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broadbanderdemander
@66.100.x.x
| Local governments and what people seem to miss
I don't understand how people in this forum can treat local governments like their profit-grubbing whores bent on making money. That's what the other side is, the private companies. Local governments simply want enough money to provide for simple town services and escalating costs. Eliminating franchising hurts a local government's pockets, and guess what, everybody, when a local government is hurt, than YOU, the citizen are hurt. Potholes, sewage overages, poor education, lack of resources, these things are what happens when local governments get squeezed out of the money intake picture by too much privitization. SBC aren't going to teach your kids how to read. People in this country are very strange, when asked about taxes, they say they hate taxes and government takes all of their money. Yet when asked about schools and road maintenance, they say they want the best schools with no expense spared and safe, easy to drive on roads. Really, does it take much to understand that franchise agreements are one of a series of ways in which a local government can receive some much needed funding that neither raises taxes on individual members of the community nor forsakes the services of the city? | |
DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| I disagree. I'm sure that most people with even a modicum of sense understand that a certain level of taxation is required. However, make that taxation open and obvious. In other words, call it a 'tax'. We already pay property taxes, sales tax and, in many states, state income tax. Revenue lost from franchise agreements could easily be recovered by tweaking these 'real' taxes. | |
UofMiamiGrad
Premium
join:2001-02-03
Great Neck, NY
| reply to broadbanderdemander
said by broadbanderdemander:
I don't understand how people in this forum can treat local governments like their profit-grubbing whores bent on making money. That's what the other side is, the private companies. Local governments simply want enough money to provide for simple town services and escalating costs. Eliminating franchising hurts a local government's pockets, and guess what, everybody, when a local government is hurt, than YOU, the citizen are hurt. Potholes, sewage overages, poor education, lack of resources, these things are what happens when local governments get squeezed out of the money intake picture by too much privitization. SBC aren't going to teach your kids how to read. People in this country are very strange, when asked about taxes, they say they hate taxes and government takes all of their money. Yet when asked about schools and road maintenance, they say they want the best schools with no expense spared and safe, easy to drive on roads. Really, does it take much to understand that franchise agreements are one of a series of ways in which a local government can receive some much needed funding that neither raises taxes on individual members of the community nor forsakes the services of the city?
We get squeezed regardless. Come on, our freakin cable bills, etc go up anyway, so we get hit on that end. And you are saying that if we eliminate franchise agreements we'll get hit, when we already are by the companies providing services to us. I'd rather give money to my local gov't then some big business if it's to benefit my town. At least the local gov't won't spend the money elsewhere, namely another state or town, like a big company can and will do. | |
ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Hollywood, FL
clubs:
| said by UofMiamiGrad  :said by broadbanderdemander:
I don't understand how people in this forum can treat local governments like their profit-grubbing whores bent on making money. That's what the other side is, the private companies. Local governments simply want enough money to provide for simple town services and escalating costs. Eliminating franchising hurts a local government's pockets, and guess what, everybody, when a local government is hurt, than YOU, the citizen are hurt. Potholes, sewage overages, poor education, lack of resources, these things are what happens when local governments get squeezed out of the money intake picture by too much privitization. SBC aren't going to teach your kids how to read. People in this country are very strange, when asked about taxes, they say they hate taxes and government takes all of their money. Yet when asked about schools and road maintenance, they say they want the best schools with no expense spared and safe, easy to drive on roads. Really, does it take much to understand that franchise agreements are one of a series of ways in which a local government can receive some much needed funding that neither raises taxes on individual members of the community nor forsakes the services of the city?
We get squeezed regardless. Come on, our freakin cable bills, etc go up anyway, so we get hit on that end. And you are saying that if we eliminate franchise agreements we'll get hit, when we already are by the companies providing services to us. I'd rather give money to my local gov't then some big business if it's to benefit my town. At least the local gov't won't spend the money elsewhere, namely another state or town, like a big company can and will do. I have to agree. What most people do not realize is that the agreements also require cable companies to put in cahnnels and allow bandwidth for governmental uses in order to have the rights to provide service. If all of this is taken away, you will not only see your cable bill going up, but probably your taxes too because of what the local governments are going to have to start paying for.
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FWD#: 223611 | |
calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| reply to broadbanderdemander
said by broadbanderdemander:
I don't understand how people in this forum can treat local governments like their profit-grubbing whores bent on making money.
...
Local governments simply want enough money to provide for simple town services and escalating costs.
...
People in this country are very strange, when asked about taxes, they say they hate taxes and government takes all of their money. Yet when asked about schools and road maintenance, they say they want the best schools with no expense spared and safe, easy to drive on roads. ... And if local government did a good job providing worthwhile schools and drivable roads, they wouldn't have money problems. Instead, they hire consultants, fund programs whose sole purpose is to buy votes doing things people should do for themselves, and otherwise waste money on levels of bureaucracy.
You want the funds from franchise regulation? Okay, call it what it is, a tax, and justify it. You'll even save the money communities waste trying to "administer" the franchises.
What's that you say? You have this ultra-wise world view that we must call it something other than a tax because people "are very strange" and we have to fool them about why we're taking their money?
Wonderful--your viewpoint can't muster the support of the governed, so you want to impose it on them by deceit. Congratulations--you support undemocratic government! I can't support your deceitful approach to the collection of public monies.
calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
Fatal Vector
@aol.com
| reply to ropeguru
The problem with most of this is that a government entity is nothing more than another corporation. The only real difference is that they have the power to levy taxes, make laws and compel your obedience under threat of punishment in one manner or other.
A politician is a politician. The only real difference is that the higher up you go (city, county, state, federal) the more power you have, as well as more ability to avoid the consequences of your actions through a legal department/city attorney/attorney general, etc.
If you bother to go yo your city councils meeting (if you can even get in to a supposedly public session) you will see how arrogant these people are and how they waste your money. The thing to remember with Government is that it's not their money and there is allways more. You will notice that any governmental entity will NEVER cut any department involved in extracting money from you and regulating you. They will eliminate the Police and fire departments (which are the governments #1 PRIMARY responsibilities of protecting the public that the government is constituted for in the first place)first.
Just like the mega corporations, all the government cares about is extracting money from you any way they can, but they can imprison you or destroy your life if you dont, where the mega corps cant.
When was the last time you interacted with the government of your own free will? It's allways a result of "Law Enforcement", be it nosy cops, drivers licenses, permits, fees, tickets, regulations or, as a result of crime against you. | |
ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Hollywood, FL
clubs:
| I interact with them a lot. USed to be a firefighter for the local government here and still attend many of the board meetings. I have never had to interact with the government only because of law enforcement in relation to, as you put it, nosy cops.
I bet you are one of the ones in another forum about the lady that got tazed that argues police brutality.
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FWD#: 223611 | |
RIAA to own Gitmo
@verizon.net
| reply to Fatal Vector
said by "Fatal Vector":
Just like the mega corporations, all the government cares about is extracting money from you any way they can, but they can imprison you or destroy your life if you dont, where the mega corps cant.
In other news, I heard that the RIAA was interested in purchasing Gitmo, to house "unlawful downloaders", should the gov't choose to close it down. With powerful corps pulling govt's strings these days, I wouldn't be so sure of your statements. | |
Fatal Vector
@aol.com
| "I bet you are one of the ones in another forum about the lady that got tazed that argues police brutality."
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Actually, I haven't the faintest idea what you are referring to. Of course, the Police do no wrong, right? Is that why the local PD is under a federal consent decree because of violating the local citizens civil rights, over and over during a period of years? Yes, my friend, nosy cops.
Seeing as you said you were part of that government, it's not really surprising you interacted, being an "Upstanding" citizen, now is it? And, you seem to infer a lot from a statement that most citizens can tell you is true. But then, you have the government mindset, apparently, that the government can do no wrong. But then, you weren't a cop so you wouldn't know.
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"In other news, I heard that the RIAA was interested in purchasing Gitmo, to house "unlawful downloaders", should the gov't choose to close it down. With powerful corps pulling govt's strings these days, I wouldn't be so sure of your statements."
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This statement is silly just on the face of it. Gitmo is where it is by treaty. There is absolutely no way that it could be sold. Nor is there any way the RIAA/MPAA, or, any other corporation could have anyone sentenced to prison there or anywhere else. Such statements only embarass you in public. They show that you dont THINK before you spout.
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Fatal Vector
@aol.com | reply to calvoiper
Ummm...Could it be that they ARE, for the most part, money grubbing whores?
It's not their money and therte is allways more. That's why it gets wasted. | |
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