So we've noted a few times how Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and Charter lobbyists have not only been lobbying the FCC to kill popular net neutrality protections, but they're also lobbying for a new net neutrality law. Why would they kill one set of rules only to push for the creation of another? These ISPs know the current cash-compromised Congress is so dysfunctional that such a law either won't happen, or if it does will be written by ISP lobbyists intent on making it as flimsy as possible.

The goal here is simple: ISPs like Comcast want to pretend we can "put this entire debate to bed" with a new law their lawyers write that's so filled with loopholes to be effectively worse than no rules at all.

However this effort is proving more difficult than many of these companies hoped. Back in July, ISP-cozy lawmakers put out a call to all major Silicon Valley and telecom CEOs to come testify in a net neutrality hearing in front of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The purpose of this hearing, these lawmakers claimed, was to "rethink the current regulatory model and build new rules from the ground up" in Congress, just as ISPs have been demanding.

But not a single ISP or giant Silicon Valley company CEO was willing to testify on the subject.

Why not? While Verizon or Comcast lobbyists and lawyers are more than happy to lie about net neutrality in misleading videos or disingenuous blog posts, having your CEO own these anti-consumer positions in front of Congress is something else entirely. Similarly, Silicon Valley CEOs at Google and Facebook likely don't want to own the fact they haven't cared about net neutrality since around 2010 or so, and in many parts of the world have actively worked to undermine the concept.

Of course lawmakers like Greg Walden state with CEOs refusing to testify, work can now proceed on this new law in the way major ISPs prefer it: behind closed doors and without any real transparency or public input.

“As negotiations progress on a permanent solution for net neutrality that ensures a free and open internet, the committee will postpone the original hearing in order to allow talks between stakeholders to continue,” said Walden's office in a statement.

As the fall arrives, expect this push for a new net neutrality law to reach a fevered drum beat as ISPs have their consultants, lobbyists, lawyers, think tankers and other representatives (clearly disclosed or not) argue that a new, flimsy law is the only real path forward and will "put the issue to rest" once and for all. But consumers shouldn't be fooled. There's a very easy, inexpensive way to protect net neutrality: listen to the will of the public and leave the existing, popular net neutrality protections alone.