Should Obama Use Billions In Scarce Tax Dollars To Subsidize Broadband In Rural And Exurban Areas?

We all know that a very high Obama/Democrat agenda item will be massive, most likely multi trillion dollar set of policies to lower the America's greenhouse gas emissions which they assure us pose a threat to our very survival.



Perhaps, they should think about the logic behind at the same time engaging in huge new programs to use tax dollars, regulations and subsidies to speed up broadband in America's rural areas--at the same time.

The real answer to rural poverty, used to be pretty clear--move to a town or city, where the cost of infrastructure is more easily supported by a larger number of people. The "right" to free roads, airports and other infrastructure is a vast hidden entitlement that actively harms those who live in urban areas, by forcing them to subsidise the very sprawl that is destroying our cities.

Face it, it ain't the Amish who are demanding things ike this.

Quest Communications a huge telecom firm for example is now asking for a 350 million dollar "stimulus" grant to speed up rural "broadband". Nice to know the visitors to many of the country's wealthiest resort communities will be getting higher speed Internet connections. They seem happy.

"There is no reason that tax payers should be forced to subsidize rural internet services. It is nice for farmers and other rural dwellers, but it is not really fair that they should pay less than the cost of service to them at the expense of the taxpayer. If they want this service than the only fair and right thing for them to do is either pay a premium and make it worthwhile for providers like Qwest to provide service in their area or to create a community co-op type of arrangement to get service by pooling resources with other rural people living nearby. the answer is not to turn to welfare to subsidize relatively well off people, and relatively rich corporations like Qwest. Besides the need is diminishing as wireless broadband becomes more widespread. This just becomes a gift to Qwest so their wireline service can more easily compete with wireless services in rural areas without really adding much benefit to the rural dwellers. "

Body Of Evidence: Government Freeways

Los Angeles



Los Angeles



Los Angeles



Dallas



Houston



Houston

Highways around Chicago from Krzysztof Pakula on Vimeo.

Chicago

Interstate 5 from Tim Bonnemann on Vimeo.

California



Virginia--- golly we need more!



Cleveland--- shot during a National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies conference.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, it what we see every day. I gotta pay for you building this crap and then I have to pay for a conference on how to slap lipstick on this pig, while I pay for a conference in Copenhagen to discuss the alleged damages, while...
we talk abou how free markets, individual liberty and private property have F-d up the world.

Be back to add more and connect a few dots

can you hear Ben Franklin rolling over in his grave?

All the libraries in Philadelphia's Free Library system will cease to operate, effective end of business Oct. 2, 2009. This won't happen if the State Legislature passes a budget & 2 other things directly related to Philadelphia.

Consequences of the closure of the library system alone? The entire library staff, 699 people, will be laid off. Librarians there are restricting book lending in preparation for closures. No more holds.

A series of internet searches didn't provide much info. This was all brought to my attention by a friend of mine who works as a children's librarian in the Philadelphia Free Library system.

Found this in the blog comments on the Free Library Blog ---

Wed, September 09, 2009
My 86 year old mother lives in Philadelphia and heard the libraries and recreation centers are closing. Is this true?
pat - chicago

Thu, September 10, 2009
Thank you for your interest in the Free Library. Unfortunately, if the state legislature does not pass a budget and two provisions for Philadelphia shortly, the Free Library, recreation centers, Fairmount Park, and other city services will be closed as of close of business October 2, 2009. You and your mother can get additional information through the city's 311 service.
Jen W. - Philadelphia

While Pittsburgh faces some extraordinary challenges due to the pension fund problems, and the state's constant threat to not fund any fine arts organization hangs over our heads, we do not face what Philly faces right now. I wouldn't count us so lucky though.

Pay attention to how the state legislature manages this. Just because it's not Pittsburgh today, doesn't mean it won't be us tomorrow. I hope our local pols start working to solve some of our larger financial challenges before we reach the point of dependance on a state bail-out. Our sister city is facing something extraordinarily grim.

Can't believe Ben Franklin's town won't have a library system, and this soon. Visit http://www.library.phila.gov/to find out how to lend your assistance.

Pittsburgh's One Of The Strongest Housing Markets: But How Long Can It Last?

First the good news.

Business Week has ranked Pittsburgh as the nation's sixth strongest housing market.

"Methodology: The metros are ranked by the share of homes with rising values in the second quarter compared with the second quarter of 2008. The annual change is the year-over-year change in median values for the metro in Q2 compared with the same period last year. The quarterly change compares the second quarter with the first quarter. The ranking is based on Zillow.com's Q2 Home Value Index, which is the median "Zestimate" for a given geography for a given time period. The Zestimate™ is Zillow's estimated market value of a home. This figure is computed by taking many different data points from public records and entering them in a proprietary formula."

Obviously, this is a game of relative performance since many of these markets also have modestly declining prices.

1 Boulder, Colorado
2 Spartanburg, South Carolina
3 New Orleans, Louisiana
4 Binghamton, New York
5 Fayetteville, North Carolina
6 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7 Little Rock, Arkansas
8 Gainesville, Georgia
9 Burlington, North Carolina
10 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The first thing that stands out is that very few of these are major metropolitan areas, which gives one some idea how broad and damaging the housing bubble was. Another feature common to most is that two of them, Oklahoma City and Little Rock are State Capitals and colleges and universities play a big role in their economies. The Fayetteville, North Carolina area is home to Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force base as well as three colleges.

One thing we should have all learned from the bubble was that trends that look like they can't go on forever, usually don't.





As, to the Meds side, things might look even worse.

There are many, many positive things to report about Pittsburgh and many great opportunities here which I will try to touch on in another post. Even so, we need to be aware of our real position.