Meeting with Senator Susan Collins in her offices in Lewiston yesterday was an interesting experience. I went there with Jon Bartholomew of Common Cause Maine, Fletcher Kittredge of GWI, Lance Duston of mainecoastdesign and world-famous blogger of the Maine Web Report, and Assistant Professor Michael J. Socolow of the University of Maine Orono.
Senator Collins was very welcoming, and listened to us all as we went around the room and explained why we felt Net Neutrality was good for Maine and the Maine economy. She asked some good questions at the end and we had a chance to respond.
I don’t envy the job of the senator. It’s either got to be the most interesting or exhausting job to listen to group after group of people come in and explain why their cause is just and how we need your vote on this very important issue. God knows I wouldn’t have the patience.
One thing that should be made clear is that this is not and should not be a partisan battle. Lance and I have very different opinions politically, but we’re both for Net Neutrality. The stronger language that we’re arguing for was brought to the Senate by Maine’s own Senator Olympia Snowe, republican, and Senator Byron Dorgan, democrat.
I know I talked about it the other day, but I thought I’d share the notes I made for myself to prepare for the meeting. I know that not everyone agrees with me, and that’s good. That’s democracy and freedom of speech at work. I’d hate to lose that.
- Net neutrality is good for small businesses by allowing us to compete on a level playing field where we can succeed or fail based on the quality of our products, services and ideas and how well we run our business, not by our ability to partner with or pay giant tariffs to telcoms and cable companies.
- With 95% of businesses in Maine having less than 50 employees, that means that Net Neutrality is good for Maine and the Maine economy
- There are small businesses with disruptive ideas and new technologies that are competing against the very quasi-monopolies that can impede our access to our prospects once Net Neutrality is gone for good.
- The growth of Web-based applications that can help small businesses cut costs and increase sales will be stymied as the startup companies that create them won’t be able to afford access to the "fast lane" of tiered service.
- I’ve recently chosen a VoIP solution for our telecommunication needs; now Verizon could choose to slow or even stop access to my VoIP phones because VoIP competes with their phone services.
- I’ve recently begun conversations with an Australian company to provide services for them. Previously I would have been unable to work with them because the phone calls were prohibitively expensive. With Skype I can now use my existing Internet access and talk to them for no additional fees.
- It’s in these quasi-monopolies best interest to give preferential treatment to themselves and their partners; the language in the telecommunications bill needs to be strong enough so that these companies can’t do what’s in the nature, in the name of "increasing shareholder value."
- With 95% of small businesses failing within 5 years, and small businesses providing more new jobs to the US economy, should we really be making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to start new business, add to the economy and hire new employees?
Discuss.
Rich Brooks
Net Neutrality Been Beddy Beddy Good to Me (and ME)
great article, i wish i could have been there to hear all of the conversation surrounding this meeting.