The people of this country received some great news in April.
Comcast opted out of its reported $45.3 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. The
proposed deal would have been damaging to consumers/internet users on so many levels, leaving Americans at the mercy of yet another conglomerate. Daily Kos writer, Jen Hayden, originally reported the news
here.
Senator Al Franken (D-MN) has been rallying against the Comcast/TWC deal from the time it was first announced in February of 2014. He beckoned Congress, the DOJ/Department of Justice, his constituents, and general public to get involved. Sunday morning Franken sent out this email:
Dear XXXXX,
Friday, cable giant Comcast announced that it is walking away from a deal to acquire Time Warner Cable.
The deal would have been a disaster for consumers. It would have created a cable behemoth that would drive up prices, drive down choice, and, if you can believe it, make service even worse.
Comcast walked away from this deal because they knew the tide was turning against them. They saw the writing on the wall -- and we helped put it there.
I’ve been against this deal from the very beginning. And along the way, thousands of you joined me. You signed petitions. You talked to your friends about it. You posted on Facebook and tweeted about it to boost our efforts.
It’s a huge victory for American consumers. It’s proof positive that a strong, persistent grassroots movement can make a difference. And while our fight to protect consumers will no doubt continue in the days and weeks to come, let’s enjoy this win.
Thank you for all you've done.
Al
The New York Times reports:
The Justice Department confirmed that it had significant concerns that the proposed merger “would make Comcast an unavoidable gatekeeper for Internet-based services that rely on a broadband connection to reach consumers.”
“This is a victory not only for the Department of Justice,” Eric Holder said in a statement, “but also for providers of content and streaming services who work to bring innovative products to consumers across America and around the world.”
Thank you, Senator Franken for putting the people first, and thank you, former Attorney General Eric Holder for
filing a lawsuit against the intended transaction. Most of all, thank you to all those who got involved and protested the merger. It's good thing when elected officials hear the voice of the people and do their job. It is a
great thing when the people of this country win.
Franken has also been working diligently to overturn Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruling which has enabled the Koch Brothers and their ilk to buy candidates, buy elections, and buy our laws. I believe Senator Franken will see that one to the end, as well.
Here are way to connect with Franken:
Al Franken On Facebook
Al Franken On Twitter
AlFranken.Com Website
Al Franken: Citizens United Petition
Special Recognition to technology expert Susan P. Crawford and US Representative John Conyers (D-Mich), who were also strong opponents of the Comcast/Time Warner merger from the beginning.