FCC Gets Monkey's Paw From Telco Front Group

You might say it's a sort of monkey's paw that Hands Off the Internet, an AT&T-backed "grass roots" organization has called on the FCC to investigate Comcast for violating the four principles of Network Neutrality. On the surface, it looks like progress. But can it be trusted?

What's interesting about the letter is not just what is between the lines, but also how it plays on Martin's philosophical inconsistencies. They use his own words to the Senate Commerce Committee against him to drive home just how extensive the FCC's authority over Internet service providers is (or vice versa).

Another inconsistency to leverage: Martin's reluctance to regulate or interfere with telecom giants, but full willingness to get his hands dirtied with cable providers. Before the keys were cold again on HOTI's keyboard, Martin was dead set on Martin's words here:

Importantly, however, while the Democrat Commissioners may have extracted concessions from AT&T, they in no way bind future Commission action. Specifically, a minority of Commissioners cannot alter Commission precedent or bind future Commission decisions, policies, actions, or rules. 

The "concessions" are the same principles as listed above. Though a minority of Commissioners cannot bind Commission actions, perhaps AT&T-backed grass roots groups can. They've been pretty good at pulling Martin's strings in the past.

If they can hurt a competitor while ensuring Net Neutrality remains unenforceable (while making others think that it is), then that fits squarely into a win-win corporate strategy.

" AT&T's front group calling out Comcast is like Exxon calling out Texaco -- they're all bad faith actors with business models built on attacking competition in the marketplace and hurting consumers," says MoveOn.org's Adam Green.

But what is equally disturbing, is the extent to which AT&T is involved in the workings of our federal government. Recently it was revealed that the secret room at AT&T HQ reserved for NSA personnel was used not only to snoop on phone calls, but