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WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR INTERNET PROVIDER?
If the government throws billions of dollars at internet, what’s next?
In the Infrastructure Bill we see a huge allocation of funds going toward improving America’s internet. This is disturbing. Remember that the internet has become the lifeline of our nation, and the need for such communication has only increased as we’ve become a nation ‘addicted’ to the web.
We surf the web, webcast and podcast, and control our appliances, home security systems, and our heating and cooling. One could reasonably argue that the internet ‘owns’ us. If the internet owns the internet, then it stands to reason the government owns us … even more than they do now.
Until now, it’s been private industry that has handled our internet. From cable companies to satellite providers, the internet has been a marketable commodity and we have seen price decrease and quality of service increase as free market competition has heated up. This is all a good thing.
Now, take the case where the government gets involved in ‘improving’ our internet access and service. The government has a dismal record when it comes to doing anything, let alone tamper with our internet. If their improvement of internet access comes in the form of grants and zero-interest loans there will be myriad strings attached, making private internet providers the marionettes of a government puppet show. We’ll begin to see censorship on an even grander scale than Youtube or Facebook have already imposed upon us. Their control and censorship will pale in comparison to what government will do as soon as they have their hands on the purse strings of internet providers.
What if Washington does throw its money at the larger existing providers? Then those huge mega-providers will simply push minor players out of business, giving them a more monopolistic position. Now the government has its strings on the monopolies. That’s just not the way!
As with any government ‘give-aways’ and finance, we can only see doom and gloom when Washington decides to run any of our vital services.
I’m Max, and that’s the way I
see it!
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