By last count, Google has way more than two lobbyists or consultants per member of Congress. So what does Google need in addition to Net Coalition, the CCIA, Public Knowledge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and millions upon millions in registered lobbyists? According to reports:
A new trade group representing the interests of Internet companies is set to launch on September 19, with the politically experienced Michael Beckerman as its inaugural president and CEO.
Google, Facebook, Amazon and eBay are reportedly among the founding members of the Internet Association, as the organization is named.
It intends to be “the unified voice of the Internet economy, representing the interests of America’s leading Internet companies and their global community of users” by taking advocacy positions on public policy issues. Its stated goal is to “strengthen and protect an open, innovative and free Internet.”
That mission statement makes it clear that the Internet Association wants to ensure legislators are better informed before they work on another bill like the Stop Online Piracy Act or the Protect IP Act, bills that had ramifications beyond what most politicians understood.
Beckerman formerly served as House Energy and Commerce Committee deputy staff director and has a background in telecom and Internet policy.
He issued the following statement: “The Internet isn’t just Silicon Valley anymore, the Internet has moved to Main Street. Our top priority is to ensure that elected leaders in Washington understand the profound impacts of the Internet and Internet companies on jobs, economic growth and freedom.”
Ah, yes. Main Street. That would be the place that the shops are where Amazon sends its users to sample goods they then buy from Amazon without paying local sales tax and without Amazon bearing the overhead of maintaining a show room. That Main Street? Where the artists live who have been savaged by one of the biggest income transfers of all time? That Main Street?
And who is this Michael Beckerman? He “has a long record of Internet policy experience, most recently serving as Deputy Staff Director to the House Energy and Commerce Committee….”
So light up the Fat Cat Signal, yet more million dollar lobbyists are representing Internet “users” again.
Cashing in, in other words. Don’t let the revolving door hit you on the way out.
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