I have to hand it to the Republicans so far during this 112th Congress. When they say they are going to repeal something, they mean it. Yesterday, the House Sub-committee on Communications and Technology voted to repeal the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rule.
I wasn’t surprised given the majority that the Republicans have in the House. I would be really surprised if the Senate were to follow suit, but unfortunately that is not going to happen. For some reason, net neutrality, which has the backing of President Obama, has become the holy grail of the far and unreasonable left. Democrats in the Senate are not about to let their base get away that easily by disappointing them with some compromise on net neutrality. Besides, the Senate Democrats will have Mr. Obama provide the cover they need in the form of a threatened veto.
No, this one will get settled in the courts. MetroPCS and Verizon’s challenge to the net neutrality rules in the courts of appeal may lead to a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court. Unfortunately, all this does is keep the level of uncertainty high for broadband access providers and their investors. The Roberts court is not a the source for corporate-siding slam dunk decisions as its recent ruling on personal privacy for corporations ruling has shown.
