There’s going to be a public hearing on “saving the Internet” tonight. It’ll be at the auditorium at South High (3131 19th Avenue South in Minneapolis).
No, that’s really what they’re calling it; here’s the email:
From: Josh Silver, FreePress.net [mailto:info@freepress.net]
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 11:01 AM
To: [redacted]
Subject: Why you should join me and Al Franken on ThursdayDear Friend,
I know you’re busy, but I can’t tell you how important it is that you join me and Sen. Al Franken [tonight]at South High School in Minneapolis (yes, Sen. Franken is coming!)
My warnings are no longer speculation. Google, Verizon, AT&T and Comcast are about to turn the Internet into cable TV — where their favored websites and content will move fast, and everyone else will be left without a voice. It’s time for all of us to stand up or get rolled.
President Obama has said that protecting the open Internet was a top priority. But the FCC chairman remains silent. And too many in Congress have been bought by the phone and cable companies.
Our last line of defense is you. We need more than 400 people to show up on Thursday night. If we don’t tell Sen. Franken and Commissioners Copps and Clyburn (both will be there) that people like you are outraged about a corporate takeover of the Internet, we will lose. It’s that simple.
Please come with a friend or two to South High School Thursday night. The event begins at 6 p.m. You can go here to RSVP and learn more.
If you have something to say, we’ll make certain you have time at the microphone. We need to hear you. The commissioners need to hear you.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Josh Silver
President & CEO
Free Press
www.freepress.net
www.SavetheInternet.com
P.S. For more on Thursday’s hearing, read today’s great MinnPost editorial by our allies at the Center for Media Justice and New America Foundation.
Wow. That sounds important.
Rumors are bopping around that Secretary of State Ritchie is also going to attend, although there’s some back-and-forth over whether the Senator Franken is supposed to be in town or not. The group putting on the event, “Free Press“, would seem to need some star power to draw people and attention to the event; last night’s Meet Emmer” event drew more people than either of the two previous attempts.
Negligible as this event seems, though, it’s important for conservatives to try to turn out (I have a prior engagement, unfortunately). Copps and Clyburn are both activists on the FCC, who are completely on board with Obama’s push to create a kinder, gentler, tamer (for Democrats) media landscape.
“Oh, you’re just being paranoid, Berg”.
Not if you dig into the pedigree of “Free Press”. Behind the innocuous name is an organization with big, intrusive plans for even more “hope and change” in American society. Their board is a who’s who of behind-the-scenes media utopians – Josh Silver, Robert McChesney, people from The Nation and the Norman Lear Foundation.
And their track record?
They don’t like capitalism or the free market very much:
“There is no real answer [to the U.S. economic crisis] but to remove brick by brick the capitalist system itself, rebuilding the entire society on socialist principles.” (Robert W. McChesney and John Bellamy Foster, “A New New Deal under Obama?,” Monthly Review, 2/2009)
But that doesn’t mean that “Free Press” is about nationalizing the Internet, does it?
Josh Silver on the case for nationalizing the internet:
“The agency needs to shut out the noise machine and do what it must to fulfill its mandate to ‘serve the public interest, convenience and necessity.’ Any other course would be disastrous…. The United States is falling further behind our global competitors in high-speed Internet adoption, speed and price. The birthplace of the Internet now ranks at No. 22 globally in broadband speed and access, in part because the government lets the phone and cable companies dictate telecommunications policy.” (Josh Silver, “Viewpoints: Broadband rules are crucial to expand access and protect users,” Sacramento Bee, 7/18/10)
Ben Scott on the same subject:’
“Increasingly the Internet is no longer a commercial service, its an infrastructure…What we’re witnessing at the FCC now is the logical next step which is we are going to create a regulatory framework for the Internet which recognizes it is an infrastructure now and not a commercial service.” (Ben Scott, C-SPAN: The Communicators, , 9/25/09)
“Infrastructure”. Like the Interstate system. Or public toilets.
No, really:
“We have to stop thinking of media as a business pure and simple…The way we should understand journalism is as a public good.” (Robert McChesney, “Journalism should be subsidized by government, professor says,” 2/2/10)
I mean, it’s not that they mind free speech. Just the right kind of free speech. McChesney:
“To the extent commercial activities are given First Amendment protection, it makes the rule of capital increasingly off-limits to political debate and government regulation…In my view, progressives need to stake out a democratic interpretation of the First Amendment and do direct battle with the Orwellian implications of the ACLU’s commercialized First Amendment.” (Robert McChesney, “The New Theology of the First Amendment,” Monthly Review, 3/1998)
In fact, “Free Speech’s” McChesney wants the government to pay for more of the right kind of speech:
“When you look at our founders, they did not only condone government subsidies of journalism, they demanded it.” (Robert McChesney, “Journalism should be subsidized by government, professor says,” 2/2/10)
No, not being paranoid: the government. With taxpayer dollars!:
$200 Tax Credit Proposal for Newspapers in Free Press Report: “McChesney and Nichols have drawn from this proposal to advocate that taxpayers receive $200 in annual tax credits to spend on daily newspapers, as long as the newspapers publish at least five times per week and maintain a substantial news hole of at least 24 broad pages each day with less than 50 percent advertising.148 Another proposal would allow people to write off their subscriptions to newspapers and magazines as a tax deduction, as they do with their college tuition.” (Victor Pickard, Josh Stearns and Craig Aaron, “Saving the News: Toward a National Journalism Strategy,” Free Press, p. 36)
Because “the market” is allowing dissenting opinions waaaaay too much sway:
“The ultimate irony of Beck, Dobbs and Limbaugh is that they couch in populist rhetoric a message that, in its very essence, is anti-populist – designed to protect the swindle at the core of our media system’s failure. And that is why the media’s old guard is targeting the idea that this system needs to change.” (Tim Karr, “What Beck, Dobbs and Limbaugh are really afraid of,” Huffington Post,9/16/09)
…and those dissenters have not only scary opinions, but sometimes (says Josh Silver) disrupt the chosen and preferred narrative!:
“Fox News continues to amaze us and propagandize many, labeling as fringe-left anyone who disagrees with the president, takes issue with tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, says that Iraq is a quagmire, or dares to declare that all Americans deserve a living wage and guaranteed health care. The narrow, corporate-driven rhetoric that passes as reasonable political debate on Fox and most of the mainstream American media has become a laughing stock – if only to keep us from crying.” (Josh Silver, “The decline of US media: Fox News leads race to the bottom,” Huffington Post, 2/22/07)
And those “right wing” peasants must be suppressed! For the good of The People!
“No wonder our political system can’t solve big problems. Ruthless opposition and dingbat delusions are the currency of right-wing success, and sand in the gears of democracy. Whether they’re cynical postures or sincere beliefs doesn’t matter. The grand national conversation that was intended to enable citizens and their representatives to find common ground for conflicting values has become a grand national midway of carny-barkers and rodeo clowns.” (Marty Kaplan, former Air America rodeo clown, “How would the Right know it’s wrong?” Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, Huffington Post,10/5/09)
Because to McChesney, it all ties together:
“…any serious effort to reform the media system would have to necessarily be part of a revolutionary program to overthrow the capitalist system itself.” (Robert McChesney, “The U.S. Media Reform Movement,” Monthly Review,, 9/2008)
And when I say “ties together”, I mean “to his real, larger goal“:
“Our job is to make media reform part of our broader struggle for democracy, social justice, and, dare we say it, socialism..” (Robert W. McChesney, “Journalism, Democracy…and Class Struggle,” Monthly Review, 11/2000).
So this is who we’re dealing with.
These are their goals.
These are the people that Al Franken and Mark Ritchie, apparently, are going to be shilling for tonight.
And I honestly wish I could attend. And if someone does – if one of you liveblogs or streams it – let me know. I’ll link it and push it in any way I can.
um Mitch… that was yesterday…
nevermind… misread
I’m no fan of the freepers, but I do support net neutrality, that would prohibit the control and restriction of the internet by creating a system that would change the consumer having equal access to ALL internet sites.
There is nothing in this which represses the right, left or center; there is nothing in net neutrality that is anti-business. Quite the opposite, it guarantees equal public access to business of all sizes and their potential customers.
Why is the right so anti-entreprenurial, opposing net neutrality?
Let’s not pretend Fox news is anything remotely fair or objective; it’s bias is evident with the recent $1 million donation to the Republican Governor’s campaign war chest. Of course, that bias was clearly evident before the donation; it’s just another example.
A brief change of topic- was it just my impression from the photos of the MOB party, or was it a bit smaller gathering this time? (What a BEAUTIFUL MOB baby!!!!!)
Why is the right so anti-entreprenurial, opposing net neutrality?
Um, because giving the government power to regulate Internet content violates the First Amendment?
But hey, that Constitution is a real pain in the butt. Who needs it?
To quote some commentor on the DK “sometimes I wish we could just do away with the 1st amendment”. These people are scary.
Dog:
“Let’s not pretend Fox news is anything remotely fair or objective…”
How does FOX fit in with any of this, Dog? What’s more, you never answered my previous question.
Why is the right so anti-entreprenurial, opposing net neutrality?
As with so many lefty shibboleths, you’ve got it exactly backwards.
“Net Neutrality” means the companies that have invested to build the ‘net we have today would be forced to adhere to government regulations as to how to use it. Spending research and infrastructure money on putting bandwidth where it was actually needed for actual market reasons would be illegal.
Like government intervention in the energy, education and healthcare markets “for the poor”, it will inevitably result in less of that commodity for the poor. And it will leave the government in a position to violate the First Amendment.
Net Neutrality is corrosively stupid.
While I’m asking questions of Dog, perhaps you’d like to tell me where you heard about the donations FOX made to Republicans.
I would not be surprised if a Liberal Fascist would claim government control equates to entreprenurial.
Let’s not pretend Fox news is anything remotely fair or objective;
Although Fox’s actual news – as opposed to opinion – coverage is no less “objective” than CNN, NBC or CBS (with all that implies), it’s really an anti-climactic argument; “objectivity” is always a myth. And you need to quit pretending that CNN, CBS, NBC and ABC (or the Times, Strib, PiPress and NPR) are remotely fair or objective. They are as bad as Fox ostensibly is – and they lie about it to boot.
it’s bias is evident with the recent $1 million donation to the Republican Governor’s campaign war chest. Of course, that bias was clearly evident before the donation; it’s just another example.
Again – honesty. Rupert Murdoch (who, let’s not forget, is an owner, not an editor) openly and honestly gave the money. So do the owners and corporate PACs of Viacom (CBS), GE (NBC) and Disney (ABC) – but that’s hidden through an extra layer of corporations and, apparently, of no iterest to you. Hmm.
A brief change of topic- was it just my impression from the photos of the MOB party, or was it a bit smaller gathering this time? (What a BEAUTIFUL MOB baby!!!!!)
Little Ben is a hoot.
The party drew 62 people all told; about 25 fewer than the winter party (that’s normal), and 20 more than the last summer party (which was the first one we’d thrown in like two years).
I hope Dog didn’t get her news from Jon Stewart.
NewsBusters: Jon Stewart Rips Fox’s GOP Contribution, Ignores Viacom’s Dem Donations
Comedian Jon Stewart on Wednesday bashed Fox News for parent company News Corporation’s $1 million donation to the Republican Governors Association.
Unfortunately, Stewart failed to inform his viewers that Viacom, the parent company of Comedy Central, has so far given disproportionately to Democrats this year.
Also missing in the “Daily Show” host’s attack of FNC and Glenn Beck was that News Corp. prior to this contribution had historically given more to Democrats than Republicans.
Such facts were unimportant Wednesday evening, for Stewart was on another in a long line of Fox News is the devil incarnate rants[.]
Dog Gone, you consistently spout left-wing talking points. This is why I say that you are gullible; you believe anything that confirms your point of view.
From A WaPo story titled “News Corp. defends $1 million donation to Republican Governors Association”.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081704338_2.html
Read on National Review where the federal gov’t ordered a college to switch the order of basketball games…..men first and women second, because if the women play first, it implies they are a warm up act. Soooo are all Democrats fascist control freaks? Control of the internet now?
On the other hand….file this under “are the Democrats trying to lose in November, and November of 2012″….I kind of hope they move forward with this. The right, and the libertarians, and even some on the left who don’t want to be tools of the gov’t, will get energized by this.
This reminds me of the problems Minneapolis had getting cable. All the suburbs, plus St.Paul, had cable TV, but Minneapolis was bogged down because various “community groups” (aka political acivists + crazy people) wanted certain concessions, like so many channels given to them to program for free, plus studio facilities.
No one ever watched these channels, other than the people that made the shows & their like-minded friends, and of course it was all outdated by the internet & youtube, but it kept the hardworking people of Minneapolis from enjoying cable television they wanted to see for a few years.
“Again – honesty. Rupert Murdoch (who, let’s not forget, is an owner, not an editor) openly and honestly gave the money.”
Unlike a group called “Alliance For A Better Minnesota”.
Net Neutrality = Buzz Words!!!
In the words of Ronald Reagan: “Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
November can’t come soon enough!!
Scott Hughes said:
“Net Neutrality = Buzz Words!!!”
Indeed. They will “Save The Internet” from an ill-defined future problem by creating regulations that do nothing to address that problem.
What, exactly, is “the problem”? Liberal Democrats don’t have hegemony over all media. That’s why Dog has to bring up Fox News. It has nothing to do with the topic, but by golly, liberal Democrats sure do hate those folks.
Kermit, you cannot overestimate the hatred the left has for Fox, Limbaugh, and now, Glenn Beck. Beck has pushed O’Reilly down to #4 on their hate list.
I think that they believe that if it weren’t for Fox, Limbaugh, and Beck, they would enjoy the voting majority that they deserve.
More people watch “Hell’s Kitchen” than watch Fox News.
More people watch “Big Brother” than listen to Limbaugh.
More people watch Syfy’s “Warehouse 13” than watch Glenn Beck.
The cable tv analogy is apt. I have Basic 1 through Comcast in St. Paul. I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX. And a dozen others that I never watch, including the Hmong Channel, the City Council Channel and the All-Somali Network. Those are mandatory with every cable television package.
Forcing Comcast to provide a dozen channels “free” uses up bandwidth that otherwise could be showing SciFi or Classic Movies or even pr0n. And forces me to pay for that bandwidth for channels I don’t want.
“Net neutrality” will be just as bad for Internet access.
An article on the subject from Ars:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/08/sen-franken-and-fcc-blast-verizongoogle-nn-proposal.ars
One cannot help but notice that facts contrary to leftist brainwashing are bug spray for deegee.
More, just like that, please.
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Thanks for taking my call today, loved the part where Adam reached the same conclusions about the event. A propaganda show no doubt.
Here’s a link to my experience at the event.
It took 3 posts to get it done
http://thereactionariesspeak.com/