Telephony Online reports that anti-trust laws will be cited as a precedent for Net Neutrality. Members of the House Judiciary Committee are proposing measures, which would guarantee equal treatment of data to all on a different front, making the assertion that to block equal access would promote unfair competition. According to Telephony Online, "The bill would require broadband access providers to provide reasonable and nondiscriminatory interconnection of their facilities to unaffiliated content, service and application providers and prohibit them from blocking consumer access to lawful content, services and applications."

Light Reading has proclaimed that a $ 10.7 Billion a year market is a possible outcome of the Net Neutrality Debate if the Telcos win, provided their billing mechanisms are set up properly. Referencing a report, they estimate that if Telcos prevail in delivering tiered service to customers they will be able to increase profits at a rate of $ 2 billion per year.

Physorg.com reports comments from the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006 introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr., "This legislation is a necessary step to protect consumers and other Internet users from possible anti-competitive and discriminatory conduct by broadband providers," Sensenbrenner said. "The FCC recently reported that 98 percent of American consumers get their high speed broadband from either a cable company or a DSL provider. This virtual duopoly creates an environment that is ripe for anti-competitive abuses, and for which a clear antitrust remedy is urgently needed."

Common Dreams.org has reported on their advocacy campaign for Net Neutrality. Public outcry about the million dollar a week lobbying efforts put fourth by the telephone companies will culminate with protests in New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco on Wednesday, May 24th.

Hillary Clinton has entered the fray, according to Multi Channel News, arguing for Net Neutrality. Opponents, in what is shaping up as a partisan debate, say that Net Neutrality is nothing less than a government conspiracy to take control of the Internet. Clinton is quoted as saying, "I support net neutrality. The open architecture of the Internet has been the critical element that has made it the most revolutionary communications medium since the advent of the television."

Also reported on by Multi Channel News was commentary by Senator Barbara Boxer. “If we don''t do this net neutrality [regulation], we are going to have a lot of people shut out of that [Internet] highway,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer, who called for changes to the bill that would restrict the behavior of phone and cable giants like AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp.

Daily Herald reports that the issue has gone so deep into public consciousness, people such as Moby, R.E.M., Q-Tip, Trent Reznor, Wilco, the Indigo Girls and the Dixie Chicks have joined the "Artists and Musicians for Internet Freedom" coalition in order to give their support.

Chicago Tribune reports on the status of campaign contributions from Google, the left leaning search engine giant who''s motto is "don''t be evil." As their statistics would have it, "In the 2004 election cycle, Google employees gave 99% of their $ 251,679 in contributions to Democrats. Sun Microsystems Inc. was next among the top 20 companies with 76% going to Democrats, followed by IBM Corp. at 71% and Yahoo Inc. at 63%, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The tech industry average is 54% to Democrats and 46% to Republicans."

Whether the issue boils down to the predictable, Republican versus Democrat tug of war, or whether unlikely members of the save the Internet campaign such as Gun Owners of America and Independent Christian Voice tip the scales of partisan gridlock, the outcome is sure to change the future of the Internet as we know it and force one side or the other to change their ways.

Author: Ian Elwood