Time to Oppose the White House's Internet Power Grab
ByToday, President Obama will announce the creation of a new White House cyber-czar position with the power to promulgate security regulations and shut down private networks connected to the global internet.
There is no doubt that security measures are necessary to protect the internet. That’s why the last administration requested and got considerable funding from Congress for increased military and law enforcement internet security efforts from the NSA, Pentagon, FBI, and DHS. What there is still doubt about is how Obama’s plan to further fracture the United States’ efforts by adding Obama’s political team at the White House to the mix is going to help matters. We don’t oppose efforts to coordinate the nation’s internet defense amongst agencies, but when it comes to the White House determining security certification standards, micromanaging military procedure, or pulling the plug on networks, we dissent.
We brought this effort up over a month ago and briefly surged on a wave of support for our post at Digg. Young, liberal voters might willingly give Obama their first born, but they will not easily part with internet freedom. Many such people reacted initially to the President’s proposal by indicating real concern that the White House’s expanded power might be used to punish political opponents.
Given the breaking Dealergate Scandal, we think Obama’s timing on announcing his internet czar is insensitive to this popular reaction. Republicans should stop arguing with each other about how much they can compromise on social issues in order to win younger voters and do something tomorrow that might actually work to win the Facebook crowd: Release a statement of policy principles supporting a free and strong internet that opposes the White House’s power grab.
