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How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

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Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#101
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Politicians and their aides consistently get above-average returns on their stock portfolios.

That's a pretty big claim. Any data to back it up?

http://econpapers.repec.org/article/bpjbuspol/v_3a13_3ay_3a2...

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#104
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure fire way to encourage politicans to take bribes as well as ensuring only the independently wealthy can be politicians,

Come on, if Target can predict when a teenager is going to get pregnant, then we can easily keep track of politician's financial lives in however much detail we want. If you want to make a law that says no politician can exceed the median American salary per year, for their entire lives; we can do that. It's just that it won't happen as long as money=power=speech.

And the trackers answer to who, ultimately? Either the politicians themselves, in which case the whole thing is hopelessly corrupt and useless, or some other unelected group, who then become de facto dictators of the country.

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#105
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Politicians don't get rich from their paycheck.

Assuming you're not being snide; how do they get rich then (whilst in post)?

Insider trading isn't illegal for politicians.

They can trade stock knowing certain laws will be passed or bills introduced that will have an effect.

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. I agree with this, of course. But I suppose I don't see the harm in taking action now, even if these are early days, to make our views known. (Though, as I said, I don't like this particular strategy.) Lobbying in Washington does not begin after an NPR has been issued. Why should we behave differently? The NPR is an important regulatory document because it typically indicates the Commission's favored outcome an…

> But I suppose I don't see the harm in taking action now, even if these are early days, to make our views known. I agree with that -- I just think that the action should be focussed on what regulation should or should not contain, not on treating the regulatory agency involved as an enemy. > Why should we behave differently? Attacking people who are decision-makers that have historically been (and overtly still are)…

It would seem that we were never actually disagreeing about anything--as I've said repeatedly, I think the throttling proposal is a bad idea.

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#107
post #46
post #44

The pictures comment lead me to Tom's list of speeches, the latest of which directly contradicts the claims being made here. Are we sure the FCC is the bad guy? http://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-tom-wheeler-remarks-nct... "Let me be clear. If someone acts to divide the Internet between “haves” and “have-nots,” we will use every power at our disposal to stop it." "Prioritizing some traffic by forcing the rest of th…

"Actions speak louder than words." The FCC could put the money where their mouth is by re-classifying ISPs as "Title II - Common Carriers."

Maybe. But this isn't just a question of using the right label. Classifying ISPs as common carriers also subjects them to a pile of other regulations and statutory requirements that were designed for other segments of the telecom industry. I don't think it's obvious that this cure would be better than the disease. It may, indeed, be better for the FCC to go as far as they can without designating ISPs as common carriers, but no farther. This seems to be what the FCC plans to do.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/chapter-5/subchapt...

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#108

I'd like to see a law that government offices can only have an internet connection as fast as the slowest constituent.

That'll show those government workers who work for SNAP (food stamps), National Institutes of Health, NASA, and National Science Foundation. Serves 'em right for daring to work for the government. Since the workers in those offices are clearly to blame for the speed at which ISPs deliver internet service. /s

A better goal would be the executives and family of certain telecoms. Very doable with all of the cross data targeting available now.

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#109
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Politicians and their aides consistently get above-average returns on their stock portfolios.

That's a pretty big claim. Any data to back it up?

You were aware that sitting politicians in the US are exempt from the laws against insider trading, weren't you?

Re: How to throttle the FCC to dial up modem speeds

#110

I'd like to see a law that government offices can only have an internet connection as fast as the slowest constituent.

That'll show those government workers who work for SNAP (food stamps), National Institutes of Health, NASA, and National Science Foundation. Serves 'em right for daring to work for the government. Since the workers in those offices are clearly to blame for the speed at which ISPs deliver internet service. /s

Your argument supposes the affected people will be those who have nothing to do with the problem.

a) The most obvious villains, i.e. the decision makers at the top of the chain of command will be affected directly and indirectly.

b) Even those who aren't directly or indirectly responsible have much more power to influence things than your regular citizen and should be shown how bad this can get.

b) If the company I work for goes belly up I do feel partially responsible for it. If it gets involved in some corruption scheme, I feel ashamed. FCC's empoyees should feel responsible for the doings of the organization they work for and contribute to. They are partly their doing.

c) Immediate effects aside it is a nice form of protesting.

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