Random Thoughts (W-End Edition): Working Away.....

It was quite a week as I joined Supervisor Lisa Bartlett's Orange County California 5th District Roundtable on Homelessness.  It was a packed two years of ideas & resources.   It is indeed a challenge as I wanted to  share a snapshot of the resources shared:

September 8, 2017 Thank you all for attending the South County Homelessness Roundtable and Service Planning Area Meeting on Wednesday, September 6, 2017. Presentation Materials: Orange County Survey on Homelessness – Probolsky Research OC Health Care Agency – Programs Information Handout Ending Family Homelessness 2020 Friendship Shelter Handout OC Health Care Agency - Outreach & Engagement Services video and website Homeless Services Chart Additional Information: Ways to Contribute - South County C2eH CES Statistics Handout FaCT Family Resource Center Flyer Thank you and feel free to reach out to my office with any questions. Sincerely, LISA A. BARTLETT Supervisor, 5th District, County of Orange

It has also been a busy week at the Daily Outsider that culminated in a number of key updates which I was privileged to support. It is an issue of special interest to me as the evolution of  #Irma is right now wrecking havoc on Florida as it left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean.   I was so glad to help curate the grassroots response that the team at @DailyOutsider released earlier today...--as I am writing this, Al Jazeerea's live feed on the Daily Outsider is reporting from reporters on the ground as Irma hits.    

As I tended to on-going commitments, I recently reached out to Senator Harris and Congressman Rohrachber on the issue of Net Neutrality. Both Responses are quite interesting and I wanted to feature--the responses are pre-programmed as I know they have to deal with millions--but at least it is worth noting to get a sense of both sides of the political divide: 

Challenging times!!!

September 8, 2017
	Thank you for contacting me to express your support for net neutrality. I always appreciate hearing from California constituents and welcome the opportunity to respond on this important issue. Nearly fifty years ago, California researchers built a prototype interoperable computer network. Today, that network is the internet—an engine of unprecedented innovation, creativity, and prosperity. The internet has transformed our society, connecting us with loved ones, enabling entrepreneurship on a level playing field, and providing instant access to a global audience. A free and open internet is a powerful tool, particularly for historically disadvantaged communities. Anyone can use the internet to make their voice heard, regardless of their gender, the color of their skin, who they love, or where they were born. And any business, no matter how small or new, can use the internet to connect with consumers and thrive. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted commonsense rules to protect the internet’s openness. Those net neutrality rules, called the Open Internet Order, provide that the gatekeepers to the internet—cable companies and wireless providers, for example—cannot block, slow down, or otherwise interfere with lawful online services. Those rules guarantee that the online marketplace remains a level playing field, where you—not your service provider—get to choose the next global sensation. The new leadership at the FCC recently proposed a radical regulatory reversal, effectively eliminating the Open Internet Order. I strongly oppose the proposal, and as your senator, I will fight to protect net neutrality. Just as importantly, I have exercised my right as a member of the public to comment on the FCC’s proposal—joining the over 700,000 Californians who have urged the FCC to maintain net neutrality. I encourage you to continue making your voice heard. The internet is one of California’s greatest gifts to the nation, and to the world. As Californians, I believe we have a special responsibility to safeguard the internet’s freedom and openness. Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3553. Sincerely, Kamala D. Harris United States Senator September 8, 2017 Dear Mr. Pouraryan: Thank you for contacting me with your views regarding  Federal policy relating to internet access and “net neutrality”.  I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. As you may know, in 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a set of regulations known as the Open Internet Order.  Among other things, these rules reclassified broadband internet access service (BIAS) from an information service to a telecommunications service under the Communications Act of 1934.  Because telecommunications services may be regulated much more stringently than information services, the FCC was then able to implement restrictions on internet service providers (ISP) to impose what is now commonly known as net neutrality.  Those regulations included, among other things: (1) a requirement that ISPs disclose information regarding the management of their networks, (2) a prohibition on mobile and broadband ISPs from blocking lawful websites, content, apps, and other web-based products, and (3) a prohibition on unreasonable discrimination in the transmission of lawful network traffic.  On May 18, 2017, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would reexamine the 2015 Open Internet Order.  The proposed rule would, among other things, reverse the Title II utility designation and seek public comment on the merits of other existing regulations. I believe internet’s success, to a large degree, is attributable to the “hands off” approach employed by the federal government prior to the 2015 Open Internet Order.  Federal regulation rarely if ever encourages innovation and growth in any given industry.  Thus, I support the FCC’s reversal of its 2015 decision.  Should Congress consider legislation regarding net neutrality, it would be under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  While I do not serve on this committee, I will keep your views in mind should any piece of legislation on this subject receive a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.  Again, thank you for giving me the benefit of your views.  Please continue to keep me informed on any federal issue of importance to you.   Sincerely, Dana Rohrabacher Member of Congress I end with this "thought 4 the Week" as the new week dawns: