Net Neutrality Becomes Partisan

It's official.

Net neutrality is now a partisan issue.

Someone tell Instapundit. And the Gun Owners.

This is something I predicted a while ago, but it does not necessarily please me. It would be better to win. Democrats are the minority party. By turning this into a partisan issue, Democrats practically guarantee the defeat of network neutrality language in the short run.

But they also put the Bells on notice, and guarantee that the principle will remain vital in the longer run.

Which reminds me...there is a way for the Bells and cable operators to get around network neutrality.

Stop calling it Internet service.

If people can't reach the whole Internet, it's not Internet service. The companies could easily re-define what they offer as a service that reaches some of the Internet, as an Internet-like service, as an online service, say, and compete head-to-head with real ISPs.

Like America Online did.

Think they will? Of course not. They will call what they are offering "Internet" service even while they degrade performance to specific sites, and groups of sites, and take blackmail from "favored" friends.

Sort of makes you wish someone had trademarked the term, Internet. Someone with a stake in net neutrality.