Americans can expect more expensive internet for slower, less reliable service.

(Alexandria, Virginia) — This morning the 60 Plus Association, the nation’s largest center-right seniors group with more than 7.2 million senior supporters, issued a statement in response to yesterday’s FCC decision to regulate the internet like a public utility.  The decision came after the independent agency was heavily pressured by President Obama for a more dominant federal role in regulating the internet. Said 60 Plus Chairman and Founder Jim Martin:

“The Washington power grab continues, and yet again the result will be a disaster for America’s seniors. In one fell swoop, the technological geniuses who built a $600 million web site that didn’t work have now decided that they will now remake the internet in their own image, controlling it through a bureaucratic scheme of new rules and regulations that will result in slower, less reliable service, at a much higher price once new taxes and regulatory fees are included.

“This ruling is especially destructive to America’s elderly, who were initially slow to use the many wondrous technologies of broadband, but are catching up with a vengeance.  Higher costs hit seniors living on fixed and diminishing incomes especially hard, and higher costs are a certainty, to pay for this new regulatory scheme.

“The internet grew to be the technological marvel it is today precisely because it was NOT controlled or run by government, but with yesterday’s ruling, that all changed.  We will continue to oppose this scheme, so once again the internet may be free to continue to grow and prosper without the heavy hand of government holding it back. Government-free internet is what is best for seniors, and what is best for all Americans.”

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