[North-NV-Greens] [usgp-dx] Fwd: Internet under attack in Congress. Act now.

[Paul Etxeberri]

>
>Everyone,
>We fought a similar  battle 2 yrs. ago ... and won - because 760,000 
>citizens called or e-mailed their Congress members,  who repealed 
>Michael Powell's regulation that restricted/denied short range radio.
>if you can send a letter to your Congresspersons now, and win again 
>.... please do it.   JE
>
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=1&url=http://www.freepress.net/>
>>free press
>>
>>
>>Dear Jenefer Ellingston:
>>
>>A bill just introduced in Congress would take away the right of 
>>cities and towns across the country to provide citizens with 
>>universal, low-cost Internet access.
>>
>>Giant cable and telephone companies don't want any competition -- 
>>which might actually force them to offer lower prices, higher 
>>speeds and service to rural and urban areas.
>>
>>U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) -- a former telephone company 
>>executive -- has introduced a bill (HR 2726) that would let cable 
>>and telecom companies shut down municipal and community efforts to 
>>offer broadband services.
>>
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=2&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/sessionsbill>You 
>>can stop this outrageous bill. Send a message to your 
>>representative now.
>>
>>Next, forward this message to everyone you know ...
>>
>>No less than the future of all communications is at stake. In a few 
>>years, television, telephone, radio and the Web will be accessed 
>>through a high-speed internet connection. Low-cost alternatives to 
>>telephone (DSL) and cable monopolies are emerging across the 
>>country, as cities, towns, nonprofits and community groups build 
>>low-cost "Community Internet" and municipal broadband systems.
>>
>>Companies like SBC, Verizon and Comcast have been introducing laws 
>>state by state that would prohibit municipal broadband, undercut 
>>local control and prevent competition. But we've been fighting back 
>>-- and winning.
>>
>>An alliance of public interest groups, local officials, high-tech 
>>innovators and organized citizens have defeated anti-municipal 
>>broadband measures in nine of the 13 states where they've been 
>>introduced this year.
>>
>>What the industry couldn't pass in the states, they're trying to 
>>push through in Washington. Sessions' bill -- the "Preserving 
>>Innovation in Telecom Act" (an Orwellian title if there ever was 
>>one) -- would prevent state and local governments from providing 
>>"any telecommunications service, information service or cable 
>>service" anywhere a corporation offers a similar service.
>>
>>Congressman Sessions worked for telephone giant SBC for 16 years, 
>>and his wife currently serves as a director of Cingular Wireless, 
>>an SBC subsidiary. SBC and its employees have been Sessions' 
>>second-biggest career patron, pouring more than $75,000 into his 
>>campaign coffers.
>>
>>We can stop this legislation and send a clear message to Congress 
>>that local communities -- not the giant telephone and cable 
>>companies -- should determine their own communications needs. But 
>>you must act now.
>>
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=3&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/sessionsbill>Please 
>>send a letter opposing HR 2726 -- and forward this message to 
>>everyone you know, asking them to do the same.
>>
>>Onward,
>>
>>Josh Silver
>>Executive Director
>>Free Press
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=4&url=http://www.freepress.net>www.freepress.net
>>
>>P.S. For all of the latest news on Community Internet and municipal 
>>broadband, visit the Free Press Web site at 
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=5&url=http://www.freepress.net/communityinternet>www.freepress.net/communityinternet.
>>
>>P.P.S. Want to get more involved in bringing Community Internet to 
>>your hometown? Join the Free Press Action Squad at 
>><http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=18988678&url_num=6&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/squad/signup.php>www.freepress.net/action/squad/signup.php.
>>


-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand