Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski’s speech laying out the broad outlines of the ‘Net Neutrality rules he intends the Commission to vote on later this month drew fire from both edges of the political spectrum.

In his speech, Genachowski said the new “rules of the road” would:

“ensure that the Internet remains a powerful platform for innovation and job creation; it would empower consumers and entrepreneurs; it would protect free expression; it would increase certainty in the marketplace, and spur investment both at the edge and in the core of our broadband networks.”

AT&T issued a statement saying:

[Our] strong preference would be for the FCC to refrain from any regulation in the Internet space. We feel the industry's track record, the utter absence of any specific ongoing problem, and the state of the economy all argue for regulatory restraint. We also believe, based on jurisdictional concerns, that the issue should rightly be deferred to the Congress, a view also expressed by a bipartisan majority of that body.

Verizon’s Executive Vice President for Public Affairs, Tom Tauke, while applauding Genachowski’s efforts to “seek a consensus on the contentious issue of net neutrality,” said:

“In tackling this issue, the FCC is hamstrung by an antiquated communications statute. That's why this issue should be addressed by Congress.  Verizon has consistently called on Congress to update and reform the statute and adopt public policies that will encourage an open Internet, as well as promote investment and innovation across the Internet marketplace.”

On the GOP side of the aisle in the U.S. House, the current Minority Whip (and probable Majority Leader in the new Congress) Eric Cantor (R-Va) summed up the Republican position by saying:

“Rest assured we intend to conduct rigorous oversight and explore all our legislative options to put things back on the proper track.  If last month’s election told us anything, it’s that Americans are exasperated by the explosive growth of government and the higher taxes and burdensome regulations that come with it.”

Disappointment on the left was summarized by the president of the left-leaning group “Free Press,” Josh Silver, who said in a posting on the Free Press website headed, “Is FCC Peddling Fake Net Neutrality?”

“To achieve real Net Neutrality and preserve the level playing field that is in the DNA of the Internet as we know it, the FCC must do a lot better than other failed proposals we have seen earlier this year floated by big corporations or designed to win the unanimous consent of Congress. You can call any policy Net Neutrality, but the devil is always in the details -- and right now the details look grim.”

The FCC’s meeting to vote on new rules is scheduled for December 21, 2010.