In the early 1990s, Americans used their home phone lines to connect their desktop computers to the Internet via ISPs like AOL, Earthlink, or Netzero. Back then, the ISPs didn't have cost-effective technology to select particular sites for blocking or privileging.
I think a lot of people on both sides have extremely naive views of what government is capable of.
The West Wing' is an extremely naive entry into politics and political thinking.