What Does $400,000 (plus) Buy the Bells?

WHAT DOES $400,000 (PLUS) BUY THE BELLS?
[SOURCE: TPM Cafe, AUTHOR: Art Brodsky, Public Knowledge]
[Commentary] This Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee will have its hearing on the 135-page telecom bill Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) introduced. The bill ignores the threats to a neutral and open Internet. Knowing this bill is up for discussion, what kind images and messages do the telephone companies want to present to Congress? Take a trip through one jam-packed edition of the Washington Post and see what about $400k will buy. Be warned. The journey has many twists and turns.
http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/29907

* Debunking some Telco Disinformation
http://www.wetmachine.com/totsf/item/511

* HandsOfftheInternet.com -- More Sock-Puppetry from the Telecom Ministry of Propaganda
http://www.saschameinrath.com/2006may16handsofftheinternet_com_more_sock...

* Telecom Companies Flip Flop on Net Neutrality, Regulation of the Internet
[Commentary] Congressman Barton said that his bill preserves the Federal enforcement of net neutrality. The Hands Off the Internet telecommunications coalition is encouraging people to send letters to Congressmen, and the very first line is "I am writing to ask you to oppose "Net Neutrality." And yet they are supporting Barton's COPE Act. This doesn't make any sense. If they are so opposed to government regulation of the Internet in the form of enforceable net neutrality, what happened in the last few days to suddenly cause them to become fans of government regulation of the Internet? Apparently the telcos were for net neutrality and before they were against it. Or maybe it's the other way around. I get so confused sometimes.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/5/16/151434/049