Will The Senate Save the Internet?

WILL THE SENATE SAVE THE INTERNET?
[SOURCE: TPM Cafe, AUTHOR: Art Brodsky]
[Commentary] The Senate gets into the Net Neutrality debate in earnest on Thursday, and a number of senators are going to have to figure out how to square two of their fundamental beliefs. While we usually focus on the Democrats, it's the Republicans who have a very interesting story going on. On one hand, a number of Senators on the Commerce Committee, which holds the first of two hearings on telecom legislation (S 2686) tomorrow, are generally pro-tech. They come out in favor of innovation, sponsor tech-friendly bills and involve themselves in the issues. Committee Republicans George Allen of Virginia, John Sununu and Conrad Burns of Montana fall into that camp. At the same time, however, these (and other) members of the Committee don't like the government to intrude on the tech sector -- even if a policy like Net Neutrality would help keep the Internet open and innovative. The Bell's message of "Don't Regulate the Internet" provokes a visceral reaction among conservatives even if a) No one is talking about regulating the Internet. We are talking about regulating the Bells, and it' not the same. and b) The result of keeping the government out and allowing AT&T and friends for the first time to take over control of transmission of Internet content would destroy what those senators have worked to promote. There may be some Republicans who want to do the right thing. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine is one. She circulated a fine draft bill a few weeks ago that came out strongly for the non-discrimination policy needed for a Neutral Internet. But the bill, on which she's working with Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, hasn't been introduced, leading some to suggest Snowe is under assault from the Bells to weaken her language.
http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/29945