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Constituents of Ron Kind in Wisconsin begin to ask questions about their Democratic Reps's alliances. See how your Democratic Rep voted here.

from: Dane101.com

The Cost: Rep. Ron Kind and the Telecoms

Submitted by Jesse Russell on Mon, 2006-06-12 09:53.

Talking Points Memo will be tracking individual Senators and their position on Net Neutrality. Their Tally page is at: TMP Talley

from: TMP Media

(June 12, 2006 -- 12:59 AM EDT)

When the TPM Media offices open up tomorrow morning we're going to start compiling a list (mentioned Friday evening) of where every senator stands on Net Neutrality -- Democrats and Republicans. With help from TPM Readers we already got information on several senators. And it was enough to show us that a lot of them -- including a lot of Democrats -- are just trying to avoid giving their constituents any straight answers on where they stand.

from: Washington Post

Finding Fault With Logic of Congress's E-Mail Plan

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Monday, June 12, 2006; D01

Congress to Lobby Groups: Drop Dead!

That could be the headline on the latest development from the House of Representatives. Last month the House quietly began to make it harder for interest groups to send large numbers of e-mails to lawmakers.

from: USA Today

Control over cable TV shifting
Phone companies want power to go to state, fed level

By Deborah Yao
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Phone companies are leading efforts to rewrite rules giving local governments control over cable TV in their areas.

Under bills passed or pending in at least 14 states and Congress, pay-TV control would shift to state or federal regulators. That would mean phone and cable companies no longer would have to make individual local franchise deals.

from: MultiChannel News

Stevens Modifies Telecom Bill
By Ted Hearn 6/11/2006

Phone companies could enter cable markets within 90 days under streamlined franchising rules and cable incumbents could opt in to the new licensing regime when existing agreements expire or when phone companies arrive in the market, according to new telecommunications draft legislation from Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) obtained by Multichannel News.

The Senate Commerce Committee is in hearings for S.2686, the Communications, Consumers' Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006. The mark-up is now scheduled for June 22nd. This is where the wrongs of COPE can be righted. Once passed out of committee, the full Senate will vote on the Bill, it is then resolved with the House Bill in Conference Committee. See our S.2686 page for more info.

from: American Prospect

It’s Alright, Ma Bell
What the NSA eavesdropping program might tell us about the Bush administration’s love for telecom monopolies.

By Alexander Dryer

Last week, as details emerged of the Justice Department’s plan to have Internet providers log customers’ Web clicks and e-mails, the method behind the Bush administration’s domestic surveillance finally became discernible. The new initiative follows the pattern set by the NSA call-tracking program: The government deputizes telecommunications companies to carry out its spying.

from: Consumer Affairs

Congress Moves Quickly To Satisfy Telecom Demands

House Scraps Net Neutrality, Gives Telecoms Free Ride to Enter Cable Business

By Martin H. Bosworth
ConsumerAffairs.Com

The House of Representatives has passed its version of the most sweeping updates to telecommunications law in a decade, making it easier for telecom companies to compete with cable franchises, addressing issues of municipalities developing Wi-Fi networks tinkering with the Universal Service Fund that all telecoms pay into.

from: Detroit Free Press

Cable fight winner unclear
Competition could help consumers, maybe

BY DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

June 11, 2006

Dumping Michigan's community-based cable television system for franchising and regulation could touch off a price war that benefits people who watch television, use the Internet and make phone calls.

A worthwhile reminder that we need to hold our Congressional representatives acountable for the COPE tragedy no mattter which party they represent. The majority of Democrats voted for COPE, they need to be taken to task. See the House Roll Call to see how your rep voted.

from: the Nation