For years we’ve repeatedly heard the falsehood that most Americans want government to regulate the Internet. We’ve also heard that the Left is supposedly miles ahead of the Right when it comes to online organizing and technological expertise. Well, late last week, both of those myths have been exposed.
The Federal Communications Commission asked the public to submit comments on its plan to implement so-called net neutrality regulations that would allow government bureaucrats to tinker with the Internet. The vaunted NetRoots expected to carry the day so much that they simply ignored the facts, claimed victory, and showed themselves to be fools.
It is still hard to understand why we need to regulate something that has been the most successful economic, informational and organizational tool of the past two decades. But no matter. On Thursday, the FCC’s comment period closed and the verdict is in. Limited government and free market activists crushed big government fans on the Left.
Grassroots members of Americans for Prosperity and the Institute for Liberty combined to file more than 32,000 comments urging the FCC not to slow the exponential growth in online technologies that have been a bright spot in our struggling economy. Conversely, Free Press/Save the Internet, proponents of a government-regulated Internet, managed a mere 13,000 comments in favor of government intervention.
But never one to let facts stand in the way of an ideological crusade, Tim Karr from Free Press boasted that “90 percent of the comments submitted come from people who support Net Neutrality.” I guess Mr. Karr thinks comments from free-market activists don’t count.
Mr. Karr attacked me by name and impugned my motives. But I think AFP’s founder David Koch offends many fewer Americans than Free Press founder Robert McChesney.
Free Press’s extremism would be funny except that they have real influence with the FCC.
Fortunately the American people don’t want government’s heavy hand anywhere near their Internet connections, and the Left’s claim to online dominance is over. The sleeping free-market majority has awakened, not just on health care but across the board, including technology policy.
These recent numbers prove we can fight left-wing extremism anywhere it appears.
I will continue to make clear to the American people the extent of the radical ideology that drives the Left’s mission to destroy private ownership in our media and communications system. Mr. Karr, if you think I’m wrong, how about a public debate?
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