Tech at Night: The home stretch for Net Neutrality

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  December 3rd at 11:30 PM  | 

Good evening. In case you missed it, I weighed in with great detail on the Level 3/Comcast/Netflix flap, getting down to the basics to unravel the issue technically. But tonight we discuss Net Neutrality. House Republican Reps. Cliff Stearns and Joe Barton fired a warning shot, challenging the FCC to justify any action it takes this month, so now that’s an issue getting some attention. | Read More »

Tech at Night: Netflix, Comcast, Level 3, Peering, Net Neutrality

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  December 2nd at 05:30 AM  | 

Just as I was saying copyright was soon to replace Net Neutrality as the big tech issue of the moment, circumstances prove me wrong. Instead, regardless of the results of the December FCC meeting and the future of that whole Net Neutrality debate (more later), the coming issue now is going to be peering. Some will play word games and say it’s all covered under | Read More »

Yes to Kingston. No to Upton

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  November 22nd at 09:36 AM  | 

This is pretty simple and easy. I’m not sure whether the Republicans leaders in the House of Representatives get it. But let’s break it down for them. (1) There should be no waivers for Committee Chairmen. None. (2) Consequently, Jerry Lewis should not be Appropriations Chairman and Joe Barton, as much as I like him and would prefer him to Upton, should not be Energy | Read More »

Tech at Night: Red Alert

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  November 20th at 05:19 AM  | 

I know it’s a big day for Net Neutrality when I wake up and my Email Inbox is jammed full with links, so many basically saying the same thing: The FCC is on the move. I’m told it all goes back to a November 15 speech by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, in which he expresses an urgency for the FCC to pass a bunch of | Read More »

I want freshmen on my committee

By: Rep. Joe Barton (Diary)  |  November 18th at 09:35 AM  | 

The American people sent Washington a message on November 2 – NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL. The freshman class spent months knocking on doors, holding town halls and going to forums. They may be new to Washington, but they know who they are and why they’re here, and they’re ready to speak for the people who sent them. I want them to be able to | Read More »

Health Care After the Fall

By: Rep. Joe Barton (Diary)  |  November 8th at 11:27 AM  | 

This morning I posted an op-ed at Human Events about health care in the next Congress. It looks as if voters were more than ready to show how much they’re fed up with the Democratic Party’s idea of healthcare reform by investing their trust in Republicans to repair the medical malpractice that took place under President Obama. Now it’s imperative that we Republicans respond with | Read More »

NPR Might Be In Trouble

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 21st at 06:38 PM  | 

I hear that Congressman Joe Barton might just make NPR’s firing of Juan Williams an issue next year. Specifically, I’m told, “It is very likely that this will be a priority for Mr. Barton in the next Congress, should voters trust Republicans with their vote in November.” A hearing would probably focus on whether taxpayer money is being used to suppress free speech at NPR. | Read More »

An open letter to the gathering wave of new House Republicans

By: Rep. Joe Barton (Diary)  |  October 19th at 04:18 PM  | 

Today I wrote an open letter to the incoming House Republicans at The Daily Caller. It’s posted below. An open letter to the gathering wave of new House Republicans: In a turbulent campaign year, you are winning because you were honest with voters and you cut through the smog of media skepticism and Democrats’ acrimony. Those who win the trust of voters on election night | Read More »

The Waxman Net Neutrality bill should move forward

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  September 29th at 04:36 PM  | 

Update: Waxman is now using Republican opposition to this bill to claim the FCC should now implement the worst case of Internet regulation. Republicans need to get behind a reasonable compromise and we need to commit to outlawing Title II reclassification. The FCC going on its own would do incalculable damage to the industry going forward. Action is needed sooner, not later. If you take | Read More »

Repealing the ban on the common light bulb

By: Rep. Joe Barton (Diary)  |  September 16th at 11:59 AM  | 

By Reps. Joe Barton, Marsha Blackburn and Michael Burgess On this page two weeks ago, Erick lamented the fact that American factory workers are losing jobs to China as a result of the de facto ban on the incandescent light bulb. Light bulbs seem to be a pretty simple part of our lives today. It gets dark, you flip a switch and presto – light | Read More »

Joe Barton, Honesty, and Shakedowns

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  June 17th at 10:45 PM  | 

Let’s be honest. The White House meeting with British Petroleum was a shakedown. The White House threatened criminal prosecution of BP, the President gave a miserably received speech, then he hauled BP into the White House and put the Attorney General in the room with the CEO to stare at him, then the President demanded $20 billion. It was a shakedown. Had British Petroleum affiliated | Read More »

House Republicans pile on against FCC Deem and Pass

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  May 28th at 07:01 PM  | 

I’ve hated to have to talk about out 72 House Democrats (and now John Dingell) are on the record against the FCC and its “Title II reclassification” power grab to deem that the Telecommunications Act 1996 no longer exists and so the FCC can do whatever it wants to ISPs, include control prices and regulate content. Well now I don’t have to so much anymore. | Read More »