The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
It is quite likely that Bob Ferguson knows more about the law than I do. After all, he is the state’s attorney general and would make a strong candidate for higher office (hint, hint), while the extent of my legal experience comes from barstool arguments.
So, when Ferguson says the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act in overturning the Obama-era policy known as net neutrality, I tend to believe him. He probably knows more about net neutrality than I do, as well.
You might have heard something about this. Proponents of net neutrality say that it guarantees free and open access to the internet. Considering that the internet has become about as essential as oxygen to our daily lives, this is a big deal, and it has led to plenty of discussion on — naturally — the internet.
But despite much hand-wringing and what seems to be unanimous support for net neutrality outside of corporate boardrooms, the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to overturn the policy. It voted to abolish requirements that internet providers such as Verizon and Comcast distribute internet access fairly and equally.
Because Ajit Pai, who was appointed chairman of the FCC by President Donald Trump, used to work for Verizon, this has raised some hackles. Pai has been painted by many as the real-world equivalent of Kylo Ren, which is a timely pop-culture reference with a new Star Wars movie being released this weekend.
All of which leads us to an admission of mixed feelings. Net neutrality sounds beneficial for consumers, and in the age of a president who responds to dissent with the maturity of a toddler, the thought of major companies blocking particular websites is disturbing. This, after all, is how democracy is destroyed and dictators are created.
But while the issue of net neutrality is cause for concern, it also brings to mind one of my parenting mantras: Choose your battles. That’s what I tell my kids, particularly when they are complaining about something inconsequential. And considering that I am a better parent than I am a lawyer, it is especially relevant in this case.
You see, the policy of net neutrality was adopted in 2015. We managed to survive 20 years of the internet without it, and we probably didn’t notice when it took effect. Which means that the sky-is-falling critiques seem to ring with a touch of overreaction and a reminder that battles should be chosen with discretion.
An infantile determination
Undoubtedly, the Trump administration is driven by an infantile determination to overturn anything that has Obama’s name on it. Ignoring the fact that his predecessor is a man of dignity, Trump is intent upon appealing to the poorer nature of his supporters by pretending that the previous eight years of economic recovery and presidential decorum never happened.
As USA Today wrote in a scathingly accurate editorial the other day, Trump “is not fit to clean the toilets in the Barack Obama Presidential Library or to shine the shoes of George W. Bush.” As conservative columnist George Will wrote last week: “He completed his remarkably swift — it has taken less than 11 months — rescue of the 17th (president), Andrew Johnson, from the ignominy of ranking as the nation’s worst president.”
Still, it is not clear that net neutrality is the sword upon which Trump’s critics should fall. It seems more sensible to maintain focus upon an abhorrent tax bill, efforts to take health care away from people, an embrace of white supremacists, attempts to demonize the media, possible collusion with a foreign adversary to influence the election, and the normalization of lying as political strategy.
Then again, it is not wise to argue against Bob Ferguson. As noted in a press release: “We are 5-0 against the Trump Administration because they often fail to follow the law when taking executive action.”
And the guess here is that Ferguson is not yet tired of all the winning.
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