Poll of the Day > The anti-net neutrality members of Congress received $1.6m from the telecom

(+) Yeah! (+)

The House of Representatives is sitting on its hands instead of calling a vote to protect net neutrality. But those same members of Congress have had their hands in the pot of the anti-net neutrality telecommunications industry for years.

The net neutrality advocacy project BattleForTheNet.com on Monday released an updated interactive scorecard that compares where members of congress stand on a proposed net neutrality protection resolution with how much money they've taken from companies like AT&T and Comcast. BattleForTheNet.com is a joint initiative of progressive organizations Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, and Free Press Action Fund.

"There's hardly a better example of classic corruption in Washington than members of congress voting against net neutrality when polls show that constituents overwhelmingly support it," Evan Greer, director of the internet advocacy organization Fight for the Future, told Mashable. "It's really important for voters to know where their representatives stand, but it's equally important to know why."

In May, the Senate passed a resolution to protect Obama-era net neutrality, undoing the repeal of those protections by the Trump administration's FCC. The legislation came via the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which is a statute that allows Congress to "revisit and reject," rulings by government agencies within a certain window of time, according to the Washington Post.

Now, members of the House of Representatives want to bring the resolution to a vote. But even with the support of every Democrat and one Republican in the House, it still falls short of the 218 signatures required to force a vote.

The House has until the end of the year to vote on the CRA, according to the office of Congressman Mike Doyle, who is the author of the petition.

That's where BattleForTheNet comes in. The organization released its updated scorecard to show where every member of Congress stands on the CRA. You can search by zip code for your specific representative, and see whether they've lent their support to the resolution, or not. [https://www.battleforthenet.com/scoreboard/]

For those against the CRA, the scorecard shows how much money they're taking from the telecommunications industry. The campaign contribution numbers are based on a 2017 report from The Verge, with data sourced by the Center for Responsive Politics.

For example, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), leads the House of Representatives as the top recipient of donations: he received over $1.6 million between 1989 and 2017. Walden is also the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the former chairman of the subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He is against the CRA resolution.

Campaign donations do not necessarily correlate with a representative's stance on net neutrality, though. The telecoms industry donates to almost every member of congress including some top advocates for net neutrality, such as Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Mike Doyle. The scorecard does not show how much supporters of the CRA receive, but you can view the full list via The Verge.

But pairing the campaign donation data with CRA voting intentions is a powerful way to demonstrate how AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast continue to wield influence in Congress, despite consumer preference for strong net neutrality. This interactive tool can help net neutrality advocates draw up a battle plan as the pressure to bring the CRA to a vote bears down on Congress, and on advocates of the free and open internet everywhere.

https://mashable.com/2018/07/23/net-neutrality-cra-campaign-donations-scorecard/
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I've done all I can. I emailed and called my district's representative and was just told that A) my sentiments and comments were noted and B) how misguided and misled I was about the FCC and their actions to undo the "restrictions imposed upon them by the Obama administration."

Corrupt middle-aged tools.

WastelandCowboy posted...

I've done all I can. I emailed and called my district's representative and was just told that A) my sentiments and comments were noted and B) how misguided and misled I was about the FCC and their actions to undo the "restrictions imposed upon them by the Obama administration."

Corrupt middle-aged tools.

Ask them how much money it would take to change their minds.
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HelIWithoutSin posted...

WastelandCowboy posted...

I've done all I can. I emailed and called my district's representative and was just told that A) my sentiments and comments were noted and B) how misguided and misled I was about the FCC and their actions to undo the "restrictions imposed upon them by the Obama administration."

Corrupt middle-aged tools.

Ask them how much money it would take to change their minds.

Do you have $1.7m?

Even then you're only bidding in an auction.

Then you have to get past the people who fundamentally don't like any regulations whatsoever, or anything Obama did for that matter.
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https://imgur.com/SkrRxGQ

lmao, https://imgur.com/DBOBhrY

all the reds just have the shittiest shit eating grin

and then you got the maybe indian dude? whose name is right there but i'm not even gonna try who is just all "SUCK IT BITCHESSSS"

gonna be honest though

i have heard of none of those people before.

WastelandCowboy posted...

I've done all I can. I emailed and called my district's representative and was just told that A) my sentiments and comments were noted and B) how misguided and misled I was about the FCC and their actions to undo the "restrictions imposed upon them by the Obama administration."

Corrupt middle-aged tools.

Keep it up. Any rep bought out I send daily emails an calls. Bein annoyin is all we got.
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In this case, if they have a D you might have to change their mind.
If they have an R, fat chance. I already tried.
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Yellow posted...

In this case, if they have a D you might have to change their mind.
If they have an R, fat chance. I already tried.

Sad but true. GOP is a disgrace.
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woah look at north carolina

https://imgur.com/i4gh29U

one of these things is not like the other

one of these things most definitely belong

Bulbasaur posted...

woah look at north carolina

https://imgur.com/i4gh29U

one of these things is not like the other

one of these things most definitely belong

No kiddin.
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When those elected to represent the people choose to side with corporations, there should be a provision to hold a vote in their riding to have them beheaded. No trial, just mob rule. I guarantee these guys would straighten up and fly right after the first casualty.
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TheCyborgNinja posted...

When those elected to represent the people choose to side with corporations, there should be a provision to hold a vote in their riding to have them beheaded. No trial, just mob rule. I guarantee these guys would straighten up and fly right after the first casualty.

The French had a good idea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_were_beheaded#French_Revolution
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i'm shocked. shocked, i say!
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I'm not even surprised really, Sad day when sentient living creatures can be easily swayed by a paycheck.

Honestly, My sole sentence to them would be "How much are they paying you?, Cause I hope that money is worth betraying the people who voted you in, and will likely vote you out come next voting season", Seriously, Fuck these people, we don't need them in power.
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Bribery

That stuff is so crazy

*sigh* Not surprising that a California politician has their hand in the bucket. Not voting for that guy in November. We need third party bad.
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The first telecom to block porn under non-neutrality, is going to be the first one to go bankrupt under non-neutrality.

I don't support government regulation of the internet, so I'm no fan of net neutrality.
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I don't have a representative, they died in March. Won't have one again until November.
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And why did people complain about Trump wanting to impose rules on the Senate and congress to stop lobbyists and set term limits?
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DeltaBladeX posted...

TheCyborgNinja posted...

When those elected to represent the people choose to side with corporations, there should be a provision to hold a vote in their riding to have them beheaded. No trial, just mob rule. I guarantee these guys would straighten up and fly right after the first casualty.

The French had a good idea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_were_beheaded#French_Revolution

Vive la rvolution

Jen0125 posted...

i'm shocked. shocked, i say!

Lol.

Fierce_Deity_08 posted...

*sigh* Not surprising that a California politician has their hand in the bucket. Not voting for that guy in November. We need third party bad.

Dump his ass.
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I'm confused, so what changes? Does their vote get taken away if they took the money? Does the the law get reversed because fraud votes? Nothing at all because no one cares about corruption?
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Muscles posted...

I'm confused, so what changes? Does their vote get taken away if they took the money? Does the the law get reversed because fraud votes? Nothing at all because no one cares about corruption?

Nothing unless we make a scene. These reps know most voters on vote based on party lines with zero research.
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