On Monday, the Democratic Party leadership informed the public that they would be unveiling their “Save the Net” legislation to re-install net neutrality consumer protections rolled back under Donald Trump. On Wednesday, they have released a three page bill. The Bill, titled “To restore the open internet order of the Federal Communications Commission,” or “Save the Internet Act of 2019,” seeks to simply reinstate those protections rolled back by the Republican FCC. While many of us hoped that the Democrats would release a more robust set of net neutrality laws, more in line with what California recently passed, there is some very smart politicking going on here. As Speaker Pelosi said during the press conference, “A full 86 percent of Americans opposed the Trump assault on net neutrality, including 82 percent of Republicans. That's hopeful.”
When Trump’s FCC chairman Ajit Pai rolled back the net neutrality consumer protections he tried to lie and coverup how massively unpopular this move was. Sadly, Ajit Pai himself—who should probably face serious punishments for what seems like true dereliction of duty—will just move on in a year or so, back into the golden parachute of a big telecom job. Most Americans, regardless of their political affiliations, have very little love for telecoms and their attempts to hampering a free and open internet.
This simple bill allows Democratic representatives to push a no brainer law through into the Senate, forcing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold his Republican cronies together—in an election year for many of them—while using the same, failed talking points that previous telecom shills parroted. I am of two minds: I would like to see Democrats embrace laws that end zero-rating by telecoms, that in essence create fast lanes, but I understand why Democratic leadership might believe that fighting a new net neutrality battle that might allow Senate republicans some wiggle room during an election year.
