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Senators Opposing Net Neutrality Receive More ISP Lobbying Cash

Surprising nobody, data from Maplight shows that the Republican and Democrat lawmakers opposing both Title II ISP reclassification and net neutrality rules receive 2.3 times more campaign contributions from the cable industry than average. Twenty-nine members of Congress own stock in Comcast, making Comcast the 25th most held stock among members of Congress.

Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) owns more Comcast stock than any other member.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology has received more money from the cable industry than any other member of the House of Representatives: $109,250 over the last two years. The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology oversees the FCC, which in turn is reviewing Comcast's attempted acquisition of Time Warner Cable.

The 28 representatives that recently signed three different letters to the FCC fighting against Title II reclassification of ISPs as public utilities have received, on average, $26,832 from the cable industry, 2.3 times more money than the average for all members of the House of Representatives ($11,651).
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gaforces (banned)
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA

gaforces (banned)

Member

TURN

Betrayal for 20 pcs of silver they will turn on their own people.

Yucca Servic
join:2012-11-27
Rio Rancho, NM

Yucca Servic

Member

Huh

Is that not a considered a conflict of interest? When your a politician your above the law anyway.
The system is broken!

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Re: Huh

Except that it's completely legal.

When money writes the system, money will be involved.
masterbinky
join:2011-01-06
Carlsbad, NM

masterbinky

Member

Re: Huh

It's not illegal because the politicians would have to write the law to make it illegal. We are supposed to replace politicians that don't listen, but what can you do when you there isn't anyone that you could viably replace them with. Since the amount of money required to create a new selection is so high, you have to be independently wealthy at the extreme where you either don't care or its back to being tied to corporation donations.

Making your own rules for yourself tends end like this. Decide your own raise, don't even have to show up to work, special exemptions from the laws you make everyone else follow, etc.

Probitas
@206.248.154.x

Probitas

Anon

Re: Huh

I think you just described every despot since time began.

why60loss
Premium Member
join:2012-09-20

why60loss to Yucca Servic

Premium Member

to Yucca Servic
said by Yucca Servic:

Is that not a considered a conflict of interest? When your a politician your above the law anyway.
The system is broken!

Only when they don't like what one of there own is doing. Other wise it is all fine. Still I have the feeling there is no way they are only getting $10,000-100,000 in stock to bend over.

At this point though, I really don't care what happens to time warner cable. They are stuck in 2000 anyways in 99% of there markets, worst CS, worst up time and slowest speeds in the cable business. At lest they haven't really capped hard in most places for some time. ( Or at lest they say that and then throttle the crap out of hulu.)
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

Re: Huh

said by why60loss See ProfileThey are stuck in 2000 anyways in 99% of there markets, worst CS, worst up time and slowest speeds in the cable business. At lest they haven't really capped hard in most places for some time. ( Or at lest they say that and then throttle the crap out of hulu.)

Really? Because I sure don't remember having 50/5 in 2000.

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Re: Huh

You were a king if you had OOL 10/1 in 2000 when the rest of us peasants were using some now defund ISP 512kb/128kb.

why60loss
Premium Member
join:2012-09-20

why60loss to ke4pym

Premium Member

to ke4pym
said by ke4pym:

said by why60loss See ProfileThey are stuck in 2000 anyways in 99% of there markets, worst CS, worst up time and slowest speeds in the cable business. At lest they haven't really capped hard in most places for some time. ( Or at lest they say that and then throttle the crap out of hulu.)

Really? Because I sure don't remember having 50/5 in 2000.

»www.speedtest.net/my-res ··· 03809898

Looks like 2000 to me. Just glad I don't pay for it no more, they won't get one more dime from me. (The above is 57.99 a month.)

Comcast is far better and cost less ($30 a month): »www.speedtest.net/my-res ··· 09171948
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

Re: Huh

Click for full size
$69/mo.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned) to Yucca Servic

Member

to Yucca Servic
See Citizens United. »www.supremecourt.gov/Sea ··· -205.htm
»www.law.cornell.edu/supc ··· .ZS.html
wkm001
join:2009-12-14

wkm001

Member

Only $109,250 for over two years

$109,250 isn't that much money! Maybe we need to band together as individuals.

»www.theverge.com/2014/5/ ··· ing-goal
shmerl
join:2013-10-21

shmerl

Member

Lawful corruption.

That's simply disgusting how bribery is not a crime when it's called "lobbying".

buzz_4_20
join:2003-09-20
Dover, NH

buzz_4_20

Member

Re: Lawful corruption.

With Money = Free Speech.
Technically there is no more bribery. Only talking...
posthaste
join:2001-05-20
Champaign, IL

1 recommendation

posthaste

Member

Just to be clear

Republican and Democrat

The political elite, and the rest of us.
rfrooney
join:2006-02-26
Antioch, TN

rfrooney

Member

What do you expect?

America has the best politicians that money can buy.

Rogue Wolf
An Easy Draw of a Sad Few
join:2003-08-12
Troy, NY

Rogue Wolf

Member

Re: What do you expect?

Only a matter of time before we do away with that outmoded, archaic "voting" thing and just award offices to whoever raises the most funds.

BonezX
Basement Dweller
Premium Member
join:2004-04-13
Canada

BonezX

Premium Member

Re: What do you expect?

doesn't that already happen ?

Probitas
@206.248.154.x

Probitas

Anon

As private citizens senators are free to do as they wish

However, if they send these from official locations than they are in huge conflict of interest. They have a personal stake in this so should stay the hell out. Not to mention I thought government officials weren't supposed to be involved in stocks at all while in office. Of course, the government is 'Do as I say, not as I do' in the US.

Will the public ever learn?
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

Mr Matt

Member

Lawmakers not cooperating with corporations will get primaried.

The new way the corporate fascists keep lawmakers on a short leash is by primarying those that do not support corporate positions in opposition to actions that are in the best interest of the average citizen. See definition here:

»www.urbandictionary.com/ ··· rimaried

"Primaried: To have a wealthy backer provide support to someone who will publicly oppose and trash you, usually in politics, and usually from your own party."
firedrakes
join:2009-01-29
Arcadia, FL

firedrakes

Member

Re: Lawmakers not cooperating with corporations will get primaried.

corruption 101
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

utility rule

all the utility rule will do is allow ISPs to break net neutrality rules and start charging taxes and surcharges to your internet bills-- so nothing good for the consumer. the FCC is already chomping at the bit to get a USF charge built into the bottom line charge for internet access the same way some localities have jacked up he price of VOIP phone service to over $10 a month NOT counting the VOIP company charges-- highway robbery, IMO. the cost of cable-tv is already over $10 a month for franchise, taxes, rentals & surcharges. this is yet another reason to go cold turkey into a streaming/downloading form of video consumption.
ITGeeks
join:2014-04-20
Cleveland, OH

ITGeeks

Member

Re: utility rule

I've been saying that making the ISPs into utilities won't do anything but cause bills to go up. USF, state, local, federal, taxes? All of that is going to get added to the bill. Look for $5+ to be added to the bottom line if this were to pass.
SuperWISP
join:2007-04-17
Laramie, WY

SuperWISP

Member

Re: utility rule

Also look for fewer choices of ISPs. Mine would fold under the burden of Title II regulations.

el_huason
@71.160.167.x

el_huason

Anon

This is yet another reason

why I hate politicians. Nothing but crooks, cheats and liars. It's gotten to the point that the current political system is no longer acceptable - even total anarchy is a better alternative (at least I'll be able to properly defend myself against evil-minded jerks like these). And no, where I live I have no voting choice - it's either these corrupted human beings, or nothing .

"Only two kinds of human beings can be trusted - dead and extinct. All others must be avoided at all costs" me.