Republican Engineers Call Ted Cruz Out For Ignorance on Net Neutrality

[n2doc]

by Mike Masnick
Last week, we mentioned Senator Ted Cruz's nutty tweet comparing net neutrality to "Obamacare." It was widely mocked -- even by many Republicans -- as it showed Cruz's ignorance of the subject at hand. In fact, one report detailed a number of comments on Ted Cruz's Facebook page from Republican/conservative engineers disagreeing with Cruz and pointing out that he's uninformed about net neutrality. Here's a sampling:




There's a lot more like that, but it highlights what we've seen before -- that while Congress likes to pretend that Republicans are against net neutrality while Democrats are for it, the reality is that net neutrality is a non-partisan issue with voters of both parties overwhelmingly supporting net neutrality.

Rather than recognize this fact, Cruz has decided to double down on it with a rambling and misguided opinion piece in the Washington Post that repeats the "Obamacare for the internet" line, and lumps in a variety of other tech issues in a confusing (and often self-contradictory) jumble. He warns against taxing internet access (good), but then joins in the total overreaction to the Commerce Department's decision to officially relinquish its (barely existent) control over ICANN, falsely claiming that this will allow the Russians, Chinese and the Iranians to control the internet. This is not true. In fact, by giving up the Commerce Department's link to ICANN, it helps cut off the path the Russians, Chinese and Iranians are trying to use to do an end run around ICANN, by giving more power to the ITU. In other words, Senator Cruz (once again) seems to not understand this policy issue at all, and is recommending a policy that is more likely to lead to the world he fears.

more
https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20141115/07454429157/ted-cruz-doubles-down-misunderstanding-internet-net-neutrality-as-republican-engineers-call-him-out-ignorance.shtml

[Vinca]

1. It doesn't matter. Cruz might say the exact opposite to another crowd the next day.

I doubt he knows what he actually believes anymore.

[0rganism]

33. i think he's concluded that it doesn't matter what he actually believes

naturally, that implies he might be swayed by evidence, which is perhaps giving him too much credit. Still, i think he's hit on a winning formula in which all he has to do is oppose Pres. Obama on EVERYTHING and a strong majority of his constituents will approve.

[joshdawg]

2. Cruz/Gohmert 2016!

snark

[n2doc]

3. Don't give them any ideas! n/t

[lobodons]

9. As good as that ticket would be

Its unconstitutional. Way too much whackadoodleness in Texas.

[SpankMe]

10. Luckily, Tea Party Teddy was born in Canada. So, no POTUS for him. n/t

[leftofcool]

28. Not true, his mother was an American citizen living in Canada so he is eligible to run.

Unfortunately. But I say we start a birther movement anyway.

[essaynnc]

4. And how the heck do we call him out on his lies publicly?

Yes, the entire country needs to hear about this lie that he's spewing, just like each and every other lie and half-truth and misrepresentation that the repubs. tell, and GET AWAY WITH ON A DAILY BASIS! But very few will hear about it. Republicans win elections because they tell these lies and they are continuously repeated on the media, rarely called out for what they are. Unfortunately, sometimes our only response is to sit around and congratulate ourselves on calling them out to other DU readers, those that already agree with us.

What to do, what to do??? K+R, K+R, K+R to everyone you know??? Does that really help? How about full page ads in major newspapers? Or maybe sky writing it above every major city in the US?? I think putting Senator Warren in charge of messaging is a great idea. I'm thinking that she has some great ideas on better ways to present a consistent, truthful message to swing voters and America in general.

Whew! I feel better now. Thanks for listening to my rant......!

[EEO]

5. Mitt's coming back soon. You want to see spin again...

[LeftinOH]

6. Cruz is all theirs, all theirs. If it pains them to find fault with

one of their own - so be it.

[Tom Ripley]

32. +1000

[PatrynXX]

7. at the rate he's going though

he'll have less supporters than Joni Earnestnot

[matt819]

8. You gotta laugh

One of those engineers says he wants government out of almost everything. Except in this case, where he wants government front and center. I think if you drilled down with these so-called intelligent people you'd find that they all benefit from and support government involvement in their lives.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. Noticed That Too

Typical, "as long as i get mine" mentality from the radical right.

Like tea party seniors hating Obamacare when it has less government intervention into the health care system than the Medicare they're all on.

[sammy750]

11. Cruz speaks and is supported by the Ignorant.

No smart individual will listen or believe Cruz or any GOP member. History shows they LIE often.

[NewJeffCT]

12. Don't worry, Teddy

as soon as Herr Limbaugh, Hannity and the rest of Fox News, the New York Post, Washington Times, etc, etc start pounding away at the issue day after day and week after week, you'll see Republican points of view start doing a 180 on this issue. The Republican base will soon be singing your praises as a prescient leader on the issue.

[Martin Eden]

13. Chicago Tribune published a Ted Cruz commentary yesterday

He goes on and on about how Net Neutrality is Obamacare for the internet.

They also published a scathing commentary about how Obamacare was passed on the basis of lying to the public.

The Tribune has always been conservative, but more and more it's rightwing propaganda.

[NCjack]

14. Sen. Cruz' Obam-adar pointed to "LIE" and the ignorant senator went with it. nt

[Dopers_Greed]

15. Too late

I'm already expecting to hear "Obamacare for the Internet" at holiday dinners.

[Odin2005]

16. "Conservative engineers" is redunant.

In my experience the vast majority of engineers are wing-nuts.

[ProfessorGAC]

25. Lots of Paulites

Lots of two dimensional, nuts and bolts thinking from this crowd. As a scientist surrounded by engineers, i see it all the time.

Pretty smart people, but no imagination. Like the Ed Norton character in the Italian Job. Look how that worked out for him.

[SomethingFishy]

17. Saw that the other day... Hilarious if it didn't suck so bad..

There was a guy on The Newsroom last night that said "The President couldn't get a bill passed through congress confirming that we are called the USA"


So true. If Obama says it, they hate it.

[Central Scruitinizer]

18. The Whitehouse should place a well timed Executive Order;

All puppies are good and good for the country.

[RussBLib]

19. the REALLY sad thing is...

...all their lies and obstruction WORKED. At least in the sense that they gained seats everywhere.

[Plucketeer]

20. Senator Cruz

Charter member: Dunce of the month club.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

21. Nah

Just one of the best Senators money can buy. Comcast has heavily invested in him.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. No Longer Eligible For The Prize

He's won too many times already. He's now in the Dunce Hall of Fame

[Jim Beard]

22. He scares me because

many claim he is a very good speaker. Not me but many others.

[immoderate]

27. He sounds like Mr. Magoo.

--imm

[NewJeffCT]

35. Republicans also think he's a genius

since he went to Harvard. (So did George Bush...)

Not going on content, I think Marco Rubio is a good speaker compared to most Republicans. Most other Republicans, I think are mediocre speakers at best.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

37. Bush went to Yale

On a legacy admittance i.e. affirmative action for the wealthy

[NewJeffCT]

38. W. Bush then went to Harvard

graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA

[Adrahil]

23. So, these idiots support science deniers.....

.... and then they are surprised when they ignore other evidence? Shocked. I'm SHOCKED I tell you.

[ALBliberal]

29. off topic but

How can he run for president if he was born in Canada? Does giving up his Canadian citizenship make him NOT born in Canada? Maybe it makes him at least more American than someone born in Hawaii because Canada is in the North American continent, sarcasm thingy

[Old Nick]

30. There are Republican Engineers???

I thought they all just leave everything up to Gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd.

[Cha]

31. Freakin' cruz did Not even understand Green Eggs and Ham.. too complicated.

mahalo n2doc

[SleeplessinSoCal]

36. Here's bad news for neutrality.

http://huff.to/1qSGmkC

“The FCC has a top-notch staff of lawyers ... I wouldn’t be surprised if drafts of the approach have already been written. And lobbyists have had plenty of time to make their voices heard," said Tannenbaum. “It's a question of what policy to implement, not what law to use or how to write regulations.”

Net neutrality supporters expressed puzzlement that the FCC should need more time to weigh its options, since the idea of treating the Internet like a utility has been around for years. Wheeler has said for months that he has been taking Title II plans under serious consideration."

[Dont call me Shirley]

39. Thom Hartmann read this story today!

Good job

[bayhuntr]

40. He Knows What Works

Ted made the claim because it usually works. Add Obama or Benghazi to something and his base will fall for it. He probably was surprised some of his base weren't as ignorant as usual.