However this FCC Internet access story plays out, at the end of it, corporations will end up making millions and some sort of pseudo-monopolies will be created to crush competition. That’s what happened with the phone companies until Ma Bell was dismantled and that’s what happened with cable TV – and that monopoly still exists. How many cable companies do you get to choose from?

This is definitely a story worth watching. If you’ve got the energy, get involved in this one, it’s important. Write letters. Call your representatives in Congress. Complacency only plays into the hands of the corporate power-brokers.

The Federal Communications Commission is proposing an ambitious 10-year plan that will reimagine the nation’s media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the country’s dominant communication network.

The plan, which will be submitted to Congress on Tuesday, is likely to generate debate in Washington and a lobbying battle among the telecommunication giants, which over time may face new competition for customers. Already, the broadcast television industry is resisting a proposal to give back spectrum the government wants to use for future mobile service. Read more