Because "we the people" are and want to be stupid or more like oblivious and just pay. Everyone around me seems to find it ok to just pay, especially when you have a State rep and Senator that don't see things like this as an issue.
Yea I'm waiting for a local wireless internet provider to start a residential service soon. Once that is done I will drop the phone line. I will keep the VoIP service and a cell phone which both in themselves offer alot more services per dollar then Verizon ever has.