(Alexandria, VA) -- Today's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vote to take a longer look at a proposal that would effectively put the government in charge of Internet traffic earned applause from the 350,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU), a nonpartisan citizen group. NTU President John Berthoud made the following comments immediately following the FCC's decision:
"The FCC's vote for reasoned debate and careful deliberation over Net Neutrality is also a vote to respect taxpayers and consumers. Rushing into big-government policies involving higher taxes and more burdensome regulations is never smart, but in the case of the Internet, it's downright suicidal.
The Internet has delivered countless benefits to Americans, including increased productivity, better communications, and, in many cases, more efficient government. All of this happened precisely because Washington has tended to abide by the "hands off" policy that governs the web. Reversing this sensible course now with Net Neutrality would be one of the worst acts of sabotage to technological innovation in history.
Net Neutrality is simply code for a hostile government takeover of the Internet, and with it bureaucratic micromanagement. Such interference with basic business models that are now serving the public admirably should be unthinkable for policymakers who believe in free and open markets.
Our members are thankful that the FCC has taken an important step to find out the truth about Net Neutrality. The Commission has given itself more time to deliberate this matter, and more time for true taxpayer and consumer advocates to show why the pro-regulation clique is dead wrong."
NTU was founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes and smaller government, and has fought against online taxes and regulations since the Internet's rise during the 1990s. Note: To learn more about NTU's work on Internet issues, visit www.ntu.org.