How Ted Cruz ruined the GOP strategy / Republicans
How Ted Cruz ruined the GOP strategy Rev. Al Sharpton talks to Vicky Soto, Joe Madison and Zerlina Maxwell about how Sen. Ted Cruz #39;s late-night showboating on the Senate floor allowed dozens...
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How Ted Cruz ruined the GOP strategy / Republicans - Video
Congressional Republicans are drafting an "industry-backed proposal" to enforce net neutrality rules while preventing the Federal Communications Commission from reclassifying Internet service as a utility,The Washington Post reported today. The Republicans "appearlikelytointroduce legislationnext month," the report said.
If true, Internet providers and Republicans would be resigning themselves to some form of network neutrality rules being imposed on broadband service. But they would avoid the imposition of utility rules under Title II of the Communications Act, a scenario the industry fears even more.
The FCC is on track to issue network neutrality rules that prevent or limit the ability of Internet providers to block or discriminate against applications and websites. The rules would include restrictions on "fast lanes" in which online content providers could pay ISPs for preferred access. The FCC may need to use Title II to impose these rules because of a Verizon lawsuit that led to a court decisionsaying the FCC could not impose per se common carrier obligations without reclassifying broadband providers as common carriers.
President Obama has urged the FCC to treat broadband as a utility, but the commission hasn't made a decision yet.
So far, deliberations on the potential legislation are happening in private. ThePost reports:
The industry-backed proposal would preempt efforts by the Federal Communications Commission to draw up new rules for Internet providers. While key details of the proposed bill are still being hammered out, the legislation would attempt to end a debate over the FCC's power to regulate net neutrality, or the idea that broadband companies should treat all Internet traffic equally, said the people familiar with the plan who declined to be named because the talks were private.
The industry officials said they are discussing details of the proposal with several Republican lawmakers, whom they declined to name. The officials also said the proposal is being backed by several large telecommunications companies, which they also declined to name.
The legislation would create a "Title X" that "would give FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler the authority to prevent broadband companies from blocking or slowing traffic to Web sites, or charging content companies such as Netflix for faster access to their subscribersa tactic known as 'paid prioritization.'" In exchange for those powers, the FCC would have to avoid imposing Title II rules on Internet providers.
While Obama urged the FCC to reclassify broadband, he also said the commission should avoid imposing Title II regulations that aren't related to net neutrality, such as rate regulation. Obviously, he would have the opportunity to veto any legislation passed by Congress. Republicans will have control of both the House and Senate beginning in January.
This would not be the first net neutrality legislation proposed since the FCC began its current deliberations. In May,US Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) proposed a billthat would have prevented the FCC regulating broadband as a utility.In November, congressional Republicans sent a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler claiming that the FCC lacks any authority to reclassify broadband. Even industry groups representing ISPs seem to accept that the FCC can reclassify, however, though they oppose such a move.
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Republicans may have plan to save Internet providers from utility rules
Now comes the backlash to President Barack Obama's outreach to Cuba.
Florida Republicans are leading the charge against Obama's new policy to end the isolation of Cuba, setting up a clash in Congress next year and a point of debate along the presidential campaign trail.
The controversy gives U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio a crusade to lead in the Senate and gives former Gov. Jeb Bush a cause to promote if he decides to run for president. The issue raises their profile on the national stage and sets up a clear contrast with Obama and Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic front-runner for president.
Republicans are looking for ways to block Obama from carrying out his plan to normalize relations with the Cuban government, set up an embassy in Havana, expand American travel to the island and create phone and Internet links.
"We'll do everything we can to address that in the days and weeks to come," Rubio, R-Fla, said Thursday.
He stood alongside outraged and heartbroken relatives of the men who were shot down while flying Brothers to the Rescue planes off Cuba's coast in 1996. The relatives clutched a poster of the men killed Carlos A. Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario M. de la Pena and Armando Alejandre Jr. calling them martyrs and showing their photographs. "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied," it read.
"We were so heartbroken yesterday when we heard the news," said Miriam de la Pena, mother of one of the men. "As a matter of fact, we were shocked. I didn't want to speak to anyone for many hours just trying to absorb what had just happened. Once again, Feb. 24, 1996, was felt in our community."
Rubio has indicated he will try to deny funding for a U.S. embassy in Havana and to block confirmation of any proposed ambassador to Cuba.
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week he would defer to Rubio on Cuba matters. Other Republicans were quick to join the fight.
"I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalizing relations with Cuba is a bad idea at a bad time," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a tweet.
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Florida Republicans lead charge against Cuba outreach
He also threatened to use the Senates budget powers to withhold the funds needed to fully reopen the embassy building in Havanas Plaza de la Revolucin.
I intend to use every tool at our disposal in the majority to unravel as many of these changes as possible, Mr Rubio said.
His call to fight Mr Obamas diplomatic initiative was echoed by Lindsey Graham, another Republican senator.
I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalising relations with Cuba is bad idea at a bad time, Mr Graham said.
The stand-off illustrates the political reality Mr Obama faces in his final two years in office with Republicans fully in control of Congress. While he retains vast powers over US foreign policy the Republicans also have a wide array of tools to try to thwart him.
Josh Earnest, Mr Obama's spokesman, said it was "odd" that Mr Rubio would oppose an embassy in Cuba when he had recently spoken about the importance of the US embassy in China.
"'Senator Rubio said, 'Our embassy [in China] should be viewed as an ally of those within the Chinese society that are looking to express their fundamental rights and to worship freely,'" he said. "We think the exact same thing can be said of the new American embassy in Cuba."
The US is currently represented in Havana by a special interests section that operates under the auspices of the Swiss embassy. The section is led by a senior US diplomat who would remain the acting envoy to the Castro regime if Republicans blocked the appointment of an ambassador.
Mr Obama will also need the cooperation of Republicans to lift the 54-year-old trade embargo that bans US companies from importing or exporting to Cuba.
The President called for an honest and serious debate about ending the embargo but few in Washington believe there is any chance the Republicans will agree before Mr Obama leaves office in early 2017.
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Republicans threaten to stop US embassy opening in Cuba
President Barack Obamas plan to normalize relations with Cuba has hit a familiar roadblock: Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Just hours after Obama announced that a prisoner swap with the Cuban government for two Americans was the start of a new relationship with the communist country, Republicans began informally kicking around ideas to stop any changes to the U.S.-Cuba relationship.
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On the list: deny Obama funds to reopen an embassy in Havana, stall the nomination of a potential ambassador, vote down a bill to open up travel more widely and ignore requests from the White House to lift a decades-old embargo.
(Also on POLITICO: Obama's December surprise)
When Republicans control the Senate next year, the party would be in a good position to get some of their plans done. But even if they cant fully stop Obama, who has some authority to act without Congress, the dispute will provide another opportunity for the presidents Hill rivals, including 2016 likely hopefuls Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, to continue to question his use of executive action a theme Republicans had already planned to take on next year around Obamas moves on immigration and Obamacare.
I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalizing relations with Cuba is bad idea at a bad time, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Twitter Wednesday.
In a White House address on Wednesday, Obama said he would direct Secretary of State John Kerry to reviews Cubas place on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, reestablish an embassy in Havana and ease travel restrictions. Obama also said the U.S. would increase remittance levels, expand commercial sales and exports.
(Also on POLITICO: GOP livid over Cuba)
We will end an outdated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests, Obama said. Neither the American nor the Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that is rooted in events that took place before most of us were born.
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How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play