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United States News Title: Tech, telecom prep for sea change Talk of net neutrality and high-speed Internet didn't exactly dominate campaign advertisements this midterm season. But that doesn't mean Tuesday night's results don't foretell huge changes for the tech and telecom industries. Election Day 2010 brought the defeat of one of Washington's most respected tech minds, and the election of one of its potential new antagonists. It also saw two prominent former tech CEOs falter out West. The election will spell big changes for the top House and Senate committees that handle tech and telecom issues, and it'll transform them politically and substantively at a time that a number of important debates are reaching a critical mass - from online privacy to net neutrality. Many of those questions will not be resolved still for days. But here are some immediately discernable impacts: Rep. Rick Boucher's big loss: The Virginia Democrat, first elected in 1982, fell easily to state House GOP Leader Morgan Griffith early Tuesday night, immediately sending shockwaves through the tech and telecom communities. His loss not only leaves a huge leadership vacancy on the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee, but means the chamber will be without a member who has spearheaded countless tech and telecom initiatives this year. "I think the tech industry has lost one of its best and staunchest allies. Boucher got the promise of tech and innovation more quickly than anybody," said Sharon Ringley, former deputy chief of staff for Boucher. Boucher has been at the forefront of the online privacy debate, reigniting the conversation by introducing a preliminary bill compiled with the help of subcommittee ranking member – and perhaps new chairman? – Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.). He's been just as active on a slew of other issues too – including reform a fund to bolster phone service to hard to reach areas, rules that would ensure all Web traffic is treated equally and efforts to free up airwaves for more mobile phone and data use. Big changes to come on top House tech panel: GOP control of the House itself means that committee memberships will change - and with them, their agendas too. But that may be particularly pronounced on the House's top tech subcommittee, where a broad swath of members are not even returning to the full chamber. Retiring from Congress voluntarily are: Democratic Reps. Bart Gordon (Tenn.) and Bart Stupak (Mich.) as well as GOP Reps. John Shadegg (Ariz.), Steve Buyer (Ind.) and George Radanovich (Calif.). Those departures only complement a string of defeats to subcommittee members such as Democratic Reps. Zack Space (Ohio) and Baron Hill (Ind.); out West, Rep. Jerry McNerney (Calif.) was trailing early Wednesday morning. Combined with those leaving the chamber in pursuit of Senate seats – Reps Charlie Melancon (D-La.), who lost, and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who won – the total number of subpanel members leaving the House could be an even dozen. It isn't terribly unreasonable to surmise big changes are in store for a panel that will see a new Democratic leader, and could see a new GOP chairman if Stearns seeks a more plum assignment. The Senate welcomes Richard Blumenthal: Blumenthal 's victory is one industry leaders are going to watch closely: The newly elected Democrat has spearheaded or participated in a number of investigations into top tech firms, including Google and Craigslist, as Connecticut’s attorney general. "I think the tech industry needs to be prepared for scrutiny from him," said Kara Campbell, a GOP lobbyist for the Franklin Square Group. "He's as much said it, and I don't think it'll just be technology. . ." Blumenthal has been the public face of a more than 30-state probe of Google, launched after news broke that its Street View cars accidentally collected user information while mapping out U.S. areas. He has also assisted with investigations into Craigslist's adult services section, Topix and the e-book industry. A spokeswoman for the senator-elect's campaign told POLITICO in early August that Blumenthal planned to bring his aggressive approach to tech to Washington. "As attorney general, he has always stood up for the people of our state, and in the Senate, he will do the same," she said. Sen. Barbara Boxer, Jerry Brown fell tech CEO foes: Two hard-fought races out west sent two of the tech community's most prominent former business leaders packing Tuesday night: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) beat former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, and former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) won back his old job over former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. Despite both losses, Guardino said Fiorina and Whitman did a bit of trailblazing for the tech community. "What is good for tech is that two former CEOs have the courage and conviction to run. That continues the strong maturation of the tech community and the innovation economy," he said.
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#2. To: go65 (#0)
There’s no (anti-)net neutrality currently far along the pipeline, though both Dems and Reps have made noises about seeking to legislatively gut it. Since FCC commissioner Genachowski has no backbone at all and evidently wants to punt the ball to Congress completely, there’s a good chance the next Congress will try to enact an anti-Internet bill.
yeah, Net neutrality is pretty much dead now, welcome to the tiered, walled-garden Internet.
#4. To: go65 (#3)
No. Not yet. Verizon/ATT are trying. The problem is trying to wall off a Global Internet. And how obvious they'll be trying. ;}
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