Why do they need to run the business end? The government was good at achieving universal — specially rural — electrification. No reason why it can’t reach universal connectivity.

” In the wireless case, the whole system would have to be given to a single company to be effective (a true and dangerous monopoly), or split up and given to many companies, which invites poor communication between them, lowering the quality of the service.”

I don’t see why it has to be done poorly. Let them bid on bandwidth and useability on a govt provided infrastructure. Just like we do with roads.

We should make sure that we don’t have cronies, and that we don’t elect people of the party that believe government is ineffective. That way it’ll turn out to be ineffective.

I am, however, of the opinion that we should be looking for ways to connect people to the internet, like we connect them to roads.

Boy, not me Shortz. Governments are notoriously abominable at running businesses. They have no concept of efficiency, are exceedingly wasteful, and have ineffective customer service. Head down to the DMV or the social security office if you doubt this.

If done right, it could be a ‘monopoly with government and private components’ like fed-ex and UPS are when they use government build roads.

1. It involves the government, so it would not be ‘done right’.
2. The monopoly you describe would only be a monopoly if the government built roads specifically for FedEX and UPS, and no one else was allowed to use them. In the wireless case, the whole system would have to be given to a single company to be effective (a true and dangerous monopoly), or split up and given to many companies, which invites poor communication between them, lowering the quality of the service.

Government needs to provide internal and external protection of citizens (cops, prisons, and military), maintain roads, and provide education. Anything else they do, they do horribly.

I’m sorry. When you put it into quotes it looks like you mean that’s what he said. Its innacurate. He said “fundamental.”

There may not be a difference to you, but that doesn’t mean you get to make up quotes. You can paraphrase — as the article does when it mentions “basic.” But that is different than making up quotes.

“Making up quotes?” That’s a slam against my integrity. You were ok with the first sentence, but not the second one. –ST

My opinion is that this is a politician arguing for his plan. I don’t think our constitution offers that many positive rights. We’ve probably signed treaties that say that, but I’m sure people are ready to argue that the US signing a treaty is meaningless.

I am, however, of the opinion that we should be looking for ways to connect people to the internet, like we connect them to roads.

He said “fundamental right” . The headline states that he saw WiFi as a basic right. If you read on, that’s exactly what he was talking about.

What’s the difference between “fundamental” and “basic”? Nothing.

Now, your opinion on that “right” would be …?

“And doesn’t this create a de-facto monopoly with both government and private components? ”

If done right, it could be a ‘monopoly with government and private components’ like fed-ex and UPS are when they use government build roads.

I actually voted for Newsom ops: because he was the lesser of all evils(there were, as usual, only liberals on the ballot) and the most businesslike(he’d even pushed through a proposition to stop giving the homeless free party money every month and instead putting the money into programs to help them– Proposition N– but that was overturned by the 9th Circus or some other socialist institution as “unconstitutional” or something), and we see what kind of Mayor he’s turned out to be. And believe me, he WAS the best choice, so you can have some idea of what the rest of the field looked like.

Also ice cream. Ice cream is a right, not a privilege.

Wow, being a Democrat is going to be fun! Ok, cya, I’ve got to go protest something.

Does that mean Google will be providing the “free” laptops? I’ll dress like a bum and go get me one because I don’t have a laptop myself.