[<a href="//storify.com/cbccommunity/ted-cruz" target="_blank">View the story "Ted Cruz deems net neutrality 'Obamacare for the Internet,' Twitter reacts" on Storify</a>]<h1>Ted Cruz deems net neutrality 'Obamacare for the Internet,' Twitter reacts</h1><h2></h2><p>Storified by <a href="https://storify.com/cbccommunity">CBC News Community</a>· Tue, Nov 11 2014 21:16:23
</p><div>Senator Ted Cruz, proving he doesn't understand Net Neutrality, the internet, the ACA, or analogies. http://t.co/4RMH0zPjMKJosh Scherr</div><div>U.S. President Barack Obama sent Twitter into a tizzy yesterday by coming out in strong(er than ever) <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/obama-pressures-fcc-for-strong-net-neutrality-rules-1.2829877">support of net neutrality</a>.<br><br>"An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life," he wrote in <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/10/statement-president-net-neutrality">a more than 1,000-word-long statement</a> published by The White House Monday morning. "By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known."</div><div>President Obama's Statement on Keeping the Internet Open and Freewhitehouse</div><div>On behalf of the nearly 4 million people who've declared their support for "protecting and promoting the open internet" by leaving comments <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2014/06/john-olivers-net-neutrality-rant-crashes-fcc-website.html by publicly pressuring the federal communications regulator to adopt tougher rules that would treat internet providers more like public utilities.">on the Federal Communications' website</a>, Obama asked the FCC in his letter to "implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality."<br><br>His suggested rules include prohibiting ISPs from blocking content, putting an end to throttling, increasing transparency among ISPs and, perhaps most importantly, banning ISPs from giving priority to higher-paying customers.<br><br>"Simply put: No service should be stuck in a 'slow lane' because it does not pay a fee," he wrote. "That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth. So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect."</div><div>It's time to keep the internet open and free. Read President Obama's plan → http://t.co/3y3YLQD6MB #NetNeutrality http://t.co/ifCoS1ty8jThe White House</div><div>Essentially, these tougher rules, if created and enforced by the FCC, would see internet providers treated more like public utilities — an idea that was received with an overwhelming amount of <a href="http://gizmodo.com/what-obamas-net-neutrality-plan-gets-right-1656941650">praise</a> online.</div><div>The White House's announced Net Neutrality policy is 100% on target http://t.co/eKIVB9RVoJTim Wu</div><div>We stand for the open Web & are thrilled to hear @WhiteHouse's plan to protect #NetNeutrality on our 10th anniversary http://t.co/JqyPD1fRBCFirefox</div><div>Amazing. Obama just did the right thing for the internet -- and made life hell for the FCC http://t.co/nr996QBZes via @vergeSara Jones</div><div>President Obama just made a major speech in SUPPORT of Net neutrality! That is awesome, now lets hope the FCC listens!Phil</div><div>If #Obama places his cards right he could go down as the President who saved the Internet.
#Obamacarefortheinternet #Obamanet #NetNeutralityJohn Strentz</div><div>While <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/the-net-neutrality-battle-for-equal-access-vs-pay-for-premium-internet-1.2620804">net neutrality</a> supporters were clearly pleased with Obama's remarks, others took up issue with the president's plan — most notably, American <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/10/cable-companies-obama-net-neutrality-proposals-fcc-fight">broadband providers</a> (and <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/peterlauria/president-obamas-net-neutrality-plan-crushes-cable-stocks">their shareholders</a>) and his <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/10/7186111/obama-net-neutrality-plan-draws-bold-reactions">political opponents</a>.<br><br>Republican Senator Ted Cruz (who famously <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ted-cruz-tea-party-favourite-renounces-canadian-citizenship-1.2671479">renounced his Canadian citizenship</a> this summer) was perhaps the most visible opponent of Obama's plan on Twitter, garnering widespread media attention for using the social network to label net neutrality as "Obamacare for the Internet" on Monday morning.</div><div>"Net Neutrality" is Obamacare for the Internet; the Internet should not operate at the speed of government.Senator Ted Cruz</div><div>Almost immediately, #ObamacareForTheInternet emerged as a hashtag.<br><br>Some used it to agree with Cruz, sharing their own fears and concerns about Obama's net neutrality plan.</div><div>Let's give FCC control of the Internet. I mean no govt. Has ever censored or blocked content like Iran. #obamanet #ObamacareForTheInternetJen - FU #ISIS</div><div>we're here to help - we'll just regulate it a little bit... what could go wrong? #NetNeutrality #government #ObamacarefortheinternetMichael Procopio</div><div>#Obamacarefortheinternet because government control worked so well throughout history http://t.co/pyZeEvt8dSJonathan</div><div>Fox News also backed Cruz up, writing of his tweet: "For the most part, he’s right."<br><br>"Today, the Internet is essentially unregulated and unfettered by the federal government," Fox elaborated. "But President Obama is calling for the FCC to reclassify the Internet as a utility and heavily regulate ISPs as if they’re monopolies, which they’re not. He’s using the debate to give the FCC enormous power over Internet pricing, products and service. Net neutrality is not an issue. Federal regulation of the Internet is.<i>That</i> is the only threat consumers need to worry about."<br><br>Many others, however, took Cruz to task for the remark, suggesting that perhaps he <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2014/11/10/obamacare-for-the-internet-net-neutrality-ted-cruz-and-the-danger-of-bad-analogies/">doesn't quite understand</a> the issue of net neutrality (or Obamacare, for that matter.)<br><br>"Ted Cruz and his team have the facts wrong about net neutrality. Obama specifically said the government would NOT be in charge of pricing," wrote Gizmodo in a piece called <a href="http://gizmodo.com/ted-cruzs-net-neutrality-take-isnt-just-dumb-its-dange-1656821283">Ted Cruz's Net Neutrality Take Isn't Just Dumb, It's Dangerous</a>. "Government will not rate regulate and saying so is lying."<br><br>"Cruz is rallying his supporters by denigrating the Obama administration's politics," the piece contines. "He is conflating a hatred with anything Obama stands for with a hatred for this particular stance, which is <a href="http://gizmodo.com/obamas-plan-to-save-the-internet-1656774403">a rational and potentially bipartisan solution</a> to a problem that affects everyone across the aisle (or at least everyone across the aisle <a href="http://gizmodo.com/fcc-incest-meet-the-cable-cronies-who-control-net-neut-1579963216">without ties to the ISPs</a>).<br><br>On Twitter, many attempted to explain net neutrality to Cruz directly.</div><div>@SenTedCruz Net Neutrality is the basis for a free market for companies on the Internet. Without the Internet is basically communism.Mikeal</div><div>@SenTedCruz This comment makes it obvious that you have no idea what you are talking about. When you end "Net Neutrality", it slows down.Linda</div><div>Here @SenTedCruz let me help you get the difference between #NetNeutrality & #Obamacare #Obamacarefortheinternet http://t.co/aRj8RqI6zcJames T Wood</div><div>@SenTedCruz you clearly know what you're talking about here. Be kind to your constituents and educate yourself. They don't deserve this.Nathan Morley</div><div>I am a big fan of @SenTedCruz but he is 100% wrong in opposing Net Neutrality. Please help us politely correct him.Cal Evans</div><div>Matthew Inman, creator of long-running internet comic series The Oatmeal, even produced <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/blog/net_neutrality">an entire net neutrality explainer</a> just for Cruz.</div><div>Dear @SenTedCruz, I'm going to explain to you how Net Neutrality ACTUALLY works http://t.co/rQWMlmJTmY http://t.co/dvxQGDZMBFMatthew Inman</div><div>While others posited that perhaps Cruz was only siding against net neutrality based on his <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/comcast-cash-spread-wide-on-capitol-hill-104469_Page2.html">alleged connections</a> to the American telecommunications provider Comcast.</div><div>@SenTedCruz I wish you knew what net neutrality actually is. How much money did you take from telecom companies, anyway? #ComcastWhoreRobert Dye</div><div>Isn't Comcast a big donor to Ted Cruz? #maddowThe Q</div><div>#Obamacarefortheinternet disturbed that Ted Cruz took money from Comcast to argue against #NetNeutrality congrats, you're informedAstor Gravelle</div><div>I said something disparaging about Ted Cruz on Twitter, and now Comcast is throttling my Netflix.Dony Furrer</div><div>Tonight Ted Cruz stretches out on a couch, his head on Comcast's lap. Comcast strokes his hair, tells him he's special, and pretty, and goodJohn Rogers</div><div>Of course, many found Cruz's tweet more comedic than anything — and because Twitter is Twitter, jokes hav been plentiful on the #obamacarefortheinternet hasthag.</div><div>I'm determined to make this a thing #ObamaCareForTheInternet http://t.co/y9gu2CGZqGShiro Sirius</div><div>Ted Cruz is Obamacare for the crystal meth gang. #ObamacarefortheinternetSpelling Patrol</div><div>"Rain is the Obamacare of Sunshine," a poem by @SenTedCruz
(by @thejoemoore) http://t.co/87ZYyq6Q7yChristopher Keelty</div><div>Does this mean that if were under 26 I would get to use my parents' Internet? #obamacarefortheinternetGraig Uhlin</div><div>Seeing Ted Cruz respond to net neutrality has me like http://t.co/tGtenfGmNjMaou</div><div>"Obamacare for the Internet" sounds like a pretty good idea. Poor people need Internet access too.Jamison Foser</div><div>LET FREEDOM RING http://t.co/xHghtoGqDhdarth™ </div><div>What are your thoughts on Obama's net neutrality plan and Cruz's reaction to it? Weigh in below.</div>
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