ronpin
Imagine Reality
join:2002-12-06
Nirvana
1 edit | Silly Whiners
Don't they know that only if the Rich get rich-enough -- will the rest of us eventually get the things we need? (or pay for)
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Give up all hope for a better past. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Useless Congress
If the Rural Broadband Program is not doing its job, then why is it still being funded? Congress could easily resolve the problem of money being wasted by cutting the funding.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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golfgeek
join:2005-11-21
Bryans Road, MD | Exactly ...cut there lifeline |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
| reply to pnh102
said by pnh102  :If the Rural Broadband Program is not doing its job, then why is it still being funded? Congress could easily resolve the problem of money being wasted by cutting the funding. It is still being funded because the Congresscritters from suburban and city areas want their piece of the pie and want to make sure USDA money is being funneled in to their districts no matter what the rule is. This is std pork politics at its worst.
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firephoto
KDE
Premium
join:2003-03-18
 ·Verizon west (ex G..
| said by TKJunkMail :It is still being funded because the Congresscritters from suburban and city areas want their piece of the pie and want to make sure USDA money is being funneled in to their districts no matter what the rule is. This is std pork politics at its worst. No kidding, we should be funding HMMV parts and ammunition manufacturing and paying contractors to rebuild Iraq. That's where are money is best spent for this country to prosper.
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Location: +48° 5' 23.40", -119° 48' 30.00" |
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viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
1 edit | Get a clue already!
Ok, so nobody figured out yet that it was the new Congress that got the USDA off of it's a**, instead of the last 6 years of Administration sponsored pork, and ensuring it goes to their buddies? Nobody recalls 6 years of calls for a 'permanent Republican majority', and that pork was authorized, no, ENCOURAGED in order to maintain it, even though it goes against their 'principles'? Come on folks, even I can figure that out! |
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dynodb
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
| ROFLMAO... dude, you're living in a fantasy land. The Dems won't curtail pork-barrel spending anymore than the Republicans did- just what happened to the reform bill that they promised to pass? For a hint of things to come, just take a look at who they appointed chair of the Appropriations Committee. Hint: he's been dubbed "King of Pork" many years ago.
The lawmakers were right to complain, but it wasn't motivated by so much by a desire to right a wrong, but rather an effort by lawmakers representing rural districts to get the money funnelled to their own districts. Also note that they've been working on reforms since 2005- well before the Democrats took control of Congress. |
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MrMoody
But the Grinch ... did Not.
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC
·Embarq
 ·Skype
·magicjack.com
| Strong changes
"Promoting deployment to rural areas with little or no service; ... Limiting funding in urban areas and areas where a significant share of the market is served by incumbent providers;"
"Promoting" what their purpose is supposed to be, and "limiting" what it's not supposed to be, yep that's some pretty strong rules ... NOT. Let the pork roll on. |
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viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| reply to dynodb
Re: Get a clue already!
said by dynodb :ROFLMAO... Nothing like a little ridicule to begin the day...
said by dynodb :...just what happened to the reform bill that they promised to pass? I'm not sure which reform bill you are referring to, but you can be sure the Democrats running congress are being pressured to get some reforms done. Are the Republicans in the Senate getting the same pressure? As they own 49 seats, the pressure has to be applied there as well.said by dynodb :For a hint of things to come, just take a look at who they appointed chair of the Appropriations Committee. Hint: he's been dubbed "King of Pork" many years ago. Another well spun Republican talking point. Meaningless.
said by dynodb :The lawmakers were right to complain, but it wasn't motivated by so much by a desire to right a wrong, but rather an effort by lawmakers representing rural districts to get the money funnelled to their own districts. Isn't that the wrong that is trying to be made right? Isn't that the whole point?
said by dynodb :Also note that they've been working on reforms since 2005- well before the Democrats took control of Congress. Again, not sure of what reform you are referring to. If your talking about reforms such as Social Security, trying to reform it so that instead of the government in control, thier buddies on Wall Streat get their hands on all that money, there is reform you should run away from screaming! |
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dynodb
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
| said by viperlmw :said by dynodb :ROFLMAO... Nothing like a little ridicule to begin the day... said by dynodb :...just what happened to the reform bill that they promised to pass? I'm not sure which reform bill you are referring to, but you can be sure the Democrats running congress are being pressured to get some reforms done. Are the Republicans in the Senate getting the same pressure? As they own 49 seats, the pressure has to be applied there as well. I'm referring to earmark (pork) reform- something that the Dems promised to make a priority upon getting elected. Now they seem to be backing off in favor of "business as usual". I completely agree that Republicans need to be pressured as well; if you spend some time on the right wing blogs, you'll see that there's a lot of anger against the Republicans on this subject. Now the the Democrats hold Congress, they need pressure applied as well.said by dynodb :For a hint of things to come, just take a look at who they appointed chair of the Appropriations Committee. Hint: he's been dubbed "King of Pork" many years ago. Another well spun Republican talking point. Meaningless.
said by dynodb :The lawmakers were right to complain, but it wasn't motivated by so much by a desire to right a wrong, but rather an effort by lawmakers representing rural districts to get the money funnelled to their own districts. Isn't that the wrong that is trying to be made right? Isn't that the whole point? said by dynodb :Also note that they've been working on reforms since 2005- well before the Democrats took control of Congress. Again, not sure of what reform you are referring to. If your talking about reforms such as Social Security, trying to reform it so that instead of the government in control, thier buddies on Wall Streat get their hands on all that money, there is reform you should run away from screaming! |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to viperlmw
Yawn... I wonder how long it is going to take for the Democrat Party to start whining about the constant criticism it is getting for not doing what they promised to do in the elections of last year?
With power comes accountability. Have fun!
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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Time4aNAP
Premium
join:2007-04-09
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to pnh102
Re: Useless Congress
said by pnh102 :If the Rural Broadband Program is not doing its job, then why is it still being funded? Congress could easily resolve the problem of money being wasted by cutting the funding. Looks good on paper, but...
1. It still doesn't recover the already misspent money.
2. It still leaves rural citizens out in the cold.
Normally I'd say that it's time to give it to the DOJ, so they can start taking names, freezing bank accounts and handing down indictments. But I hear that they're too busy separating the "loyal Bushies" from the chaff to bother with their sworn duties Maybe the states can do something using local fraud statutes to seize the bogus loan money. MOF, they can just call it "drug money" and avoid due process altogether. Kind of ironic, though--using an illegal law to do Good. LOL |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by Time4aNAP :1. It still doesn't recover the already misspent money. 2. It still leaves rural citizens out in the cold. So basically, you are proposing that we do more of the same with this program and hope for a different outcome?
Whatever happened to people who want something investing their own money in a private venture to make it happen? Isn't that how things used to get done in this country?
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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injury
join:2007-05-12
Quitman, TX
| not sure it addresses the problem anyways
From what I gather the rural broadband program is just for extending the infrastructure and running cable.
I don't think it addresses a bigger issue of some of the rural carriers having a virtual monopoly when it comes to wired broadband and charging outlandish prices.
DSL at my house 384kb down $50 a month, if I want to bump it up to the usual (everywhere else) 1.5m down thats $200 a month outrageous. |
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Time4aNAP
Premium
join:2007-04-09
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to pnh102
Re: Useless Congress
said by pnh102 :So basically, you are proposing that we do more of the same with this program and hope for a different outcome? Did I write anything like that? Please read what I wrote.
Whatever happened to people who want something investing their own money in a private venture to make it happen? Isn't that how things used to get done in this country? What happened was Big Business and corporate welfare, but that's OT. Do you have an on-topic point here? |
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Time4aNAP
Premium
join:2007-04-09
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to TKJunkMail
said by TKJunkMail :...This is std pork politics at its worst. Ah...according to the story, it was the USDA, not Congress that was misspending the money. In fact it was Congress that caught them. |
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Mike
Premium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA
clubs:   | reply to golfgeek
Misappropriation of government funds.
Isn't that like 10 years in federal PMITA? Well... technically... |
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jober
join:2001-12-13
| My thoughts
The real problem is there's no back end accounting. You just fill the papers on what you are going to do and then you go spend the money on an aria that can make you better money.
I think it's as simple as having the company's that get the grant or loan to file monthly reports of customers they have added. The customer, mayor, business or who ever they give service to can sign a doc with location information so that the ISP or Clec can be tracked. Make them take pictures and give detailed information on each part of the project. They should know were every penny is going. Then if they check up on company and find that the information is not the same. Make them pay it all back with high interest and fines, and then put them in jail.
I own and have run an ISP/Wisp for 10 years now. And I am going to be applying for a grant to service small town with no broadband service. So it's piss me off to hear that all the money goes to company's that setup in towns that already have service.
I for one would report anyone I hear is miss using the grants.
This whole thing is crazy. If you have the chance to get almost free money to setup in an area with no competition why would you fuck that up? |
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schillit
join:2001-12-12
Marine On Saint Croix, MN
| here is an example
Check out: »www.stonebridgewireless.com
They received a USDA loan at least five years ago or more to expand broadband to rural customers just outside of the St. Paul and Minneapolis areas. However, if you look at their coverage map, they essiently provide services to areas that already are covered by cable and DSL. I should know, I live in May township, an area they claim to service because it is rural, and they do not provide it to my house. I called them once and asked them if they had ANY customers in may township, they would not tell me if they did or not. This is a perfect case in point. Their CEO, Stephen Gowdy, is going to jail for fraud: »twincities.bizjournals.com/twinc···y38.html
And I now have DSL at my house so life is good! |
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
·Qwest.net
| The USDA
We always hear about how much waste and fraud there is in the Pentagon but the Pentagon does not even compare with the waste and fraud in the United States Department of Agriculture. There is all of the talk from the USDA about protecting the family farm, phooey it is more the likes of Con-Agra and what ever else a congressman, or Senator wants to take care to fill his our her war chest. A standard joke about the USDA goes like this....
A USDA official was giving a constituent a guided tour of the Head quarters of the USDA. The where walking down a hall way when they came upon a open office door in whom there was a person with his head on the desk crying his eyes out. When the visitor asked what was wrong the official explained, "oh his farmer died".
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The older I get the more I prefer the company of my dogs over that of man kind. |
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