If the telecommunications industry had their way, there'd be no net neutrality. On that I think most people can agree.

If there is any doubt that net neutrality legislation is necessary, just be aware that the telecomms are very good at manipulating the system in their favor. Lessig has recently posted about some "sleazy stuff" going on with the DOJ and the SBC and Verizon merger. Meanwhile, somehow the Broadcast Flag issue has resurfaced this week. Public Knowledge explains,

Amidst all the Net Neutrality hubbub you might have missed the return of the Broadcast Flag, this time tucked into Senator Stevens’ 151 page telecommunications bill, S.2686. What’s an onerous copy protection scheme doing in the middle of a telecommunications bill? If you’re confused, you should be, it’s a tactic designed to sneak in a regulation that’s been repeatedly rejected by both Congress and the courts.

Isn't it time to realize that the public will have to work harder to push through proactive legislation such as Net Neutrality? Consider the lessons of the DMCA and the more recent attempts at a Broadcast Flag. Corporations will try again, and again, and again to implement their vision for the Internet and intellectual property. We need to go on the offense with legislation that creates our vision instead of continually trying to defend againsts theirs. Otherwise, I fear the war will be lost and the Golden Age of the Internet will be over.

I know I'm being melodramatic, but we really needs some advances on our side instead of only being able to claim small victories when the other side has been stopped from advancing for a moment.