The FCC's Internet power grab

Democratic commissioners on the FCC have adopted net neutrality rules, which will allow the FCC to regulate Internet Service Providers as public utilities. It’s hard to see the need for this action, since the Internet has been thriving without these regulations. Furthermore, these rules may stifle innovation and could be exploited to ram through Internet taxes and price controls. A Forbes article discusses the many drawbacks of net neutrality here.

 

Separately, the Tax Foundation published an analysis of my tax reform proposal, finding that it would expand the economy by 6.8 percent and create “more jobs, higher incomes, and better opportunities.” You can read the write-up here. National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru comments on my plan here.

 

Finally, the Nunes Digest is updated here.

Starting a business could get easier

I have developed a tax reform proposal that would make it far easier for people to start up, operate, and expand their own business. The Hill recently published an analysis of my plan, which you can read here.

Nunes office seeking interns

Spring and summer internships are available in my Washington, D.C. office, and summer internships are available in my Visalia office. If you know someone who is interested in politics and public affairs, wants to gain professional experience, and can excel in a fast-paced environment, please pass along this message.

 

Interns provide critical staff support and are often called on to work at public events, conduct research, and help with special projects. The application process is now open. For spring internships, candidates must submit their applications immediately; for summer internships, applications must be submitted by April 1, 2015. I accept both part-time and full-time applicants.   

 

All interns must have a high school diploma. Additionally, they must be enrolled in or have recently graduated from an accredited college or university. Applications can be downloaded from my website here.

For answers to questions about my intern program, please call (559) 733-3861 or (202) 225-2523.

 

Crisis deepens at West Coast seaports

The labor dispute between the longshoremen’s union and ship owners at dozens of West Coast seaports has become a critical problem, with some ships being forced to wait weeks before entering terminals. The economic costs in the Central Valley are increasingly severe – as ships get stuck at the ports, commerce is being slowly strangled. Customers for our products and commodities are canceling contracts and seeking out new suppliers, causing local businesses to warn of imminent layoffs. As is typically the case in these situations, farms and small businesses are particularly hard hit.    

The livelihood of Central Valley families cannot be held hostage to a labor dispute. It’s intolerable that the food they work so hard to produce is simply rotting away on the docks.  

The Obama administration has appointed a mediator to the dispute, but more needs to be done. The situation is urgent and could become even worse if the conflict escalates into a full shutdown at the ports. President Obama needs to announce forcefully that the federal government expects a fast resolution to this dispute. He must also clarify that if a full shutdown occurs, he will not hesitate to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act to reopen the ports, much as President Bush did in 2002 amid a similar labor dispute at the same locations.                                                 

When President Obama visited the Central Valley a year ago, he made a few brief remarks about the water crisis and then treated us to a lecture about global warming. Now that Central Valley families are suffering from a water crisis as well as a labor crisis, I urge the President to set aside his usual rhetoric, become fully engaged in the Valley’s struggles, and use the full authority of his office to help restore commerce in our communities.  

More ISIS savagery

This week has been filled with grim news, including the savage murders of a Japanese journalist and a Jordanian pilot by ISIS. Amid reports of crucifixions taking place in ISIS-held territory and the organization’s systematic torture, rape, and killing of children, it’s clear that ISIS is a spreading cancer that must be eradicated. It cannot be reasoned with or moderated – the only course of action is to annihilate its leadership, destroy its support network, and discredit its ideology.    

I recently discussed the spread of ISIS with Megyn Kelly on Fox News. You can watch the interview at the link here.