Maine Passes a Net Neutrality Resolution 101
Spamicles writes "Maine has become the first state in the US to pass legislation on net neutrality. The resolution, LD 1675, recognizes the importance of 'full, fair and non-discriminatory access to the Internet' and instructs the Public Advocate to study what can be done to protect the rights of Maine Internet users. A 2005 decision by the Federal Communications Commission put in jeopardy net neutrality principles that had been in place since the inception of the Internet." Maine's resolution may be more symbolic than effective. This isn't the first time Maine has been out in front of other states on a controversial issue.
Civil War v2.0? (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems that not only is the federal government not acting with the interests of the people (I know, it's not news to anyone) but the state governments are actually becoming a lot more relevant than ever before.
I know that when we think of politics and elections, many people think of presidents and US house of representatives and the US senate. But clearly, since state level policies and law making are becoming more relevant, people should start paying additional attention to their state government elections as well.
Re:Civil War v2.0? (Score:2, Interesting)
BZZZZZTTT!!!
What this post reflects is a young understanding of something that's been going on as long as there have been states. It's why there ARE states - the term "state" can literally mean "country", and the "United States of America" can be literally read as "United Countries of America". It's a "body politic".
If you'd paid attention in history class, you'd remember that once upon a time, each state printed their own money, and had their own laws. They were, quite literally, separate nations until they united under the Constitution of the United States. This isn't new, and a modicum of research will reveal this.
Remember the (ahem) Civil War? Wasn't that a good case of states resisting what the federal government is doing?
Re:Ya think? (Score:5, Interesting)
When it comes to mass production it will often cost more to design a product or service which conforms to two different standards than just implement the stricter standard in all of your products.
If even 25% of the states in the US implemented a Net Neutrality Resolution the cost to ISPs to ensure that packets originating and ending in a Net Neutral state would be significantly higher than just abandoning QoS nation wide. And if someone like Google moved into your state then ISPs would need to know which datacenter IP range they need to throttle and which they can leave alone.
If you bounce your packet through a Net Neutral state and it is throttled while in the state, they've broken the law. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to ensure that every packet you send and receive didn't pass through a state with a net neutrality law?
Behold the beauty of de facto legislation. One of the first real gems of globalization.
Wish I still lived there. (Score:2, Interesting)
As a state is has one of the highest tax burdens (as percent of income). IIRC it's up close to 15% going to the state, and second only to Vermont. (Although looking at newer stats they may have cut it down some.) And that's on top of Federal taxes. That wouldn't be too bad if you could get a high paying job -- you can buy a lot of property, inland anyway, for the cost of a townhouse in other parts of the country -- but except for a meager high-tech area down around Portland (National Semi has what I think is their prototype fab there), the job market is in tough shape.
Leaving Northern New England was one of the saddest things I ever did, but by moving to the Mid-Atlantic region I got an almost 50% pay increase -- even factoring in the ridiculous cost-of-living and the necessity (as far as I'm concerned) of running the A/C most of the time. Still, every time I hear a story like this, I can't help but cheer a little. And then feel vaguely dirty for so blatantly selling out.
Re:Ya think? (Score:3, Interesting)
I think regulation like this can swing both ways: it shows the power of individual states' legislatures in potentially effecting great things. However, it can also show how a state law, if very poorly written, could adversely affect large swaths of the network, if it commanded the information-carriers to act in a certain way. (Although I think they'd be able to dodge some very onerous state laws on interstate-commerce grounds.)
Re:Wish I still lived there. (Score:3, Interesting)
And I sure have to agree with you, as a rule Maine's congress-critters have a backbone. I might not agree with all that they do, but that's life. As for the tax rate, they're trying to lower it by re-organizing schools, as well as other things. we'll see how that goes.