The impending death of net neutrality looked pretty much set in stone, but congressional Democrats are giving it another shot to live on. On Wednesday, the US Senate will hold a vote to reverse the FEC’s previous decision. Can net neutrality be spared after all?
I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up — the answer to that question is “probably not.” Although the initiative is likely to succeed in the Senate where it has the support of every Democrat as well as Republican Senator Susan Collins (making it a 50-49 vote with John McCain absent,) it will have a much bigger hurdle to clear in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
Nevertheless, the vote would still be a win for Democrats. 83 percent of Americans want to maintain net neutrality, so it’d be smart for lefty legislators to take a stand on this issue rather than rolling over on it so easily.
The internet is awash with think pieces about how the Democratic Party needs to take stances on issues other than general opposition to President Donald Trump. Here’s a chance for Democrats to latch onto a popular issue and prove it is listening to the will of the American people.
Inevitably some will argue that it’s a useless political exercise if it cannot pass in the House, but never forget that House Republicans voted to repeal or amend Obamacare over 50 times knowing full well that the Senate wouldn’t follow suit. Symbolic gestures are the norm.
Besides, preserving net neutrality is, plainly, the right thing to do. House Republicans haven’t felt the same pressure yet, and if the House ultimately decides not to pass it, let those representatives have to explain why they’re standing with corporate profits instead of their constituents (including the 75 percent of Republicans want net neutrality.)
With so many tight races in this November’s midterms, there are potentially some conservative lawmakers that will break the party line to preserve net neutrality. That, or they could hand their Democratic opponents another easy criticism for their campaigns.
Even if enough Republicans switch their votes, the reversal would still head to President Donald Trump for his signature. Alas, Trump has seemed pleased with FEC Chair Ajit Pai’s work so it’s unlikely that he’d have a change of heart on this move that surely had the president’s blessing.
If the Democrats’ quest doesn’t succeed, net neutrality is slated to formally end on June 11. Without neutrality rules, internet companies could put data caps on internet subscriptions, charge more to visit certain websites and intentionally slow the speed on other sites. We’ll have to see how quickly internet providers decide to take advantage of this regulatory freedom, but it will not be good for Americans who enjoy a free and open internet.
We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.
As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.
Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.
As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.
At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.
Over 80 percent of Truthout‘s funding comes from small individual donations from our community of readers, and the remaining 20 percent comes from a handful of social justice-oriented foundations. Over a third of our total budget is supported by recurring monthly donors, many of whom give because they want to help us keep Truthout barrier-free for everyone.
You can help by giving today. Whether you can make a small monthly donation or a larger gift, Truthout only works with your support.