Does Ted Cruz not understand Net Neutrality?

[Sean88gt]

Except it doesn't. The Commerce clause was written to prevent states from taxing each other and preventing trade. It wasn't created for the federal government to regulate companies.

So, are airplanes constitutional? Or computers? I mean, they weren't designated as part of the constitution, so they can't be constitutional, correct?

[YALE]

Except it doesn't. The Commerce clause was written to prevent states from taxing each other and preventing trade. It wasn't created for the federal government to regulate companies.

Except it has been used repeatedly to regulate commerce, so try again. At this point, the use of the commerce clause applies almost entirely to trade, including intrastate trade.

[Forever_frost]

Commerce clause seems to fit pretty well, especially since transactions between customers and internet service providers are often conducted across state lines, to say nothing of people purchasing things across state lines from each other. There are also economic benefits to net neutrality, if you want to discuss those.

Except it doesn't. The Commerce clause was written to prevent states from taxing each other and preventing trade. It wasn't created for the federal government to regulate companies.

[YALE]

Irrelevant bullshit red herring

All of those countries, including the US, have a telecom infrastructure underwritten by their tax payers. We're the only ones that prop up our telecom industry and get no benefit from it. In fact, deregulation was a deal cut with the telecoms to specifically allow them to go out and do what they please, with the explicit promise that they wouldn't do what they are doing now, which is break up the country into captive markets and squeeze it like they are. They're using loopholes in the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and the 2003 policy revisions by the FCC, in the absence of actual laws addressing the matter. In practice, they have used these loopholes to run roughshod over the consumers, by re-consolidating into regional monopolies. They have even used the law to sue municipalities that have attempted to set up independent ISP's that compete with them, demonstrating they could clearly provide better service than they are, if the market were allowed to find its own level, and competition were encouraged. The most telling example of them clearly being able to provide better service than they do is Comcast and Verizon popping up and offering comparable service, whenever Google announces a new city is going to receive Google Fiber service. They're mighty quick to announce they can do the same thing, and conveniently in the exact same markets that Google announces they are entering. Notice that they don't bother to beat Google to market anywhere else.

[Sean88gt]

All of those cities and countries combined are smaller than the U.S.... Below is in square miles...
97.90 Mbps HONG KONG. 426
91.26 Mbps SOUTH KOREA 38,691
91.18 Mbps SINGAPORE. 276.5
62.34 Mbps ROMANIA. 92,043
47.20 Mbps REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA. 13,068
47.08 Mbps LITHUANIA. 25,174
46.26 Mbps MACAU. 11.39
45.92 Mbps SWITZERLAND. 15,940
45.77 Mbps SWEDEN. 173,732
44.32 Mbps NETHERLANDS. 16,033
43.88 Mbps ICELAND. 39,769
41.91 Mbps ANDORRA. 180.7
40.76 Mbps TAIWAN. 13,974
40.62 Mbps DENMARK. 16,639
40.01 Mbps JERSEY. 46.14
39.97 Mbps LATVIA. 24,938
36.16 Mbps LUXEMBOURG. 998
34.87 Mbps FRANCE. 247,367
34.55 Mbps BELGIUM. 11,787
34.47 Mbps ESTONIA. 17,462
34.47 Mbps MONACO. 1
33.76 Mbps BULGARIA. 42,855
33.50 Mbps NORWAY. 148,718
32.19 Mbps HUNGARY. 35,919
31.82 Mbps FINLAND. 130,666
31.78 Mbps UNITED STATES. 3,806,000

So there is one distribution point per country? Being arguably at the top of the heap, technologically speaking, should give us an advantage.

[BlackGT]

Can you show me why I continue to get raped by the "free businesses" for the quality of internet service I receive, when other countries make ours look like it's powered by hamsters in a wheel? Someone sure as fuck needs to step in and start improving the quality.


ALL COUNTRIES


97.90 Mbps HONG KONG
91.26 Mbps SOUTH KOREA
91.18 Mbps SINGAPORE
62.34 Mbps ROMANIA
47.20 Mbps REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
47.08 Mbps LITHUANIA
46.26 Mbps MACAU
45.92 Mbps SWITZERLAND
45.77 Mbps SWEDEN
44.32 Mbps NETHERLANDS
43.88 Mbps ICELAND
41.91 Mbps ANDORRA
40.76 Mbps TAIWAN
40.62 Mbps DENMARK
40.01 Mbps JERSEY
39.97 Mbps LATVIA
36.16 Mbps LUXEMBOURG
34.87 Mbps FRANCE
34.55 Mbps BELGIUM
34.47 Mbps ESTONIA
34.47 Mbps MONACO
33.76 Mbps BULGARIA
33.50 Mbps NORWAY
32.19 Mbps HUNGARY
31.82 Mbps FINLAND
31.78 Mbps UNITED STATES

All of those cities and countries combined are smaller than the U.S.... Below is in square miles...
97.90 Mbps HONG KONG. 426
91.26 Mbps SOUTH KOREA 38,691
91.18 Mbps SINGAPORE. 276.5
62.34 Mbps ROMANIA. 92,043
47.20 Mbps REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA. 13,068
47.08 Mbps LITHUANIA. 25,174
46.26 Mbps MACAU. 11.39
45.92 Mbps SWITZERLAND. 15,940
45.77 Mbps SWEDEN. 173,732
44.32 Mbps NETHERLANDS. 16,033
43.88 Mbps ICELAND. 39,769
41.91 Mbps ANDORRA. 180.7
40.76 Mbps TAIWAN. 13,974
40.62 Mbps DENMARK. 16,639
40.01 Mbps JERSEY. 46.14
39.97 Mbps LATVIA. 24,938
36.16 Mbps LUXEMBOURG. 998
34.87 Mbps FRANCE. 247,367
34.55 Mbps BELGIUM. 11,787
34.47 Mbps ESTONIA. 17,462
34.47 Mbps MONACO. 1
33.76 Mbps BULGARIA. 42,855
33.50 Mbps NORWAY. 148,718
32.19 Mbps HUNGARY. 35,919
31.82 Mbps FINLAND. 130,666
31.78 Mbps UNITED STATES. 3,806,000

[CexMashean]

Can you show me where the government has authority over private businesses providing internet speed and access?

Can you show me why I continue to get raped by the "free businesses" for the quality of internet service I receive, when other countries make ours look like it's powered by hamsters in a wheel? Someone sure as fuck needs to step in and start improving the quality.


ALL COUNTRIES


97.90 Mbps HONG KONG
91.26 Mbps SOUTH KOREA
91.18 Mbps SINGAPORE
62.34 Mbps ROMANIA
47.20 Mbps REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
47.08 Mbps LITHUANIA
46.26 Mbps MACAU
45.92 Mbps SWITZERLAND
45.77 Mbps SWEDEN
44.32 Mbps NETHERLANDS
43.88 Mbps ICELAND
41.91 Mbps ANDORRA
40.76 Mbps TAIWAN
40.62 Mbps DENMARK
40.01 Mbps JERSEY
39.97 Mbps LATVIA
36.16 Mbps LUXEMBOURG
34.87 Mbps FRANCE
34.55 Mbps BELGIUM
34.47 Mbps ESTONIA
34.47 Mbps MONACO
33.76 Mbps BULGARIA
33.50 Mbps NORWAY
32.19 Mbps HUNGARY
31.82 Mbps FINLAND
31.78 Mbps UNITED STATES

[YALE]

Can you show me where the government has authority over private businesses providing internet speed and access?

Commerce clause seems to fit pretty well, especially since transactions between customers and internet service providers are often conducted across state lines, to say nothing of people purchasing things across state lines from each other. There are also economic benefits to net neutrality, if you want to discuss those.

[Forever_frost]

Can you show me where the government has authority over private businesses providing internet speed and access?

[YALE]

He's just taking potshots at Obama over this:

http://www.cnet.com/news/president-obama-calls-on-fcc-to-keep-internet-free-and-open/

lol, this is flat out embarrassing. Posted on his FB feed earlier today. Interestingly enough, it appears he got a nice little campaign contribution from Comcast not too long ago as well. Hmmm.


The biggest regulatory threat to the Internet is "net neutrality."

In short, net neutrality is Obamacare for the Internet. It puts the government in charge of determining Internet pricing, terms of service, and what types of products and services can be delivered, leading to fewer choices, fewer opportunities, and higher prices for consumers.

The Internet should not operate at the speed of government