WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, plans were announced to initiate a rulemaking notice concerning the Federal Communications Commission's Internet policy statement.  Two new policy principles were also announced concerning nondiscrimination and transparency.  The following statement can be attributed to Ken Ferree, President of The Progress & Freedom Foundation:

I’m troubled to learn that the FCC is embarking on an exercise that would probably result in rules that are unconstitutional and almost certainly beyond the FCC's statutory jurisdiction.  Aside from the legal issues it raises though, I find myself at a loss to understand why the administration wants to start meddling with a sector of the economy that, despite a challenging macro-economic environment, is performing pretty well by any rational standard.  What exactly is the problem they are trying to remedy?  Should they perhaps wait until they have a "Broadband Plan" in place before they start changing the rules of the road for the market?  It's almost as if they are trying to turn a story of success into one of failure.  It's just not the sort of practical and pragmatic approach that one would expect from this new, data driven FCC.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.