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story category Does America Need a Broadband Czar?
Well then how about an FCC with technical expertise?
(old news - 06:22PM Tuesday Apr 01 2008)
tags: fcc · business · Politics
Given we have absolutely no broadband policy in this country (unless you think giving the nation's largest ISPs everything they lobby for is a policy), you can argue there's room for improvement. Columbia Law professor Tim Wu pens a column for Slate where he proposes the creation of a broadband czar to get the ball rolling.He makes several additional suggestions, one of which is mirrored frequently by our users: staffing the FCC with people who actually have a firm grasp of technology.
Once upon a time, actual experts were appointed to the commission. The first commission, in 1927, was, as historian Philip Rosen writes, "a remarkable group." It included a former admiral who was a naval radio expert, an inspector from the Commerce Department, an engineer and editor from McGraw-Hill, a practicing broadcaster with a Ph.D. in English, and a state Supreme Court judge. Today, none of these people would be considered for the job.

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Forums » Does America Need a Broadband Czar?
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Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @06:32PM

The gov't does a bad enough job

Adding more people to it doesn't help, never has.

We need smaller, less intrusive government...not more bribed bureaucrats taking private jet rides at taxpayer expense supported by hundreds of lazy union lameasses.

pfak
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

What on earth does unions have to do with government bureaucracy? Last I checked a lot of the government was against unions.

Take your trolling elsewhere.
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Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @09:36PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Uh, the gov't employee unions that are a large part of the reason the gov't is completely inept and wastes money hand over fist?

Google is your friend but reality appears not to be.
rcannon100

join:2008-02-19
San Francisco, CA

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Care to cite a single example of what you are talking about?

The decision makers in civil service are not a part of the unions - they are not permitted to be. If you object to federal policy, it is coming from the decision makers.

Dogfather
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Whether it's the CIB, SSA or EPA, all the employees move in slow motion. I sit waiting for my appointments and no work is actually being done. Nearly every employee is standing around bullshitting. And it wasn't for 10 minutes. It was well over 30. And it wasn't one incident at the EPA. I see these things go on in EVERY government agency at every level of government. The workers don't put forth any effort and not just in one agency, but all the branch offices I've been in, the pattern is present. It's a do-nothing culture in gov't cubicles.

KrK
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Sure, take advantage to make another swipe at the working class and Unions

The problem with broadband is about as unrelated to the working class and Union Rank and file as it can get. In fact it's the other end of the spectrum, the greed of powerful large corporations, that stands between us and the level of technological advancement you'd assume the United States, as the leader and creator of the internet, would enjoy. It's about the money... not Union membership.
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Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @10:33PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Gov't unions and working class don't belong in the same sentence.

The problem with broadband is there is no problem with broadband. If locals want to deploy it, let THEM pass local bonds and pay for it. The problem is with people wanting luxuries but having other people pay for it.

Emptying the wallets of Joe Taxpayer with yet another layer of inept bureaucracy full of worthless do-nothing gov't workers would only make things worse.

Sure, take the most corrupt, inept and expensive enterprise in world history, the US gov't, the same gov't that brought us our failed energy policies, the war, 49 lazy supervisors to 1 lazy employee, the $100M bridge to nowhere, illegal wiretapping and huge deficit spending and expect them to fix your nonexistent broadband deployment problem because Verizon isn't charitable enough for you.

Genius.

KrK
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Yeah.... that's what we're talking about...

/nods and backs away slowly...

Dogfather
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

RTFA

KrK
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edit:
April 1st, @10:38PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Uh.. yeah.

Did you read it?

Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @10:44PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Unlike you, yes, I did.

You think ANY of that wishful thinking doesn't happen without a zillion new lazy gov't workers lead by some cronie and funded by millions and millions of taxpayer dollars?

Please join the rest of us in the real world.

KrK
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edit:
April 1st, @10:50PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Ok, just wanted to make sure that you admitted on the record that you are:

Against a Broadband Czar.
Against competency at the FCC.
Against transparency in Government.
Against Leadership by the Administration on Tech policy
Against Patent reform
Against immigration and Tech Job outsourcing reforms

Check. Oh, yeah, I forgot. Completely anti-union to the point it colors all reality. (Which BTW the article had nothing to do with...) Check. Got that, loud and clear.

BTW nice edit, make the response seem more valid, and less like a personal attack, but I'd already read it and was responding... anyway, methinks it's time to exheunt, because this is a train-wreck in progress....

Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @11:05PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Against a broadband Czar?

ABSOLUTELY: We all know how gov't agencies work swimmingly. You're doing a great job Brownie

Competency at the FCC? Yeah right, try and get them through confirmations.

Transparency in Gov't? Yeah right, that will never happen...EVER.

Leadership in tech policy?

Leadership over what, who? Why? Meanwhile how about focusing instead of leadership in fiscal policy, energy policy, healthcare policy, tax policy, foreign policy, or any of the zillion other policies WAY higher on the food chain.

Patent reform?

Easily fixed by loser pays. When it costs patent trolls 3X damages and abuse of process awards, they stop. But a Congress of John Edwards trial lawyer types will never let that happen.

Immigration and tech job outsourcing reforms?

Yeah right, in a free trade Congress with 3 free traders running for President, one of which has sold us out to Mexico and another who's husband sold us out to China AND Mexico? Dream on.

Anti-lazy gov't worker?

HELL YES. Over paid and over population in gov't cubicles is a huge part of the efficiency and cost problem in gov't.

You want to fix this, ban all contributions other than those from registered voters and all of these problems would magically fix themselves. But like the rest of your fantasies, this fantasy of mine will never happen either.

The quicker the wishful thinking and dreaming end, the faster we can arrive as solutions that stand a snowball's chance of actually happening.

KrK
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Ahem. (whistle, whistle...)

RTFA.

Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @11:10PM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Take your own advice, meanwhile I'm done wasting time on you.

You go on living in your fantasy world where you think the gov't can do great things cheaply and efficiently.

I'll live in the real world where the gov't is a complete mess and much bigger problems than getting someone in the sticks low latency broadband and protecting Apple's iPhone voice mail system from patent trolls exist.

pfak
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Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

said by Dogfather See Profile :

Take your own advice, meanwhile I'm done wasting time on you.

You go on living in your fantasy world where you think the gov't can do great things cheaply and efficiently.

I'll live in the real world where the gov't is a complete mess and much bigger problems than getting someone in the sticks low latency broadband and protecting Apple's iPhone voice mail system from patent trolls exist.
Half of the government jobs are contracted out. Unions used to be more prevalent in the government, this is no longer the case. I would make a ball park guess that more than half of the jobs have been contracted out, this is the case in Canada, so I'm not quite sure about the states'.

The efficiency of the government has actually gotten worse over the years. I'd have to argue that contract workers are just as lazy as unionized workers, and probably cause more problems due to their inexperience and improper training.

Grab some brains, this topic wasn't about unions. Could you possibly have something against them because you aren't part of one?

PS; I'm not a unionized worker.
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Dogfather
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edit:
April 2nd, @10:27AM

Re: The gov't does a bad enough job

Read the thread and particularly the original post. You're right, this isn't about "unions", others made it about unions. These people see all unions as a unified religion and instantly assail anyone who dare speak ill of any of their brethren, no matter how useless, wasteful or inept they are.

It's about our inept gov't led and staffed by inept people. And people need to stop making excuses for them and endlessly defending everything they do.

Of course, like all pro-union bullcrap, anyone who is against the corrupt political structure or dare question the inefficiency of gov't labor must be so 'cause they're jealous. It could never be because they waste billions of taxpayer dollars or anything. It could never be because I pay ever increasing taxes and get less and less for it because of gov't waste and inefficiency thanks in no small part of gov't labor. These same pro-union thugs who support every broken union no matter what, want to give this broken gov't even more money, even more inept wasteful staff and even more power with zero accountability for efficiency. If it costs $500 and a special person to change a light bulb, it's cool with them 'cause Joe Taxpayer is paying for it and no one dare question it or they'll be accused of being against the 'common man' or being jealous of not being in the light bulb changer guy union.

Me get some brains? Take your own advice and see the big picture. The gov't isn't the solution to any problem. It is the problem.

Instead of these guys endlessly running to the defense of the unions, how about defending the enslaved taxpayers for a change.

TK Junk Mail
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edit:
April 1st, @06:38PM

I nominate Bill Gates for the job of broadband czar

He'll be out of work soon(this June) and could use the job. And he could fund all the studies needed out of his household money.

Boogeyman
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Re: I nominate Bill Gates for the job of broadband czar

You should have submitted that for a good April Fools story.

Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @06:42PM

We know how that would turn out.

Hmmmm, the synergy of Gates and Government:

Everyone would be forced to run Microsoft Bob and Windows Me while everyone's employer would have to pay for it.

TK Junk Mail
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edit:
April 1st, @06:52PM

Re: I nominate Bill Gates for the job of broadband czar

said by Dogfather See Profile :

Everyone would be forced to run Microsoft Bob


LOL. You know I forgot all about Microsoft Bob. Had to be 1 of the all time greatest software duds in history.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_gRmHpQ3nw

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

The funny thing was that Bill Gates wife Melinda(before they were married) managed the Bob project. Maybe she should be the broadband czar.
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Dogfather
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edit:
April 1st, @06:58PM

Re: I nominate Bill Gates for the job of broadband czar

said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

You know I forgot all about Microsoft Bob. Had to be 1 of the all time greatest software duds in history.

Lest you forget Windows Me.
jjeffeory

join:2002-12-04
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Re: I nominate Bill Gates for the job of broadband czar

said by Dogfather See Profile :

said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

You know I forgot all about Microsoft Bob. Had to be 1 of the all time greatest software duds in history.

Lest you forget Windows Me.
That was a t*rd! I think Bob was better!

bbeesley
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said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

]LOL. You know I forgot all about Microsoft Bob..
I used to enjoy putting the dog in the fireplace - not that was something that the interface designers actually intended <grin>

KrK
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said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

LOL. You know I forgot all about Microsoft Bob. Had to be 1 of the all time greatest software duds in history
Remember Clippy, the Office "Friendly Paperclip" who would leap out to annoy you when you least expected it?
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said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

He'll be out of work soon(this June) and could use the job. And he could fund all the studies needed out of his household money.
I agree. At least get someone with a Bill Gates mentality. He didn't re-invent the wheel, just improved it. If someone could copy what Japan and South Korea has done and modify it to include a lot of the rural areas, I think the USA would find having a "Czar" useful to get the ball rolling.

Unfortunately I don't think the US Government (or even Canada to a lesser extent) has the right mentality when it comes to copying successful policies from other countries.

Chuckles
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America needs...

a high school education. And a good kick in the arse.

Dogfather
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Re: America needs...

So long as it's not a public high school education.
jjeffeory

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Re: America needs...

At this point I agree with you. Especially West Coast High Schools.

SlickEnW
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Re: America needs...

said by jjeffeory See Profile :

At this point I agree with you. Especially West Coast High Schools.
I really hate you. I hate you for bringing out the truth.

factchecker

@cox.net

said by Dogfather See Profile :

So long as it's not a public high school education.
Yes, because we all know that private and home schooled children aren't indoctrinated like their public school peers and don't get poor educations on occasion.

Oh wait... They are and they do.

See 6 replies to this post

Lazarus Long

join:2000-11-24
Saint Louis, MO

The network should belong to the people

Yes, we need a broadband czar. But what we really need is for the people to take ownership of the network infrastructure in this country. Its a matter of national security as I see it. We can't leave the future of our country in the hands of AT&T and Charter et al... do we really expect that they will have our best interests at heart? What happens when AT&T is bought out by some European or Asian corporation?

In order to invest in the future, ensure our global competitiveness as well as our national security, we need to make the network a national infrastructure just like the interstate highway system. Right now its a bunch of dysfunctional toll roads.

People, we are way behind here in the US because we are waiting for the telecom companies to lay fiber. We need Uncle Sam to lay the fiber and then protect it for us.

Do you realize that South Korea has better Internet connectivity than we do?

I don't want to seem like a socialist, but we need to seriously think about this.
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Re: The network should belong to the people

Ah yes, because if we can count on anyone to deploy efficiently, and to not make biased decisions, it's the government...

Do you really want a government provided internet service? We'd have major populated areas not getting wired while some Colorado ski resort where a Congressman happens to vacation gets 1/1 Gbps connectivity... immense corruption would be almost inevitable...

And fiber is being deployed on a large scale- it may not get to you yet, but let's be honest, South Korea and the US aren't really comparable... (and not everyone in SK can get FTTH either- it's like saying that because some people with Cablevision get maximized uncapped cable internet everyone in the US can)

KrK
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Re: The network should belong to the people

said by EPS See Profile :

Do you really want a government provided internet service?
No... but enforcing regulations allowing competition and open access to the last mile (at a reasonable price!!)(and not changing course every 2 years) might actually be nice.... give time for competitors to actually get up and running and profitable....

.... nah. Never will happen here.
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said by Lazarus Long See Profile :

... Its a matter of national security... our national security
Godwin's Law Amendment! »First Amendment to Godwin's Law Skeedatl wins!

normljoe
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Please no.

Please no. The last thing we need is yet another overpaid political appointee. I wonder at this point how many czars we already have... certainly the drug czar is still around and , wow, what an absolutely effective that job has been.

Here's a thought. How about holding our elected officials accountable and get them to appoint some good folks to the FCC. If we do it, it will work.
Corydon
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The last mile is still the problem...

That's why there's so little competition. What if your city set up a utility (like your water department) that ran fiber to your home to an interconnect point.

Then you can pick your ISP (and telephone and cable TV provider) from any company that wants to serve your city. The local utility provides the connection to your ISP and the ISP you choose handles everything from there on. You could easily end up with many more competitors than the monopoly or duopoly we see today.

And if you're not happy with your service, changing providers would be a breeze. No more waiting for the tech to come out to your house. Flip a switch and you're on.

Thus the business that really is a natural monopoly (the last mile) can be regulated or run by the city and the business that isn't (the connection to everything else) can enjoy greater competition.

I know there are a lot of free marketeers around here who'll say this all smacks of socialism, but look at all the other utilities going to your house. Do you really want competing water and sewage treatment companies tearing up the streets all the time building redundant infrastructure? Do you really want half a dozen power companies running lines every which way through your neighborhood?

So why do you want a telco running copper and fiber and a cableco running coax and an overbuilder running coax, etc., etc.?

KrK
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Re: The last mile is still the problem...

said by Corydon See Profile :

That's why there's so little competition. What if your city set up a utility (like your water department) that ran fiber to your home to an interconnect point.

Then you can pick your ISP (and telephone and cable TV provider) from any company that wants to serve your city. The local utility provides the connection to your ISP and the ISP you choose handles everything from there on. You could easily end up with many more competitors than the monopoly or duopoly we see today.
That would be awesome. Companies like AT&T or Comcast could access the Network for the same rates as say a local mom and pop. You'd have multiple providers for Video, Internet, Telephone, alarm service, etc.

It would be awesome... companies would have to compete on 3 things: 1) Service 2) Options 3) Price.

The big incumbents would HATE it. They'd have to offer services people want and that provide value rather then saying "Here's what we offer.... Choose one or piss off."
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There should be a requirement...

There should be a requirement that at least ONE FCC Commissioner be an Engineer! That way, at least one of the five would have a chance of a clue about what they regulate.

All of these clowns have been lawyers for as long as anyone can remember...

SlickEnW
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Broadband Nation

Whatever happened to Broadband Nation or Connected Nation or whoever they are. You know, those guys that really don't do much, but have a funny looking logo and claim to bring us the speeds that we crave.

Or was that an april fools joke.

Tzale
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Down!!!

More bureaucracy..

-Tzale
bogey780

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Re: Down!!!

The ssumption in the article is that what's good for business is bad for America. It's actually as false as the inverse.

KrK
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Re: Down!!!

Hmmm. I think it read "What's bad for broadband advancement is Bad for America... Business, people, and otherwise."

I'd tend to have to agree, frankly.

Fox McCloud
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I have a better idea

I've got a novel idea....

how about we just get rid of the incompetency altogether (and the stupid lobbyists as well) and abolish the FCC...that'd be great...too bad it'll never happen

Bulgaro
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Less is More

Some of the comments here has just confirmed that the DUMBING DOWN of America has started to show it's face... Government is not the answer to all our perceived problems . Industry has always driven government not the other way around .

--
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Underplay

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Mom

Mom(Government) he(Competitor) hit me(Monopoly)

Whats happening, in this country, simplified.

espaeth
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Cashing in on the success of the Drug Czar..

Insanity: Performing the same actions repeatedly and expecting different results.
Sammer

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Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Cashing in on the success of the Drug Czar..

said by espaeth See Profile :

Insanity: Performing the same actions repeatedly and expecting different results.
Good point, besides with no rational broadband policy how could a Broadband Czar be anything but bad.
Forums » Does America Need a Broadband Czar?


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