unecessary regulations and legislation for the sake of avoiding creating bubbles of fantasy land bullshit. The old thinking was that computers don't obey legislation. Now I'm dosheartened to see the EFF actively calling for regulations and laws to force things to be convenient for them. Who the fuck is writing this shit?

    * I'm all for net neutrality, because I like the internet as a vital and growing platform for business and creativity, networking and socializing.

    So, let me start in.

    This shit is a fucking non. Issue.

    Look, nobody is paying for the internet just to make a modem connect across miles of line to a distant server just for the wow factor. Nobody is paying for internet service just to ssh to the ISP and >message everyone else who's logged in.

    And nobody is paying for internet service just to connect to the WWW pages of their favorite sites just for wow factor, either. The front pages of most web sites and services are really fucking boring and typically just offer shit like legal things to read, contact pages, "about us", etc. Most sites these days don't even offer a site map, so we're talking immensely boring.

    EVERYBODY who connects to the internet is connecting to see other users' content.

    Nearly every major web site or service exists to host user content: forums; photo hosting; facebook; twitter; youtube, vimeo, vidme; reddit; amazon, ebay, craigslist; they all host user content. The exceptions like netflix, hulu, other entertainment services, let's leave them out of the discussion. Even fucking redbox has a website; so does your local library. But let's acknowledge that even though those sites don't host user generated content, they wouldn't exist without the users who show up to drink from the media tap.

    No sites exist just to be on a hard drive somewhere. Well there's weird shit like Zombo.com but I think you get my point: the biggest sites online are all about connecting people to people, and the rest are about connecting people to companies.

    Nowhere in ANY of this is the user left out of the equation. The user is part of the flowchart every step of the way. If you think otherwise, sorry, you're fucking retarded.

    Which means that the user is in a position to place demands. You want congress to do that for you, that's great, have fun going round and round the cycle of bubble-bust bubble-bust while you strive to maintain the illusion of fantasy land and work on suspending your disbelief.

    Some people, notably Stephen King (check his twitter) think net neutrality is about censorship.

    Guess what, jerky? It's got shit to do with censorship. We have net neutrality right now, and facebook, twitter, youtube, and google have been censoring what you are allowed to see for over a year, and it's all been politically motivated. If you aren't aware of any of that, either you just got out of prison or, sorry, you're retarded.

    Net neutrality is about whether your service providers, the content-less middle men just passing data between you and the sites that exist only to serve you, will get to start charging you to reach those sites. Of course you should feel a little discouraged at that prospect, considering by and large those sites work by not charging you anything (at least not up front. And in the case of twitter, I hear that for $99/mo. you can buy a sponsored content account and boila, no more bans). Without those sites being able to offer that service, those sites don't work out to be as big as they are today. Without those sites being that big, ISPs have nothing much to sell the vast majority of users. Now you can see how and why the user has control, complete and utter fucking control, of the situation.

    So here's the fucking deal. Here's how and why net neutrality is a non issue: the user can flip the table by getting the websites on their side.

    Here's the proposal:

    1. Users get the major sites to agree that ISPs mon

    --
    "Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
    1. Re:you either keep control or you lose it, no both by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The problem is that the ISPs actually don't want the internet in the first place.
      So they just black list any site that doesn't pay them, their customers are locked in to the ISP since they have a monopoly where they live, so they just can't access those sites.

      In the end every website is blocked and the only thing you can do is get to the ISP's content (News/Movies/TV Series) because of vertical integration. And this is exactly what the ISP would like the best.

      It is win-win for the ISP, either sites pay them and they got money, or they become a content monopoly and they get more money by increasing prices.

    2. Re:you either keep control or you lose it, no both by cornjones · · Score: 1

      First off, good post. Secondly, I'll admit that I am not up to date on the latest proposals (which is why i was reading this, actually). That said...

      I don't see it the same way. I thought the worry was that the major ISPs would charge the sites for preferential access. So you sign on w/ comcast and cnn is fast but craigslist is slow. Some, like facebook and google, are probably big enough that comcst wouldn't dare charge but there is a large middle ground that would think it is worthwhile marketing to get faster access for comcast customers and would pay the vig.

      The problem, in my mind, is that it ups the cost to compete. So the smaller sites, or ones just starting out have a larger burden to overcome.

      Because the internet is just pipes, over time, i expect the non prioritized traffic to have such a narrow bandwidth allocation as to approach unusable.

      My biggest worry is not that new sites can't flourish, though that is a problem. My biggest worry is that newer protocols and uses for the network will be starved b/c the academics/college kids/bored teenagers/decentralized user groups won't be able to pay.

      I don't think we have 'finished' evolving the usages of the network and I think this has a chilling effect on that evolution.

      As an aside, all of this would be moot if we had competition at the last mile, which is really what we should be arguing about.

  48. You need a basic civics lesson by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Constitution SPECIFICALLY places the federal government in charge of making interstate commerce regular (it's called "the commerce clause")... and big-government types in BOTH parties have stretched that to include nearly everything that even touches upon interstate commerce thereby enabling federal politicians to get bribes [cough] "campaing contributions" from nearly every industry in exchange for regulating or [wink wink] NOT regulating stuff. Oh, and they have re-interpreted the word "regulate" from its meaning whent the Constitution was written ("to make regular") to instead be "dictate all the details of, tax, approve, license, certify..." The founders placed that clause into the Constitution to make the feds responsible for preventing trade wars between states or groups of states NOT to have the feds decide the details of the plumbing fixtures in a person's house, the content of baked goods, the processing details of farm goods, etc.

    The 10th ammendment so loved by conservatives explicitly states that all the powers NOT given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states and to the people... but remember: interstate commerce is specifically given to the feds.

    The trick is that corrupt politicians and bureaucrats from BOTH parties have spent decades pretending that everything is interstate commerce and is, therefore, not subject to the 10th. You will note that even a Republican-controlled congress ignores conservatives on the 10th amendment and the idea of down-sizing the federal government; most Republicans are "establishment" types who are as in-love with big corrupt government as any Democrat and the LAST thing they want is to disentangle the feds from stuff and remove the incentives for any industries or interest groups to contribute to campaigns.

  49. Bovine excrement, you are being lazy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can go to the phone company, city, power company etc and pay in person.

    You can mail your payments in, though admittedly many entities no longer send you a pre-paid envelope anymore.

    Nobody has to do these things on the net. You CHOOSE to. I have friends/family in most areas of the US and a number of them (mostly older folks, some are just way out in rural areas) do not even use the internet.

    You are pretending that you must use the method you prefer and then insisting that it be re-classified as a utility and heavily regulated so that somebody other than you will be forced to pay the costs for your convenience. This is like insisting you need an airplane to fly to where your bills are due to pay your bills and then insisting somebody else provide you with the airplane. Sorry, but NO. Pay your bills the old fashioned way and stop demanding that others subsidize your Netflix movies and porn habits.

  50. ha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you do not need high speed internet and net neutrlity to pay your bills. That's such a low-bandwidth activity you could easily do it on a dial-up modem internet link.

    Admit it: you wanna stream video and play online multiplayer games and you want congress to make it cheaper.

  51. #MAGA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    YES! Finally we are rolling back the liberal mess that is the internet. The poor can read what we feed them, their issues are not important enough to deserve publishing, everyone knows that only the rich deserve a voice. You want a voice? Go out, work hard, and get rich!

  52. Interstate Is Legit; "Subvert Fed. Policy" Is Not by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 1

    Ajit Pai apparently does not understand how the Constitution works.

    The fact that broadband is an interstate service gives FCC jurisdiction via the Interstate Commerce Clause.

    But there is nothing in the Constitution saying states can't "subvert Federal policy". In fact States do it all the time, as long as the business or service is confined to that state.

  53. Free Speech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does anyone think that having different states putting their fingers in the mix will help anything?

    /me raises hand

    Wake me up when all of my neighbors are free to run IRC servers from home (or their phones). I see it as more likely that this will happen in at least one state, if states are free to devise their own regulations. OTOH I'd rather have the feds say "free speech requires these sorts of rules, and any states that deviate from that are criminally violating protected free speech". And of course a logically consistent set of rules there. Therein lies the current problem with using a self-hosted IRC server at home as a venue for 'Free Speech'

  54. Nail Head, Meet Hammer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

    It's actually an international service, so by the same logic surely the federal government shouldn't have jurisdiction either?

    The policymakers are amazing at trying to brush the implications of international Free Speech to domestic law (and politics) under the proverbial rug. So a million Russian citizens make sport of internet trolling Kasich and Hillary Clinton supporters. Is our democracy 'under attack' from International Free Speech? Or is that just the way a human right of Free Speech would inevitably unfold? Oh, but the Russian /Government/ may have spent far less than $1M funding such a propaganda campaign? So what. I'm more worried about how Bill Gates can pervert democracy by sneezing ten times that amount at the problem and never noticing it's gone.

  55. Funny republican by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "more power to the state" and "yeah fuck the state you are forbidden to make your own communication laws". The republican, the party of giving power to the city and state indeed. Is there anybody which really believe that by now ? I have a bridge to sell...

  56. Numbering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I want to start with the fact that internet commerce is pretty much by default purview of 'Interstate Commerce' - as governed by the powers granted to the US government in 1.3.8 of the Constitution. Fair game. But then it hits a lot of lines. The 9th, the 3rd, The 5th, the 4th, and the 1st. Oddly enough, in this day, arguments could be made against the 6th and 7th, being violated (though that would take a lot of work).

    The topic of Net Neutrality has nothing to do with the 10th amendment. It has a lot to do with the Constitutional powers of the United States Government; which were fairly well defined. But not well enough, so the 'Founding Fathers' (aka James Madison) felt the need to clarify places that the government was explicitly not allowed to intrude upon. While people like to discuss the nuances of meaning for many of them, there is one which is blatant, and (IMHO) should be the most important one - the 9th:

    The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

    This is the 'We the People' amendment - it declares in plain text the government of the United States *only* has the powers granted to it, and the rest belong to the people. Fuck the Feds - if we are not minting coin, or engaging in untaxed interstate commerce, tell them to go blow... Amendment's 1-8 are pretty much an enumeration of places Madison _expected_ the government to over reach. The 10th, is a hilariously pointless one, but it does clarify that the states laws are more relevant to the individual than the federal. Yay?

    Suppose for a moment I wish to issue a 'gun ban' upon all Citizens of the US. Suppose you can make an argument that trumps the 2nd amendment on a 'militia' clause. This then hit's the 9th, "Show me your Constituently provided power to deny me", and there things get interesting...

    This brings me to 'Wickard v Filburn' - which is the most horrific case of legislating from the bench ever, and is the foundation of every '10th' argument, flawed as it is. It is important to note the time frame when that decision came through, but it is also important to note that that decision favored the broad strokes of the Constitution vs the clarification in the amendments. Based on that precedent, the Supreme court _could_ rule that it is legal to disenfranchise black voters. Regardless of the 13th amendment, the Constitution defined who can vote.

    TL;DR: The 9th should be 1st - there is no need to enumerate freedom unless you wish to constrain it. We shackled our government so we could be free.

  57. But...State's Rights? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The political right loves their "state's rights" until it gives the individual states any rights that overlords don't want them to have.

  58. Net neutrality is internet communism! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This it's not a joke, net neutrality is common ownership of bandwidth. Are you a doctor needing to send a potentially life saving e-mail Sorry but your e-mail has, and with net neutrality will always have, the same priority as mine bullet coordinates from my FPS. And as with everything that is commonly owned no one owns anything, you have the tragedy of commons on the internet. Increasing bottlenecks on internet nodes and loss of packages.

    Also increased costs because bad allocation of resources resulted from collective property.

    - Some dude on the internetz

  59. Wouldn't it be nice by Miles_O'Toole · · Score: 1

    If Ajit Pai died from a particularly painful and drawn out form of incurable cancer. At least it would provide a tiny bit of evidence that karma really is a thing.

    --
    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
  60. Blame Canada! by Mordaximus · · Score: 1

    Well, that used to be in fashion. But now might be a great time to consider moving your bits to data centres in Canada. For instance, there is already one AWS centre up here, with another to follow.

  61. That is so cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Aren't you all glad you all vote for these people?

    Stop blaming the politicians for this crap. You people put them there. You gave them the power. So go fuck yourselves! You have a shitty internet because that is what you want!

  62. Congratulations America. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your internet is now almost as closed as Russia and China. A country that is no longer a leader but a follower.

  63. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    wooosh

  64. The Silver Lining by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's one thing that can make us feel better while we all wait for whomever will finally lead us to freedom to *snap* and have us all rise up:

    In the event of nuclear war with North Korea; Washington DC is likely to be turned to glass.

  65. Re:Slashdot Logic by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    How in the world could they kill off linux and bsd? you people are fucking lunatics.. you come up with some bat shit crazy story in your head and then convince yourself that its true...

  66. The right wingers screamed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    States rights states rights. Wait no they didn't they sucked the corporate cack like they always do.

  67. Re:Interstate Is Legit; "Subvert Fed. Policy" Is N by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never attribute to stupidity that which is adequately explained by malice. None of this has anything to do with "not understanding" how the constitution works, although you can be certain they'll make sure to confuse their victims about how it works on their end.

    No, the only way this is ending is with serfdom for all of us 'poors' (which as you'll recall from their tax ideas, is anyone making only 495k a year), or with the heads of the entire families of those responsible on pikes. I suggest the pikes; less victims and cruelty that way.

  68. MAGA by CrybabiesArePeople · · Score: 0

    Make America Great Again!

  69. Matchup of the era... by redmasq · · Score: 1

    In other words, Article I, Section 8 vs 9th Amendment... Round 3!

    I do recall that John Marshall was the first that did the expansion of Section 8. I forget who did Wickard v Filburn, but I think it was related to FDR and the Depression.

    I had stated, though, in another comment that I recall the FCC having an order under Wheeler that was overturned in favor of Tennessee's state law that prevented local jurisdictions from making their own providers. Maybe as a compromise: the state or local cannot make law enforcing network neutrality, but then state laws that prevent local jurisdictions from making their own network neutral ISPs are automatically overturned.

  70. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swam by halivar · · Score: 1

    To be fair, the joke was pretty low effort. Most "but I repeat myself" jokes are.

  71. Steaming pile by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So not only are they bought, they are forcing us... damn them.

    You blew it up, damn you.

  72. Odd by kenh · · Score: 1

    Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

    Seems odd that the very same people that argued against patchwork enforcement of immigration policy (clearly a federal domain) are arguing for patchwork enforcement of policies on 'broadband', another clearly federal domain.

    --
    Ken
  73. Re:I love the smell of corruption in the morning.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The word you might be looking for is oligopoly. Personally, I would advocate rioting in the streets, or at least picketing cable companies, and at a state level imposing vast taxes for the lack of Net Neutrality. Politicians at every level like money, and while it is simple to buy off the FCC, it isn't as simple to buy off every county-level or state-level politician who likes money (aka all of them).

  74. We are becoming scum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Forcible Data Theft / Telemetry / Spying, now citizens are being F'd. Wow.

  75. Single thought... by plloi · · Score: 1

    Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

    Does mean State/Local Authorities don't have the power to impose vender lockouts either?

    1. Re:Single thought... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      States can ignore his bluster and kill off any chance of his multi-billion dollar bribe payout.

  76. Most transparent administration ever- seriously! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most of us heard them very clearly state, using appropriate language (i.e. free markets, over-regulated, blah blah):

    "We will FUCK YOU!"

    And now they are!

  77. States can safely ignore Ape Shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm telling my state's AG, Senators, Representatives to basically tell Ape Shit to go fuck himself.

  78. Preemption has worked with marijuana... by biggaijin · · Score: 1

    The FCC can say that states can't mandate net neutrality -- but the federal government has already said that marijuana is illegal, too. If the states can pass drug laws that contravene the federal government's will, then they certainly can pass laws liberating the Internet for their citizens and freeing us from the monopolistic manipulation of two or three big corporations.

  79. Re: B-b-b-b-but why do I want this?? by See+Attached · · Score: 1

    How does this improve my ISP service, reduce my costs or in any other way help me? Why do I want this? Oh.. maybe if I own stock in Verizon??

    --
    Time for a new Political party in the US (or two!) One is off the rails Other cant pony up a leader.
  80. Re:Slashdot Logic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey mush for brains. Google/Yahoo/Twitter don't use subsidies to build their infrastructure.

    Also, are you still driveling on about censorship from private enterprises? Last time I checked, Nazi's aren't a protected class. Unless you're living in some alternate reality.

  81. Ajit Pai by Ixokai · · Score: 1

    I swear, Ajit Pai is trying to earn his place as literal devil. He is evil and every thought he's ever had is to hurt people.

  82. And in 2020... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Net Neutrality will be reinstated when the parties switch in a few years. This is a temporary thing, methinks. Unless the next next group of Democrats are the same Wall Street-loving corporate shills like the Clintons are/were.

  83. States Rights take another hit by sofla · · Score: 1

    "Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband"

    That's backwards. Federal agencies (FCC included) only have jurisdiction over interstate matters, not intrastate. So, the FCC has jurisdiction over the backbone but everything else including the "last mile" hop to the individual subscriber, is within state and local jurisdiction.

    But alas, we have yet another case of a Federal agency exceeding its mandate, and states rights continue to evaporate.
    If only we could count on the Supreme Court to do its job and strike down bullshit like this.

    1. Re:States Rights take another hit by Green+Mountain+Bot · · Score: 1

      Beyond that, states typically are allowed to pass laws and regulations that are at least as stringent as Federal laws. If the federal regulations require water to contain no more than 15 ppb of lead, states are still allowed to have regulations that allow water to no more than 5 ppb of lead. They cannot, however allow drinking water to have 20 ppb, because that doesn't meet the federal requirement.

  84. Death to CloudFlare! by Elixon · · Score: 1

    So does it mean that CloudFlare will be throttled? If yes then no point to use CloudFlare. If they pay then no point to provide free service.

    Either way Consumer loose, Telcos win. Drain that swamp (Urban Dictionary: "swamp": consumer's wallet).

    --
    Well, I've got to get back to work. When I stop rowing, the slave ship just goes in circles.
  85. Common Carrier by emil · · Score: 1

    AT&T has Common Carrier status, which is derived from English Common Law as documented in Blackstone. This Common Carrier status allows AT&T to install its equipment on the property of others by granting them a "right of way."

    However, Common Carrier status has an important restriction (from the wiki):

    An important legal requirement for common carrier as public provider is that it cannot discriminate, that is refuse the service unless there is some compelling reason.

    What is going to happen is some organization that owns physical property with AT&T equipment installed on it will sue AT&T when they face digital discrimination, assert that (unlike voice traffic) AT&T no longer has Common Carrier status for their data traffic, and demand either the termination of data services traversing their property or fair compensation.

    This will go to the Supreme Court, and it will be anybody's guess what will happen to telecommunications at that point - AT&T might have to start paying rent wherever their data lines are installed. It could all very well end in tears.

  86. NPR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The NPR interview with Pai was an eye opener. His basic premise is all regulation is bad so we should eliminate regulation. He believes that existing anti-trust regulation will prevent the "issues" raised by Net Neutrality supporters from occurring. That the "small" ISP are being hurt by the regulations. He is now going after states to eliminate local regulations. This is all to promoting new businesses to install or share existing hard-lines.

    Pai is living in a dream world. Anti-Trust regulators allowed the monopolies that we see today to exist. They allowed them to freeze out competition. They allowed them to charge companies priority for priority access. The US anti-trust group was gutted years ago by the same people that are now doing the same to the FCC.

  87. Good luck with that FCC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember when the FDA said "No weed!" and we said "Fuck you!" and do it anyways. Go ahead and try. I can only imagine the nightmare you'll be in trying to abide by all the different state laws because you continue to ignore us, the people.

  88. Consumers have more power than they realize by jasonma84 · · Score: 1

    If your internet service provider throttles your Netflix internet connection just call and downgrade your service from that $49.99 plan to the $29.99 one. When the customer service rep wants to know why you are downgrading, let them know exactly why their service isn't worth the money you are paying. If it continues to happen call and cancel the service all together. At the end of the day they are a business and like all businesses their #1 priority should be to make you the consumer happy, if they don't it's your job as a consumer to remind them why they need to.

  89. Re:Slashdot Logic by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

    How in the world could they kill off linux and bsd? you people are fucking lunatics.. you come up with some bat shit crazy story in your head and then convince yourself that its true...

    I think it's something in the water. I personally have no idea how Linux or BSD would disappear.

    My biggest personal concern is that the usual suspects will turn the intertoobz into something like Cable TV. But as I wrote to FudRucker, it it gets that bad, I'm Boom! Outa here. I don't need the internet that badly any more, and have a lot of other interests just waiting to be enjoyed.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  90. No tech for long distance WiFi? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hopefully the open source community will come up with a way to replace isps. Iâ(TM)m surprised that nothing has sprung up. P2P mesh network of sorts.