The Fall of the Last Bastion of Freedom in America

Don't let free internet access fade away!

The mechanisms to remove and limit internet access are once again in motion. A recent proposal in the House aims to curtail public (government/municpal) free access to the internet in any area where such access is provided by a corporation for a fee.

A Republican from Texas introduced a bill called Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005 (yet another example of intentionally misleading the public through the use of language). This bill would prevent municipal offerings of broadband access in any areas where a corporation offering similar services exists...

Between limiting access to paying customers, the continued existence of the Patriot Acts I & II, and the attempts to discredit bloggers and limit their capacity, the NeoConservatives and Republicans are brutally assailing one of the core principles upon which this nation was founded - the freedom of speech and expression.

Internet under attack in Congress

A bill just introduced in the House could destroy universal, affordable Internet access everywhere. The “Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act” (H.R. 2726) would let big cable and telecom companies shut down Community Internet and municipal broadband projects being planned across the country.

The bill would prevent state or local governments from providing “any telecommunications service, information service or cable service” anywhere a corporation offers a similar service.

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...is this the fall of our last bastion of freedom, or just another attempt to stifle free speech and freedom of expression? The outcome depends on us, and making ourselves heard.

Do your part:

Send an email to John Conyers, AMERICABlog, and BradBlog and submit this tidbit to the DailyKOS, asking that they provide additional coverage on this.

Read more about the bill here, and sign the Free Press petition:

Free Press - Internet under attack in Congress

Here's the official docket regarding the bill:

Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)

We are fast losing one of our most valuable national resources - an asset which has proven itself time and again as truly helping "empower the people". Please help prevent the curtailment of public, free internet access for all people.