Oblivious to their constituents’ chief concerns – like crime and public safety, national security, or immigration – some Senate Judiciary Committee members have rushed through legislation to regulate and ruin our country’s leading tech companies.
And yet, according to a new poll from Echelon Insight, Americans from all sides of the political spectrum love our American businesses like Amazon, Google, and Apple. And they overwhelmingly oppose changes that would regulate and restrict the ability of these companies to deliver services and convenience through products like Amazon Prime, Google Search, and Apple’s App store. But our politicians appear to not hear their constituents.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s S.2992 – inaccurately named the American Innovation and Choice Online Act – would break Amazon Prime, render Google Search unreliable, separate bundled services, and expose America’s privacy and security to criminal enterprises and foreign actors. Parents would lose reliable 2-day delivery of diapers as Amazon couldn’t prioritize “Prime sellers.” Families would no longer see directions alongside their Google search results as Google couldn’t “preference” its own maps. Microsoft wouldn’t be able to bundle free services like Teams alongside paid ones. And, cybercriminals would have new opportunities to steal our data and exploit our electronics as the bill mandates sharing our data.
Klobuchar’s bill ignores the voices of the American people. Four to one, Americans say the government should not ban Amazon from promoting Amazon basics. But that’s what Klobuchar’s bill does. Three to one, Americans say regulations should be applied equally. But that’s what Klobuchar’s bill does.
Not only are D.C. politicians like Klobuchar out of touch with Americans when it comes to which legislation to move, but they are also out of touch with the needs of the American people. Three to one, Americans, who are facing the highest inflation rates in decades, know that legislation like Klobuchar’s will increase prices for their goods and online services. That is because Americans know that when politicians regulate our online services they make them worse. And that is why 2 to 1 Americans don’t trust Congress to regulate our beloved services in a way that makes them better.
Of the top issues facing our country today, regulating the tech industry barely registers. Instead, we are worried about COVID-19, the economy, and inflation. On issues that factor into our vote in 2022, regulating tech barely registers, and 72 percent of Americans say there are more important things for politicians.
Three weeks into 2022, the only bill considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee is Klobuchar’s bill to regulate tech – an effort that Americans oppose. It appears President Joe Biden isn’t the only “leader” who seems disconnected from everyday Americans.
Trust in our government is facing historic lows. That is overcome when we feel like we have a voice and we are listened to. But after the dysfunctional hearing on Klobuchar’s unwanted bill, I worry that D.C. politicians are only inflating America’s distrust of government.
Congress must turn away from a laser-like focus on destroying the businesses that have kept us connected and supplied our needs over the past two years and instead address the real problems of Americans. It’s time for our lawmakers to listen to what the American people are telling them – hands off our tech industry and focus on solving our real problems.
