Joseph Beckmann wrote:
It's remarkable how little is known about the history of "gas and water
socialism" which is both the inspiration and the rationale of municipal
broadband. The value of a universal system vs. the selective systems we now
have (regardless of whether they are selective by price, by financial value
to the deliverer, or by logistics) is more than economic.
. . .
In Alberta the government has been shrinking the commons, privatizing
government services for several years. We wouldn't mind so much if the
cost of the service wasn't increased to allow for private profit. Our
focus is on health care, but the government took the time to deregulate
electrical industry. A prominent right wing magazine put the cost of
that exercise at $10 billion the first year. Locally, ideology has
triumphed over commonsense. HR 2726 is a US example. If it is more
economic to provide an essential service collectively, that's how it
should be provided.
--
Larry Phillips
FutureCraft
http://www.clubwebcanada.ca/l-pphillips/
Quantum 2000: Education for Today and Tomorrow
http://www.clubwebcanada.ca/l-pphillips/quantum
Alberta Consumers' Association
http://albertaconsumers.org
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