Republicans Trying To Kill Program That Brings Affordable Broadband To The Poor::Last month we noted how a program aimed at helping low income Americans afford broadband was at risk of being dismantled thanks to congressional incompetence and corruption. The FCC program, dubbed the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), was part of the 2021 infrastructure bill. It provides low-income Americans $30 off their monthly broadband bill. 22 million…
We need to nationalize broadband already, or at the very least loft the restrictions placed on localities that forbid a public network option. Several municipal networks around the country (ie Chattanooga) have proven that a public option works exceedingly well, and it’s a shocking discovery what happens to the private companies that actually have to compete: their service improves while their prices drop. The restrictions imposed on municipalities is a blatant example of local, state, and federal corruption.
No way, you do not want the federal or even a state government directly controlling your internet access, especially in the times we live in now.
Okay I’ll feed the troll: How is lifting municipal broadband restrictions letting the government take control?
Pretty sure they meant you don’t want your personal ISP to be the government…But I might’ve read it that way simply because I was thinking the exact same thing.
As long as there’s civilian ISPs in the same coverage area, it’s still totally viable though. I could see it being a net benefit.
You are correct, I meant it as the government as your ISP. I have no qualms with cities or governments paying to have the backbone created and then a utility-like organization/company not directly controlled by the government coming in and running an ISP.
“Think of my unfortunate owner -er- I mean constituents that own broadband businesses. They have no money left from the last subsidy we gave them to make faster broadband (that they pocketed), to make that same broadband that they didn’t upgrade even cheaper for poor folks! How do we expect them to buy their second or third yachts by helping the poors?”
There’s 22 million people receiving a $30 subsidy, that’s a $660 million payout from government to those broadband businesses…
“Helping the poors” is directly helping them buy yachts by adding $660 million dollars to what the market can support. you’re narrative is fucky.
Repubs want to shut it off because it’s welfare, and they think poor people get that way by choice and shouldn’t get any handouts. It’s just simple Intolerance is all
You’re right, I totally had the wrong reason the GOP is being shitty this time. It’s the crushing of the poor because they are poor, not because the poor are taking from the rich.
My bad.
Nothing but good comes from a program likes this. Honestly wtf.
Gives a clear view of their actual mindset, does it not?
Not for the corporations that make money off of extorting a basic necessity from poor people! Won’t someone think of the corporations?
“As lawmakers with oversight responsibility over the ACP, we have raised concerns, shared by the FCC Inspector General, regarding the program’s effectiveness in connecting non-subscribers to the Internet,” the lawmakers wrote. “While you have repeatedly claimed that the ACP is necessary for connecting participating households to the Internet, it appears the vast majority of tax dollars have gone to households that already had broadband prior to the subsidy.
I can’t wait to use this argument against them about school vouchers
I actually know tons of coworkers that have consistently told me to sign up for this program. I know for a fact they are not in the poverty band. They also had broadband before they applied. I never even attempted to apply, because it seems like a shitty thing to do as it does give these assholes ammunition to axe a program that really is helping legitimate poor folks out.
Regardless, ~$600 million is fucking pennies to the federal government, it’s beyond insane for them to be so concerned about such a miniscule amount of the annual budget. Just tighten the credit check process on applying and the problem of people who aren’t in poverty getting free money goes away. The GOP just wants to make poor people/women/anyone different than them suffer, fuck their nonsense.
As for school vouchers… I need to get to sleep and that rant will get my blood pressure too elevated.
“they were already buying food so they obviously don’t need food stamps. Takers!”
Any bailout of a corporation is fine though
Every time I see a news article like this I’m confused as it seems Republicans are clearly putting their own voter base down, yet continue to be supported by them.
They don’t care because they promise to keep woke liberals, negros and mexicans downer and that’s all that matters to them.
Republicans voters have been brainwashed by a constant firehose of misinformation. Everything is always the fault of Biden and the “Demonrats”. GOP has no accountability.
Fuck, they actually hate poor people.
I think they just can’t read the room. They may be against this via some thought process of this kind: “people in the Interwebs hate us, so if we make it more expensive, fewer people hate us”. They really may not be getting the fact that everybody is on the Web now.
EDIT: But, as others have said, this means shitting on their own voter base. They could have literally improved their popularity very tangibly by supporting a few moves of this kind, most important for rural poorer voters.
