eWeek published a face off between Professor David Farber, frequently called the "Grandfather of the Internet" and Vinton Cerf, called by many the "Father of the Internet."
Here is a pertinent quote from the article:
"The Congress seems to be very confused," Farber said. "They don't understand what the network does."
When I called my representatives a couple weeks ago, one aid told me point blank that almost everyone in Washington was confused on this issue.
In my opinion, the best way to remove that confusion is for more of us to understand the issue beyond the level of bumper sticker slogans. As we techies increase our understanding, more of us will gain the ability to explain to our friends (and our representatives) the real issues in simple and clear terms.