For the last decade or so, the internet has been regulated by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules. They state that internet service providers must treat all media the same, and not discriminate on the basis of the user, website, or platform. What this means for the average internet user is that your service provider has to provide access to every website and service on the internet at the same speeds and for the same price.

But in December of last year, led by chairman Ajit Pai and other Republican House members, the FCC voted to repeal net neutrality. Net neutrality rules will be repealed unless the senate somehow manages to overturn the FCC’s decision, which does not seem likely given the fact the Republicans also control the Senate. Without this regulation, Comcast, for example, can force a site like Netflix to pay premiums for better internet speeds and they can pressure other websites, such as Hulu, into paying more by slowing down their speeds and driving away traffic. They can also pressure customers like you and I into a similar situation. Without net neutrality rules, you could also be forced into paying expensive add-ons for certain websites. Service providers would also be able to offer premium service to only the wealthiest of customers, leaving the rest with far inferior options of service.

Over the past 20 years or so, the internet has become a necessity of daily life in this country. It is used for shopping, finding jobs, applying for schools, buying food, finding a home, finding a significant other, communicating with others and much more. To allow something so important to be controlled by big businesses is a crime. Without net neutrality, the average internet consumer becomes a pawn to be played by corporations for economic gain.

The vote that repealed net neutrality split down party lines, with only Democrats voting to save the rules. This atrocity only helps to highlight a trend of blind partisanship that has inhibited the productivity of government and allowed those select few with more money than the rest to influence government more than the average voter.

Net neutrality is just the beginning. I expect many more mistakes to be made because of our elected officials blindly following party lines.