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Why did Republicans vote to destroy your online privacy? That's where the money is
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/3/29/1648458/-Why-did-Republicans-vote-to-destroy-your-online-privacy-That-s-where-the-money-isWhy did Republicans vote to destroy your online privacy? That's where the money is
By Joan McCarter
Wednesday Mar 29, 2017 · 3:32 PM EST
Every Senate Republican and all but 15 House Republicans voted to dismantle your online privacy, overturning a rule by the FCC that would have required internet service providers to get your permission to sell off your private web data. Your web searches, your financial data, your shopping habits—basically every step you take online is now back up for grabs. Why would Republicans—the supposed champions of the little guy, the libertarians—sell you out?
Money.
Republicans in Congress just voted to reverse a landmark FCC privacy rule that opens the door for ISPs to sell customer data. Lawmakers provided no credible reason for this being in the interest of Americans, except for vague platitudes about “consumer choice” and “free markets,” as if consumers at the mercy of their local internet monopoly are craving to have their web history quietly sold to marketers and any other third party willing to pay.
The only people who seem to want this are the people who are going to make lots of money from it. (Hint: they work for companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.) Incidentally, these people and their companies routinely give lots of money to members of Congress.
The only people who seem to want this are the people who are going to make lots of money from it. (Hint: they work for companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.) Incidentally, these people and their companies routinely give lots of money to members of Congress.
How much money have they given to Congress members in their most recent elections?
A lot, in total! But individually, it shouldn't be enough to make them sell us all out. Let's look at Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who just happens to be up for re-election in 2018. Flake got $27,955 from big telecom for his last campaign. He must be looking for a lot more in 2018 because he was the guy who introduced this bill. Rep. Marsha Blackburn did quite a bit better in the deal. She got $84,000 for introducing it in the House.
There were some really big winners, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He pulled in a cool $251,110 for his services to big telecom. His colleague John Thune—who's been leading the charge to end net neutrality—wasn't too far behind at $215,000. In the House, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California almost tipped the six-digit scale, bringing in $99,100 and Ohio's Bob Latta raked in $91,000, making them among the few to top Blackburn. The big winner, though, was Oregon's Greg Walden, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee which "oversees" the industry. He got Senate-sized numbers, weighing in at $155,100.
But that's how little your privacy is worth to them. That's some pretty healthy money for many of them, but compare it to what we the people can raise when we're motivated. For instance, we've raised more than $1.4 million for Jon Ossoff, who is running for the open House seat in Georgia. And we're going to be motivated in 2018, too—and really motivated by this vote in particular.
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Fathead loves the media companies: Time Warner, CNN, etc.
?
republicans should be forced to wear a black "Betrayal of Americans" sign on their suit lapels, right next to their phony, chintzy 'made-in-China' flag pins.
