Lack of oversight for service providers cause for concern
Editor, The Times:
Congressman Jay Inslee’s guest column to The Seattle Times, “Protect consumers by ensuring Internet freedom” [Opinion, April 24] exposes the challenges of no independent oversight of the Internet providers.
Along with these dangers is that Comcast is hoping to absorb NBC Universal, which would make it a gigantic media monster.
We have learned from the bank failures that lack of oversight brings the temptation of larger-than-life business enterprises to cheat. We cannot trust Wall Street to play honestly anymore. Greed is the bottom line. Meanwhile, taxpayers bail out the bank failures while those responsible are given multimillion-dollar salaries.
How stupid could we be?
If Comcast goes bust —and it will without the Federal Communications Commission to rein it in, we will be on the hook again. Do not underestimate the cable providers’ lobbyists. Hopefully, Congress will fashion a law that allows the FCC to hold Comcast and other communication providers responsible and accountable.
— Bill Wippel, Normandy Park
Get the government out of here
The guest column by Congressman Jay Inslee editorial is so typical of our left-leaning, liberal-progressive leadership.
Why do our leaders’ mindsets always arrive at only one solution? More and bigger government control is always better, and in this case, Inslee wants the Federal Communications Commission to now control the Internet. Inslee obviously believes the poor and ineffectual consumer needs government to again step in and exercise even greater control over our daily lives.
To Congressman Inslee and all others like him: I say quite emphatically, no thank you. I prefer a limited and smaller federal government than the one we have. I prefer to make and be responsible for my decisions in the online marketplace. Since the advent of the Net, “we” —the consumer, businesses and agencies of the local, state and federal government —have enjoyed much success and benefit from the Net and we have done it without the FCC’s involvement.
I certainly see no need for the FCC to become involved now. I do not need government controls in order to make my own decisions of choice with respect to the Net. In a competitive capitalist marketplace, there will always be effective choices for the consumer to make; unless of course, the government interferes by allowing oligopolies to occur.
In the Puget Sound, there is no lack of choice for service providers.
I do not see the threat that Inslee is so concerned about. Inslee’s recommendation for the FCC to control the Net is purely another example of government overreach in the name of “we must save the people.” What I need saving from right now is not the Internet providers; it is our overstepping government. I, and many others like me, plan to do something about that in November.
— Gary Whitsell, Woodinville