What happens if we lose our Net Neutrality?

The consequences of a world without Net Neutrality would be devastating. Innovation would be stifled, competition limited, and access to information restricted. Consumer choice and the free market would be sacrificed to the interests of a few corporate executives.
On the Internet, consumers are in ultimate control -- deciding between content, applications and services available anywhere, no matter who owns the network. There's no middleman. But without Net Neutrality, the Internet will look more like cable TV. Network owners will decide which channels, content and applications are available; consumers will have to choose from their menu.
The free and open Internet brings with it the revolutionary possibility that any Internet site could have the reach of a TV or radio station. The loss of Net Neutrality would end this unparalleled opportunity for freedom of expression.

Found on http://www.savetheinternet.com/=faq#congress

This article tells that if we lose Net Neutrality, our functioning way of life will change drastically and as a result, our freedom to express ourselves on the Internet will be limited or restricted by big businesses who profit by selling people their faster ways of accessing the Internet.

What's happening in Congress?

The SavetheInternet.com Coalition applauds the recent introduction of the bipartisan “Internet Freedom Preservation Act 2008” (HR 5353). Introduced on Feb. 12, 2008 by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), this landmark bill would protect Net Neutrality and spark a much-needed public conversation about the future of the Internet.
The new bill would enshrine Net Neutrality -- the longstanding principle that Internet service providers cannot discriminate against Web sites or services based on their source, ownership or destination -- into the Communications Act. It also requires the Federal Communications Commission to convene at least eight “broadband summits” to collect public input on policies to “promote openness, competition, innovation, and affordable, ubiquitous broadband service for all individuals in the United States.”
Big phone and cable companies like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner have been lobbying furiously to kill Net Neutrality. They want to exploit their gatekeeper power to decide what you can do on the Web.

Info found on: http://www.savetheinternet.com/=faq#congress

What this article tells is that the Internet Freedom Preservation Act would protect Net Neutrality here in the U.S., but is opposed by big Internet distributing companies who wish to exploit the Internet and it's consumers so that they can get as much money as possible.

What's the issue with Network Neutrality here in the US?

Proponents of regulating the Internet under a network neutrality regime are regrouping for another major push for federal action, with all of the Democratic presidential contenders lining up on their side. They have the advantage of an excellent marketing message they want to save the Internet. But just under the surface of that feel-good slogan is an aggressively pro-regulatory agenda that could deter needed infrastructure investment and ultimately end in government management and ownership of the Internet. And that spells disaster not just for economic growth and innovation on the Internet, but also potentially for freedom of expression.
Information found at: http://techrepublican.com/blog/the-conservative-argument-against-net-neutrality

Basically, this short segment is saying that the Republican party wishes to allow freedom to use the Internet, but the Government would end up being in complete control of it. However, there is nothing that says the Republicans would charge the American people to use it.
This article is interesting because it demonstrates the Net Neutrality side of the argument from the Republican point of view, but doesn't explain to the full extent of the Republican's ideals of Net Neutrality.

Politically, the House of Representatives passed the telecommunications bill dealing with Net Neutrality without adequate protections concerning it. The Senate, however, is split on the issue and currently resides in a tie vote on whether or not to allow Net Neutrality.

What's the current standing on Net Neutrality?

Currently, I believe that Network Neutrality is somewhat in use here in the U.S. This is because we, the Internet consumers, must pay in order to have Internet access, but once we pay, we aren't really all that restricted to what information we can access.

Network Neutrality: Free to surf or pay to protect?

Network Neutrality, first of all, is the ability to have access to whatever information on the Internet you want without having to pay for it. With Network Neutrality, we are completely unrestricted to whatever information we desire to access. With it, the Internet user will have to pay the provider in order to access information that is "safe" for that user and will restrict, to an extent, what information you can and cannot see.