General on UserVoice

Embrace Net Neutrality and the Internet as Public Good [updated]

2010-09-07T05:34:10+00:00

Conservatives are on the wrong side of this issue, and that was one of the reasons that despite having voted straight ticket Republican my entire life, I voted for Obama this time. He and the Democrats have a much clearer understanding of the importance of Net Neutrality than the GoP, who have instead uncritically, unquestioningly applied free market idealogy to the problem. The Internet is the greatest platform for cultural, educational, business, and technological innovation ever created, primarily b/c every potential participant faces the same low barriers to entry. Hence, ideas are quickly tested, and the good ones gain traction and grow. This also enables the 'long tail' of niche ideas to thrive. If you allow telecoms the control they seek, they will (have already promised to) raise artificial barriers to entry that distort the emergent processes of the internet in favor of larger, more deep-pocketed, more established players. Their initial plans to charge more for video data are a relatively minor distortion, but the trend is clear. They would, over decades, turn a vibrant forum of ideas and media into another top-down-controlled, dumbed-down, useless boob tube. If conservatives wish to rebuild the party around the Internet, you will have to come to terms with the fact that there are two forms of regulation - government and corporate, or de jure and de facto, respectively. In a pure free market with no government regulation, powerful players exploit the law of increasing returns to become even more powerful, and to protect their position by erecting articifial barriers to entry, or de facto regulation, at the expense of preventing good ideas from coming to market and challenging their dominance. Government de jure regulation is necessary to neutralize this counter-productive tendancy of free market participants. And that is the issue of Net Neutrality. We can't expect to successfully rebuild the GoP as a bottom-up internet-driven political force without embracing the fundamental principles of the internet that enable us to do this. Our effort may succeed in the near term, given the years or decades it would take for powerful telecoms to fully distort the internet and unlevel its playing field to their own advantage. But it is a moral contradiction that will one day harm America and the world, and we should recognize that now and correct our stance on the issue.

Maneesh Pangasa said:

Yes keep the Internet an open and democratic medium free of corporate gatekeepers and censorship. No ISP discrimination! Require ISPs practice reasonable network management no discrimination, if they are to discriminate they must look at packets to know what content users are downloading/uploading and if users are downloading/uploading anything online from competing video on demand providers for example to the cable companies they have to spy on users by looking into packets to know what is being downloaded/uploaded when deciding whether to block or slowdown access -- all web traffic should continue to be treated equally -- no to a two tiered Internet -- ISPs want to be able to create an unequal two tiered Internet with a slow public Internet and a fast private for profit Internet lane (running what they called managed services) where you pay more for faster speeds and better access.

The Internet was built on openness and should remain open -- ISPs want to implement something called paid prioritization where you pay more for faster speeds and better access -- right now with Internet openness and freedom all web traffic is created equally -- webmasters of websites don't have to pay for priority access to the ISPs -- thanks to Net Neutrality FOX News.com can't load faster of slower than Huffington Post,.com all websites load equally at the same speeds. Broadband is supposed to be fast and the service providers should not be able to discriminate against users.

Without Net Neutrality new webmasters and new websites would be restricted to a slow lane -- if they cannot afford to pay for priority access -- right now all web traffic is treated equally and its illegal for ISPs to push paid prioritization -- equal web access has to be provided to all Internet users -- websites should not load faster or slower based on whether the webmaster can afford to and does pay the ISP for prioritization.

Keep the Internet an open and democratic medium for individual free speech -- preserve Net Neutrality and extend it to mobile broadband so wireless Internet users have same consumer protections as fixed wire-line broadband offers. What happened to the Republican Party of Teddy Roosevelt -- former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt was a Republican and championed the nation's antitrust laws to protect competition -- and ensure markets remain free and open. Under George W. Bush policies enabled big business to do whatever they wanted even if it violated public interest.

In the U,.S. today because of approved mega mergers in Bush Cheney years there is no sufficient competition in broadband Internet access market -- today a duopoly of Big Cable and phone companies exists -- all of which want to be able to to discriminate -- with more competition in the market and a choice between several smaller ISPs and a few big ISPs there may be less of a need for Net Neutrality rules and there would be sufficient competition that if one big ISP tried to discriminate there would be sufficient competition for consumers to switch ISPs in protest -- right now it is next to impossible if your ISP discriminates to switch to another one -- as the other one will likely also discriminate.

Whether you prefer to vote Republican or Democrat you should be for Internet freedom -- protect consumers and future entrepreneurs -- small business owners of tomorrow online should not need permission from ISPs to innovate. An Open Internet encourages higher public participation and must be maintained.

support implementing antitrust rules that Teddy Roosevelt championed.

2010-09-03T02:22:44+00:00

Maneesh Pangasa suggested:
Former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt a Republican championed environmental protection and antitrust laws to protect consumers and free and open markets from monopolists. We need to return to regulating Big Business and that includes re-regulating broadband as common carrier to preserve #NetNeutrality and the openness of the Internet. No ISP discriminatiion/paid prioritization schemes.

Embrace Alternative Energy [updated]

2010-08-26T21:47:45+00:00

For too long, we have rejected support for new energy technology on an ideological, anti-environmental basis. But encouraging new technologies through tax incentives should be a cornerstone of the Republican tax-reduction pitch. Energy independence is important, and the "Drill, Baby, Drill" cants this summer made us sound close-minded and backward-looking. We must include all options.

Pat said:

Money spent on utilities is wasted forever. If alternative energy sources are made affordable, we should take advantage, pollution is bad, free energy is good. Everyone would agree with that.

new U.S. Gold Coin

2010-08-26T21:42:34+00:00

Pat suggested:
Sell quarter ounce coins at banks at spot gold prices. The profit (difference between real cost of coin and spot gold price) could be used to pay off real US debt (not interest on debt) and the wealth remains in the U.S.

Recruite and support Native American, Black and Hispanics! [updated]

2010-08-21T19:59:31+00:00

The world around us is changing and if our party does not change with it, without loosing our principles of conservatism (limited government, fiscal responsibility and social conservatism), we will simply become irrelevant. Part of this rebuilding effort must include not only improving the use of technology and outreach to youth and the grass roots coalitions but recruitment and support of Native Americans, Hispanics and African Americans who share our ideals and passions. Unfortunately I've seen first hand these groups marginalized at a time where everybody of like mind within our conservative movement should be embraced. The party needs to actively recruit and support qualified minority candidates, strongly support minority advocacy groups and perhaps most importantly include them in leadership positions!

Anon said:

azcatnative you speak a lot about getting support from natives and Hispanics and minorities but then you blast one Hispanic lady who was seeking help after losing her job UNFAIRLY because her boss was trying to cover the mess she (the boss) made by hiring her friend who new nothing at all, and did nothing, and when she quit, left all the work undone and made the boss look bad, so she tossed the blame elsewhere, on my mother. And just so you know any employer can deny unemployment and because of their high rich lawyers win even though its unfair and not right. So the next time you want to email a lady whose worked hard all her life and then is used as an escape goat because of some bitch, you better be kind and think of what you say and know facts before you insult her like you did you piece of shit.

restore the constitution as the founding fathers envisioned it

2010-08-19T23:02:26+00:00

endorse Palin-Jindal ticket in 2012

2010-08-19T09:41:34+00:00

prevent construction of new mosques in NY and elsewhere

2010-08-19T09:30:27+00:00

work to restore America's Christian heritage

2010-08-19T09:29:11+00:00

remove constitutional protections for islam

2010-08-19T09:27:36+00:00

Sarah Palin [updated]

2010-08-18T19:49:47+00:00

Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! This woman represents the best and brightest future for the Republican party. Sarah is to 2012 what Reagan was to 1980. She represents all true American ideals and really speaks to the core of the American spirit. If you dont believe me look at the numbers. According to this rasmussen poll! http://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub...n_helped_mccain Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCain’s bid for the presidency. 91% of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. We need Sarah palin, and we need her now! SAVE US SARAH!

Steve said:

Ms. Palin could sure benefit from some Grass Roots technology, like rVotes!

Decide that Voter Vault will be improved and accessible [updated]

2010-08-18T19:36:06+00:00

This tool has the potential for all of us to use. Much of it was locked out to many. If it was made totally available and flexible we can maintain accurate and usable lists.

Steve said:

rVotes is *far* more powerful and easy to use than Voter Vault, and it's completely and openly available to EVERY Republican candidate, their staff and volunteers in Rhode Island -- FOR FREE! Other states are available too. Makes VV look like a typewriter :) www.rvotes.com

Use rVotes technology instead of Voter Vault

2010-08-18T19:30:45+00:00

Steve suggested:
rVotes Web Technology allows every single Republican Candidate in the country to coordinate grass roots efforts with the latest technology. Its built by the same guy who co founded and invented the Democrat's immensely successful, national technology solution called VoteBuilder. He sold his half of VAN and switched sides 5 years ago. rVotes s for Republican politics only!. Its powerful stuff! Look who it got elected President? LOL!

Trade embargo on aMuslim theocracies

2010-08-18T05:18:31+00:00

VOGR suggested:
Cut all trade relations with Muslim countries that practice sharia law. Cease sending aid and comfort to nations opposed to the west.

Trade only with countries that trade fairly with us. Stop trade with China and start taxing them!

2010-08-17T01:51:23+00:00

BigE suggested:
Trade with Countries that Trade fairly with us! Tax Countries that do not Trade fairly with us. This would get the support of Middle America and will be a real solution for creating jobs and whatever party that supports this idea will be successful. Don't support this idea and 3rd Parties will arise, becuase no Party to date is thinking about the Dignity of the American Worker.

Fight for Obama's Impeachment

2010-08-14T20:28:49+00:00

Fully Embrace the Religious Right

2010-08-10T15:58:34+00:00