Hands off the Internet started a stupid blog without comments.  The whole approach to honest discourse online has been a series of sneers, and they found out that doesn't work yesterday when every Democrat went against them.  Hands Off though is only one of several groups.  Telco money is everywhere; every Congressmen is getting multiple visits from telco lobbyists on the issue, and the telcos are spending on the order of $1 million a week on this fight.  

And McCurry isn't a hard core legislative guy, he's a PR person.  There are other lobbyists doing the hard core wrangling of legislators.  For instance, I learned from several sources and a press release on a web site that our old friend Steve Elmendorf is lobbying for the telcos.  It didn't matter of course; the Democrats were whipped into shape by Conyers, Pelosi, and the internet.

This is a sea change in Democratic culture.  The lobbyist driven machinery is being gummed up on the Democratic side.  I'm not going to say that the blogs and the internet are totally responsible for this, since corporate funds being cut off to Democrats has a lot to do with the shift.  

I do think that lobbying for illiberal policies is going to get harder for Clinton Kewl Kid operatives.  

There's more...

Here's the roll call vote for the House Judiciary Committee.  This is an amazing turnaround, from a bipartisan stance against net neutrality, to a bipartisan stance for net neutrality.  The battle isn't over, but enjoy this victory.

Democrats
Conyers - yes
Berman - yes
Boucher - yes
Nadler - yes
Scott - yes
Watt - not voting
Lofgren - yes
Jackson-Lee - yes
Waters - yes
Meehan - not voting
Delahunt - present
Wexler - yes
Weiner - yes
Schiff - yes
Sanchez, Linda - yes
Van Hollen - yes
Wasserman Schultz - yes

Republicans
Sensenbrenner - yes
Hyde - didn't vote
Coble - no
Smith - no
Gallegly - no
Goodlate - yes
Chabot - no
Lungren - yes
Jenkins - yes
Cannon - yes
Bachus - no
Inglis - yes
Hostetler - no
Green - no
Keller - no
Flake - not voting
Pence - not voting
Forbes - no
King - no
Feeney - no
Frank - no
Gohmert - not voting

There's more...

20-13-1 on the Judiciary Committee. All Democrats voted the right way except Delahunt, who voted 'present'. Congrats everyone!

The vote count is looking better than it did yesterday for House Judiciary Democrats.  Here's the most recent list I have. This is for support of the Sensenbrenner-Conyers bill HR 5417 supporting net neutrality. If one of these is your representatives, especially the leaners, please pick up the phone. This is crunch time.

YES VOTES

Conyers YES    
Boucher YES    
Nadler  YES    
Lofgren YES    
Sanchez YES    
Wexler  YES  
Wasserman Schultz  YES  

LEANING YES VOTES

Bobby Scott   Leaning Yes  (202) 225-8351
Maxine Waters  Leaning Yes  (202) 225-2201
Marty Meehan  Leaning Yes  (202) 225-3411
Anthony Weiner  Leaning Yes  (202) 225-6616
Adam Schiff  Leaning Yes (202) 225-4176

UNDECIDED VOTES

Howard Berman  Undecided  202-225-4695  
Mel Watt  Undecided  (202) 225-1510
Sheila Jackson-Lee  Undecided   (202) 225-3816
Chris Van Hollen   Undecided (202) 225-5341

LEANING NO VOTE

William Delahunt  Leaning No  (202) 225-3111

There's more...

Ok, so the House Judiciary is going to mark up Sensenbrenner's great net neutrality bill tomorrow. Many of the Democrats have been pressured by the Communications Worker's of America to vote down the net neutrality provisions. The CWA came out publicly against net neutrality just now because the telecom companies have convinced them that this is vital to their industry. The CWA has made a grievous error here, with SEIU taking the other side. I just learned that these are the members to contact on the Sensenbrenner bill. Here's what to say. Urge them to support the bipartisan Sensenbrenner-Conyers Net Neutrality bill (HR 5417) in the Judiciary Committee on Thursday -- and to support it without amendment. Saying without amendment is key.Howard Berman (D-Calif. 28th)Phone: 202-225-4695Fax: 202-225-3196William Delahunt (D-Mass. 10th)Phone: (202) 225-3111Fax: (202) 225-5658Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas 18th)(202) 225-3816 phone(202) 225-3317 FaxMarty Meehan (D-Mass. 5th)Phone: (202) 225-3411Fax: (202) 226-0771Bobby Scott (D-Va. 3rd)Phone: (202) 225-8351Fax: (202) 225-8354Chris Van Hollen (D-Md. 8th)Phone: (202) 225-5341Fax: (202) 225-0375Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 35th)Phone: (202) 225-2201Fax: (202) 225-7854Mel Watt (D-N.C. 12th)Tel. (202) 225-1510Fax (202) 225-1512Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y. 9th)Phone: (202) 225-6616Fax: (202) 226-7253Robert Wexler (D-Fla. 19th)phone: (202) 225-3001fax: (202) 225-5974