Is Bobby Rush (D-IL) Opposition to Net Neutrality a Threat to Future of the Open Internet?

I’ve shared information with you about Net Neutrality in the past.


Methinks that it's time for each of us as individuals to take a stand on this issue. Earlier this week it became clear -- the FCC is wavering on net neutrality. And no matter what kind of rule the FCC makes, Republicans in Congress are waiting for an opportunity to gut Internet freedom.

But the person seeking to lead Democrats on the House subcommittee with oversight over Internet policy has been a staunch opponent of net neutrality, even calling it "a solution in search of a problem."

And due to his seniority, he may get the position. The decision on the position is being made right now.

That's why this blog is joining with friends at ColorOfChange.org in calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other key leaders to oppose Congressman Bobby Rush's bid for Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.

Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) has a strong record of service in our communities -- let there be no mistake. And we want to see Black members of Congress in leadership positions wherever possible. But when it comes to the Internet, Congressman Rush has repeatedly supported the interests of the telecom industry over the interests of regular people, and he's been a leading Black voice in opposition to network neutrality.

In 2006, Rush worked with Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) and other Republicans to enact legislation that would undermine network neutrality.   Recently, he supported an effort by Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) to prevent the FCC from instituting network neutrality rules. It would be dangerous to the future of the Internet for Bobby Rush to become the ranking member on the House subcommittee in charge of net neutrality.

Rush's financial relationship to the telecom industry also raises the question of whether he can stand with everyday people vs. the big broadband providers. AT&T, Verizon, and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association have been among his strongest campaign contributors, with AT&T's PAC being his second biggest life-time contributor. From 2001 to 2004 the company donated $1 million to a community technology center Rush founded in Chicago that bears his name.

Speaker Pelosi has been a steadfast supporter of the open Internet and has promised that any legislation to gut net neutrality is "not going to be a Democratic initiative."

In my opinion, allowing Rush to become Ranking Member would simply be a mistake for any of us that support continuation of 'net neutrality' and threaten the future of the open Internet.

What say u?

Health Care Reform: 'This is What Change Looks Like'

Did you watch any of the coverage of the health care reform bill in the House of Representatives yesterday? It was a remarkable moment in political history when Congress passed a sweeping overhaul of our health care system -- a major progressive victory that will rein in the worst insurance abuses and expand health care to 32 million Americans.

The Republicans are pissed off ... yelling things like 'Baby-Killer', spitting on John Lewis (D-GA) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and bringing up the images of the rogue Confederate states from our nation's civil war. The minority leader was yelling, 'Hell No' as he realized that he was losing the legislative battle.

The Democrats were 'giddy' as they realized that they had the votes to pass historic health care reform. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) solidified her reputation as one of the most powerful leaders in congressional history. She gets the votes when it counts. Pelosi is credited with keeping the flame burning for comprehensive reform in February, after Sen. Brown (R-MA) was elected, when many others had abandoned the idea.



President Obama proved to the world once again that he was a political opponent to be feared as he cancelled a high-profile international trip to stay home for yesterday's vote. He used the power of his office to make a deal with Bart Stupak (D-MI) and five other pro-life Democrats.

Obama has to feel good today. No longer can people call him a weak president. After decades of attempts, this is a historic achievement.

Once again I find myself proud of my president!

Why Do We Keep Doubting Barack Obama?

I wonder when folks will stop doubting President Obama? His vision is more long-range than the rest of us. He doesn't float with the wind on important decisions.

He demonstrated his long-range vision when he ran for office in the United States Senate. We learned that he doesn't sweat the small stuff when he beat Hilary Clinton and others in the Democratic primary. Others focused on the rhetoric from his opponents while Obama focused on getting any delegates to be nominated as his party's candidate for president. We were concerned when Obama didn't lash out against McCain, Palin and Joe the Plumber during the general election. Obama didn't sweat the small stuff ... instead he ran a campaign that resulted in a landslide victory a year ago.

Many Obama supporters clamored for him to take a more visible role in the health insurance reform debate in the past weeks and months. Obama set the direction of the debate ... then quietly and confidently worked with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others to get a historic bill passed last night. Heck, we even saw our Republican buddy from New Orleans voting in favor of the bill.

I imagine that many villagers are going to begin to worry about whether or not Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be able to get the 60 votes he needs to bring a health insurance reform to the floor for a vote. I'm putting my confidence in the President and his team. How about you?

No Public Option; No Re-Election; No Kidding

I'm self-employed. I don't have health insurance. I haven't had health insurance since I started my company back in 2002. It is important to me that the Democratic Party take advantage of their recent election success by passing health insurance reform ... that includes a robust public option. I am hopeful that Harry Reid (D-NV) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) are tough enough to get this done.



Do you think that a robust public option will be in the final bill that goes to President Obama for his signature later this year?

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) Should Resign

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), who has represented Harlem residents in congress since 1971, waited for many years to become chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He finally achieved that remarkable career goal ... only to find himself embroiled in a heated ethical debate about his personal financial dealings.

Currently, the House ethics committee is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into Rangel's finances. The investigation, which began last year, was expanded to include amendments that Rangel made to his House financial disclosure statements in August. The amendments indicated that he had failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income and assets from 2002 through 2006.

Assets and sources of income that he omitted include a Merrill Lynch Global account valued at between $250,000 and $500,000, tens of thousands of dollars in municipal bonds and $30,000 to $100,000 in rent from a multi-family brownstone he owned.

He subsequently disclosed that he owed more than $10,000 in back taxes because he had failed to report more than $70,000 in rental income from a villa in the Dominican Republic.

Rangel claims that the entire financial mess can be attributed to "sloppy bookkeeping".

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) weighed in this week. They wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in support of Rangle -- who is a founding member of the CBC. Part of the letter reads:

“Regrettably, the minority has repeatedly attempted to make an end-run around the bipartisan procedures for investigating possible ethics issues. These Republican attempts to presume guilt before an investigation has been completed violate the core American principle of the presumption of innocence. These attempts also will discourage members in the future from self-reporting any potential ethics issues, and will distract from the important work of the House to fix the economy, put Americans back to work, and improve access to health care.”

If that wasn’t clear enough, the group, chaired by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) added:

“Charlie Rangel’s work on these issues is critically important, and we are proud of the thoughtful leadership he provides to the House. He has our full support for his work as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means while a bipartisan ethics review is pending.”

My grandfather once told me that I should never try to get away with the same things that white folks get away with. Rep. Rangel is probably no worse than past chairs of the House and Ways Committee. At least one of them is serving time in a federal penitentiary. However, we expect more from our Black leaders.

Charles Rangel's "sloppy bookkeeping" makes him unsuitable for leadership of a committee responsible for national tax and financial policy. Rangel should stop depending on cronyism and friends in high places to stay in office.

Rangel should do the right thing. He should resign the chairmanship of the House and Ways Committee.