GOP FCC commissioners gin up opposition to network neutrality

Federal Communications Commission members Robert McDowell and Meredith Baker attended a meeting of Americans for Tax Reform on Dec 13, where they advocated against the FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's network neutrality proposal.

The McDowell-Baker effort was part of an off-the-record, weekly meeting of free-market activists. About 30 people attended. The pair warned that the network neutrality proposal could be more onerous than industry is expecting and might be significantly stronger than the House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman legislative framework it was based on. It seems possible that the two commissioners may be trying to steer free-market activists to oppose the policy in the absence of guidance from companies such as Verizon, AT&T and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.