During an appearance over the weekend at the Pizza Ranch in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush didn’t make any attempt to hold back his thoughts on net neutrality.
Bush, like other Republicans, argued that the FCC’s decision last month to approve the strongest-ever rules on net neutrality would “stifle competition, stifle innovation,” according to TIME.
It was the first time he’s publicly weighed in on the issue.
Bush, who was described as being in prime presidential campaign form at the Pizza Ranch — disheveled, with his open-collared shirt slightly untucked — talked about how the FCC’s decision rested on how it interpreted the Communications Act of 1934. Which he calls crazy.
“The idea of regulating access to the Internet with a 1934 law is one of the craziest ideas I’ve ever heard,” Bush said, according to TIME.
Just think of the logic of using a 1934 law that was designed when we did have a monopoly for wire-line service as the basis to regulate the most dynamic part of life in America, Bush said. It’s not going to be good for consumers. It’s certainly not going to be good for innovation.
Bush went on to say that backers of net neutrality are regretting the FCC’s ruling.
“There is no support for this now,” Bush said.