LETTER TO RIVERDALE PRESS EDITOR – CONGRESSMAN ENGEL VOTES TO GUT NETWORK NEUTRALITY - Commentary by Judith [Riverdale, NY]

I was shocked to learn that last week, Congressman Engel, voted to gut network neutrality. It was to me, mind boggling that he did this, since Congressman Engel claims to be responsive to and care about his constituents and democratic freedoms; mind boggling that he would vote against any bill that would give control of the internet to the large corporate moneyed interests, the large network providers.

Then, I went to Opensecrets.org, and got the following information, that Congressman Engel has received $8,000 from AT&T and $31,000 from Verizon so far in the 2005-2006 election cycle. Hmmm. The mass media is controlled by the large corporate interests and by those in power, so coverage of real issues important to all of us, is either scant or biased in their favor. Internet freedom is essential. The internet is often the only place where we can get real, detailed facts and information. It MUST be kept fair, objective and free if our country, its democracy and Constitutional freedoms are to survive. HOW can Congressman Engel claim to be a Democrat, and then throw his vote to the large network providers, at the expense of his constituents and democratic freedoms? I feel betrayed.

LETTER TO THE JOURNAL NEWS [West Nyack] EDITOR – ELLIOT ENGEL VOTES TO GUT NETWORK NEUTRALITY
Commentary by Jessica Flagg [Bronx, NY]

Unbelievably, or perhaps not considering his campaign finance contributions, Representative Engel, voted to gut network neutrality last week. He has received $31,000 from Verizon and $8,000 from AT&T so far in the 2005-2006 election cycle according to Opensecrets.org. The telephone utility sector is his largest contributor. This was in spite of many of his constituents who expressed their desire that he vote against any bill that would give control of what we can see to the large network providers such as AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast. Once again the little guy and Democracy loses to the large corporate moneyed interests. We are living in a time when all acknowledge that media coverage of real issues facing Americans is both sparse and biased in favor of large corporate interests and the power elite. We haven’t been able to rely on mainstream media as a truthful source of information since the demise of the “Fairness in Broadcasting Act” in 1986, during the Reagan presidency.

In fact, Democrats like Engel, have been using the lack of media coverage as an excuse for not standing up to the Bush administration on a host of issues. It’s their excuse for not investigating the Downing Street Memo and the lies used to get us into the Iraq war. It is why they aren’t more unified in opposition to the usurpation of power in the war on terror, and the violation of Constitutional Law, as exemplified by the illegal wiretapping of Americans. Lack of mainstream media integrity and investigative journalism, sapped their resolve to fight for an honest assessment of what went wrong in Ohio when exit polls all showed Kerry the winner in the stolen election of 2004 and it is why we are still facing the specter of possibly having DRE’s (electronic voting machines) commissioned right here in New York State!

We need a free and fair media. The internet is our last refuge. It is invaluable as a source of information and as an organizing tool for those who are fighting for Democracy. It is unthinkable that Engel, a Democratic Congressman has voted for its demise. Engel will stand in front of a room and claim that he is a “good progressive Democrat” because he is pro-choice and for gun control. I see those positions as basic requirements of “elect-ability” in New York, not as a progressive calling card. No, he is not the progressive he professes to be. He is all for the power elite, a true DLC Democrat. This vote exposes him as a “sell out” without principle, purchasable for a mere 40,000!

With Democrats like Mr. Engel, who needs a Republican? He favors the war. He won’t co-sponsor bills to investigate the Bush administration’s lies or abuse of power, and he caves in to the large corporate interests at the cost of Democracy! He gives the New York voters just enough pandering, but closer evaluation shows him as the eager, hand-shaking partner of the Republican leadership that is busy bankrupting our country and undermining our Democracy. I am challenging him in the Democratic primary to give New Yorkers the possibility of electing a true “progressive”, a Real Democrat. The march toward fascism must be stopped. Information is vital to a free society. Engel has shown himself to be an enemy of freedom with this vote.

[DUCHESS NOTE: Check out Jessica Flagg's NY congressional district 17 campaign at ... http://www.jessicaflaggforcongress.com/]