(Alexandria, VA)— Shortly after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a Notice of Inquiry regarding its attempt to regulate the Internet under rules intended for old monopoly services, National Taxpayers Union's (NTU's) Director of Government Affairs Andrew Moylan offered the following statement on behalf of NTU's 362,000 members nationwide:
"Regardless of how FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski may have spun it, the FCC's recent actions demonstrate that he believes government bureaucrats can do a better job managing the Internet than the industry's businesses have. These same businesses are the entities to thank for making the Internet what it is today. In fact, part of the reason we have watched the Internet flourish is precisely because of the absence of federal government involvement.
Under Chairman Genachowski's orders, the FCC – an unelected body – will claim the authority to make a 180-degree turn on Internet regulation – from the current, lighter regime that has allowed its exponential growth in recent years to a regime intended to regulate monopoly telephone providers back before World War II.
While this may not appear to be a significant regulatory change, the reclassification would have an extremely harmful effect on anyone who uses the Internet – increasing taxes while decreasing choices. What's even worse than further regulations and onerous restrictions is the reality that this new classification could allow the federal government to dictate prices.
Fortunately for the taxpayers, this is one opportunity where Congress can assert its authority. Congress needs to take immediate action to stop the FCC from controlling an industry that has been remarkably successful for the past fifteen years with little to no interference on part of the government. The last thing the Internet needs is an army of bureaucrats deciding how it should be managed."
NTU is a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizen organization founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government, and economic freedom at all levels. Note: For more information on NTU's work on telecommunications, including past comments to the FCC, visit ntu.org or text the word "FIGHT" to 67292.