Every reporter loves a “man bites dog” story, something that’s out of the ordinary, a reversal of the norm. Especially so when the subject is something as abstuse to the average reader as, to give a random example, Internet regulation. Add in the opportunity to use the term “strange bedfellow” and you’ve got an irresisitible angle.
Thus, it’s far from surprising that so much ink and bandwidth has been spilled on the “strange bedfellow” coalition supporting neutrality regulation. Most recently, National Journal spun the tale, with a story today on the “unusual alliance” that has brought together rock band such as Nine Inch Nails with the Gun Owners of America and the Christian Coalition. “[T]he battle to ensure net neutrality has created an atmosphere where the lion can lie with the lamb,” NJ reports.
The problem is that, with a few exceptions, political animals are not mixing in this debate. Each species is pretty much sticking with its own.
Take for instance the Christian Coalition. Evidence that the social right is lining up with the left? Well, not really. While the Christian Coalition has certainly joined Moveon.org and Common Cause on this issue, it is pretty much an outlier in the battle. In fact, the bulk of social conservative groups oppose regulation. Organizations ranging from the Traditional Values Coalition to Morality in Media, for instance, recently joined up on a letter opposing regulation.
Similarly, the participation of the Gun Owners of America has gotten attention. But the fact that the membership of the second largest gun rights group in this battle merely underscores how far regulation proponents have stretched to “balance” their coalition. The conservative groups that actually follow economic issues, by contrast, are virtually unanimous in their opposition. Given the real splits among these groups on previous telecom issues, this unanimity shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
What of Congress? Certainly, many GOP members find themselves on the side of regulation here. No one has ever accused Congresss of being an ideological bellweather. But even here there’s less that meets the eye. For instance, despite all tizzy about Rep. James Sensenbrenner’s support of regulation, he struggled to find actual GOP co-sponsors for his bill. And Hillary Clinton’s recent announcement that she’s pro-regulation is–despite her recent swings to the right–hardly a shock.
But what of corporations? Aren’t they split? Yes, of course, But anyone who sees fighting among corporations in telecom battles as news just hasn’t been paying attention. Telecom and Internet firms always fight among themselves. Its been a constant civil war since Alexander Graham Bell asked Watson for a level playing field, and won’t change soon. Firms follow their self-interest, and that means they will naturally be found on both sides.
All in all, the coalition for neutrality regulation is pretty much made up of ordinary bedfellows, with most players where you’d expect them to be. Sometime dogs bite men. Maybe that’s the real story here.
The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.
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