Excerpt By Julian Hattem – 11/11/14 04:27 PM EST
…Just last month, Internet companies including Tumblr, Etsy and Reddit joined together to launch the Internet Freedom Business Alliance, a group endorsed by former Republican Rep. Chip Pickering (Miss.) that is aimed at getting Republicans to support strong net neutrality rules in the name of a free market agenda
On Tuesday, the group released a poll conducted by Vox Populi Polling showing that 83 percent of people who identified as “very conservative” said they were concerned about Internet service providers being able to “influence content.” Additionally, 83 percent of conservatives said Congress should take action to prevent cable companies from erecting “toll lanes” on the Internet.
The poll did not specifically ask about the potential for the FCC to treat the Internet like a utility.
Andrew Shore, the alliance’s executive director, acknowledged that he has a steep climb in persuading GOP lawmakers, but said it’s important that someone reach out to Republicans to make the business case for tough rules.
“I think it’s fair and intellectually honest for us to say that we have our work cut out for us,” he said on Tuesday.
“The other side had the field to themselves for a very long time, and they don’t anymore.”
For the full story: http://thehill.com/policy/technology/223725-democrats-line-up-behind-obama-in-net-neutrality-battle