John Stewart Talks About Ted Stevens Talking About The Internet

Hey folks

You may remember my earlier post about Ted Stevens' Senate floor speech about his vision of the internet (as it currently is) and why we need to give big telecommunications companies control of it.

The Save The Internet Coalition sent me this message through my MySpace account this morning... check out the links below (especially you Alaskans. God GOD I'm glad Stephens isn't my Senator any more. Of course, I have to put up with Gordon Smith, who's not that much better...)

Thursday, July 13, 2006

During last nights Daily Show, Jon Stewart questioned Senator Ted Stevens grasp of the Internet, calling into doubt the telecommunications legislation that bears the Senators signature.

To clarify Net Neutrality, Stewart goes to Stevens dump truck-tubes symposium, a 10-minute monologue in support of the Senators own anti-Net Neutrality bill. Check out the show:

Stewart on Stevens

Why didnt Senator Stevens get it? asks Stewart. Well youll have to watch the clip for the Daily Show hosts interpretation. Hey, why should the good Senator have to understand an Internet when theres an army of telco lobbyists on hand to define it for him?
To find out where your senator stands on Net Neutrality, visit our Senate Map.

Of course you all know how passionate I am about this net neutrality issue. Right now the smallest business or 'blog has equal standing on the internet with the biggest companies and press outlets. The Internet as it currently stands is a truly equal free-speech zone, where everyone's opinions get heard equally. If this bill passes (and, of course, Bush will sign it), big companies can pay the internet service providers to have upgraded standing. If I weren't to pay the Comcast version of "protection money" to get my site listed on thecompany's "preferred customers" list, for instance, and someone searched for my name, they'd be perfectly free to direct that search to this guy (assuming he DID pay for the priveledge).

This changes the open-information-value of today's internet, and gives the telecommunications companies the keys to the information superhighway. If this bill goes forward, the ability for a small business to compete with a big one goes away. The ability for dissenting views not in line with Management's editorial policy is obliterated. It needs to be stopped. Check the map above - see where your Senator stands on the issue, and then call him. Let him know how you feel. Remember, squeaky wheels do get grease.

-Harold