The only fact here is that Google very quickly switched from a whole-hearted support of net neutrality to, at best, a compromised position endorsed by Verizon,

The only fact here is that Google very quickly switched from a whole-hearted support of net neutrality to, at best, a compromised position endorsed by Verizon, a company with a long history of outright opposition to net neutrality and one that has significant leverage over Google thanks to Droid sales. Their change of heart occurred very shortly after Android began to be perceived as a success and after rumors of a Verizon iPhone. Fundamentally, this is an issue of trust. The deal Google is proposing creates significant wiggle room for the landline carriers, and asks us to trust that the issue will be revisited for wireless carriers somewhere down the road, even though an entrenched discriminatory regime will be much more difficult to dislodge if it becomes a reality on the ground. There is a fairly strong net neutrality movement today, even without Google, an apparently sympathetic FCC, and a Democratic Congress capable of passing a net neutrality bill. There will not be a better opportunity to legislate net neutrality for years, given the likely results of the upcoming midterms. Google is asking us to trust them and wait, when waiting will almost certainly put the enemies of net neutrality into a stronger position. Personally, I don't see a lot of reason to trust Google on this issue. They are like a lifelong Republican who suddenly discovered the attraction of left-wing politics after losing his primary and joining the Democrats.