ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
4 edits | My opinion?
Is Sen. Turbin has a lot more to worry about in Washington than broadband.
How about the War?
How about excessive spending?
Excessive taxes?
So-So Security?
Iran?
Illegal immigration?
Jobs?
Energy?
Terrorism?
Education?
Inflation?
Housing market?
Crime?
Healthcare?
Tort reform?
The Sen. has far more important issues to deal with.
It's no wonder that Congress' approval ratings are at a record low.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
 ·Comcast
| said by ColorBASIC  :Is Sen. Turbin has a lot more to worry about in Washington than broadband. How about the War? How about excessive spending? Excessive taxes? So-So Security? Iran? Illegal immigration? Jobs? Energy? Terrorism? Inflation? Housing market? Crime? Healthcare? Tort reform? I think the Sen. has enough to do without worrying about broadband. It's no wonder that Congress' approval ratings are at a record low. We've been discussing the items you listed for over a decade now, and I predict we'll be discussing them for the next decade to come. Let's focus on something that is possible, like a national broadband plan.
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YourIP.US - It's Your IP .. and more!
rr.cx - Personal Site.. coming soon. |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
2 edits | A national broadband plan is impossible.
They can't even put together an energy plan which is infinitely more important.
They can't get any plan together other than raising their salaries and kissing the ass of Mexico and China. That they can get done.
Any effort that Congress is going to waste should be on something important and in the list of stuff to do...worrying about broadband is at the very bottom.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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Raptor
Not a Dumptruck
join:2001-10-21
London, ON
·Rogers Hi-Speed
 ·Bell Sympatico
| reply to ColorBASIC
Well, while some may be a stretch, you could probably make a case for those subjects that national broadband access/reform could improve or allow for the advancement of knowledge and discussion of almost all of those topics.
Knowledge is power, which can be the power to change. And what better fountain of knowledge is there than the net?
A stretch, maybe. But when you're relying on CNN and Fox News to educate your citizens about the above subjects, you can't really expect much reform.
That being said, both Rob and ColorBASIC make valid points. You can't count on the Feds anyway, be it this task or another. If it isn't lining someones pockets....  Apathy sucks.
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....where's my fiber? |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
| We already know everything we need to know regarding fixing every problem on that list.
Problem is what you say...they're too busy engaging in a pissing contest or taking money from people who don't want these problems solved.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | reply to ColorBASIC
If we just focused on purging corruption, cronyism, and influence peddling I'd bet half of your list of problems would begin to fix themselves.... |
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Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to ColorBASIC
People (especially those with large amount of staffers) can do more than one (or several) thing(s) at a time.
Congress's approval ratings are at record lows because they were largely elected to stop a war, that they have no power to stop (short of a double impeachment, that would be completed just before the two clowns leave office anyway). Also the majority parties have a smaller margin than ever, so anything remotely partisan (like reversing anything done in the last decade) will be deadlocked.
War? - Executive power
Spending? - Deadlocked
Taxes? - Lowest they've been during war time EVER. so umm.
Security? - Deadlocked
Iran? - Executive power
Immigration? - Deadlocked
Jobs? - 6% used to be considered min unemployment, we're at 4.5%
Energy? - Deadlocked
Terrorism? - See war and security
Education? - Well, they're going to make it more expensive to get a loan through the FFELP program soon.
Inflation? - Except for Food & Energy, at all time lows.
Housing? - Actually things have now been tightened down pretty well thanks to congressional hearing with the federal agencies that had the regulatory power already. That's not going to save all the people that didn't read what they were getting, lied about their income, or where duped by a mortgage broker (who aren't regulated, on a state by state basis); nor should it. Otherwise they'll be rewarding excessive risk taking.
Crime? - National average are still pretty darn low.
Healthcare? - No good solution, yet.
Tort Reform? - Yikes.. |
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satellite68
join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY
| reply to ColorBASIC
How about the War?-endless debates, posturing, and gridlock not enough for you?
How about excessive spending?-so long as their constituents keep getting pork projects, no one will care enough about excessive spending.
Excessive taxes?-huh? ask Canadians or Swedes about excessive taxes.
So-So Security?-I agree with you on this one; the governments' primary mission is to protect our border, which is something they have failed miserably at.
Iran?-at least we're talking to them now. Imagine the Cold War without the behind the scenes diplomacy.
Illegal immigration?-see above on "so so security"
Jobs?-this is a sticky widget; there appears to be lots of work for those who want it-but little long term security, and benefits continue to be a nationwide issue.
Energy?-so long as big Oil is "big Oil", our energy policy will be pretty much the same.
Terrorism?-really, where are the parties responsible for 9-11?
Education?-don't believe the hype, this isn't as bad as the media would portray it. it's bad, but it can be fixed. the choices to do so aren't easy, or cheap-but it can be fixed.
Inflation?-I'm with you on this one. Everyone pretends it doesn't exist, but it surely does.
Housing market?-Perhaps this "market correction" was long overdue.
Crime?-More cops, please.
Healthcare?-Unless "Big Medicine" and "Big Insurance" are removed from the cost structure of this equation, this will continue to be an issue.
Tort reform?-how about "law reform" on pretty much all levels. The whole system appears corrupt, inept, and out of touch with reality. |
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Joseph327
join:2006-02-03
Jacksonville, FL
| reply to ColorBASIC
said by ColorBASIC :A national broadband plan is impossible. They can't even put together an energy plan which is infiniately more important. They can't get any plan together other than raising their salaries and kissing the ass of Mexico and China. That they can get done. Any effort that Congress is going to waste should be on something important and in the list of stuff to do...worrying about broadband is at the very bottom. Exactly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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apollo80
join:2002-01-31
Richmond, VA
| reply to Ahrenl
said by Ahrenl :People (especially those with large amount of staffers) can do more than one (or several) thing(s) at a time. Congress's approval ratings are at record lows because they were largely elected to stop a war, that they have no power to stop (short of a double impeachment, that would be completed just before the two clowns leave office anyway). Also the majority parties have a smaller margin than ever, so anything remotely partisan (like reversing anything done in the last decade) will be deadlocked. War? - Executive power Spending? - Deadlocked Taxes? - Lowest they've been during war time EVER. so umm. Security? - Deadlocked Iran? - Executive power Immigration? - Deadlocked Jobs? - 6% used to be considered min unemployment, we're at 4.5% Energy? - Deadlocked Terrorism? - See war and security Education? - Well, they're going to make it more expensive to get a loan through the FFELP program soon. Inflation? - Except for Food & Energy, at all time lows. Housing? - Actually things have now been tightened down pretty well thanks to congressional hearing with the federal agencies that had the regulatory power already. That's not going to save all the people that didn't read what they were getting, lied about their income, or where duped by a mortgage broker (who aren't regulated, on a state by state basis); nor should it. Otherwise they'll be rewarding excessive risk taking. Crime? - National average are still pretty darn low. Healthcare? - No good solution, yet. Tort Reform? - Yikes.. To be more specific, the reason immigration is deadlocked is because the general public raised holy you know what over the immigration bill once it was obvious what was in it. All the Democrats need to do to pass that bill is vote as a party in the House and Senate and it passes (Bush said he would sign bill). But the Democrats can't even do that, because they were threatened to be voted out of office (so were Republicans who wanted to vote for it).
This is the first time I can remember ever seeing the public uproar in such masses that senators and congressman/woman backed down, knowing there would be you know what to pay election time. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode :If we just focused on purging corruption, cronyism, and influence peddling I'd bet half of your list of problems would begin to fix themselves.... That's like trying to get the oxygen out air and still trying to breathe. Government will never be free of corruption, cronyism (which isn't bad by itself) or influence peddling. |
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Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to apollo80
IT seems to me it was raised by the vocal minority, as usual.
The only thing I heard was some politico speak about amnesty, which refuses to come to grips with the fact that there's no possible way to deport 12,000,000 people, especially when you don't even know where they are. If you can't deport them, you can either criminalize them, or legalize them, those are your only two choices. I believe there are ~2,000,000 institutional criminals in the U.S. as of the last census, so that would be increasing that number by 6 TIMES. Considering we can't even issue a passport to a regular citizen within a 3 month window, I think they're here to stay.
The best solution I've heard is to create something like the French Foreign Legion, where you can serve in the army for X number of years (with other immigrants) to gain your citizenship. We have 160,000 troops in Iraq. Imagine if we could send a couple million Legionaries over.. Two problems solved. They'd come back hero's and citizens, with a citizenship they'd have earned. |
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TScheisskopf
World News Trust
join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ | reply to ColorBASIC
I agree. How dare he, or anyone, even think of trying to make anything one bit better. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | reply to pnh102
Obviously we're talking a matter of degree....were it true we couldn't at least improve things on this front, we might as well start the armed revolution now, and skip the next 100 years of slow slide..... |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
1 edit | reply to TScheisskopf
said by TScheisskopf :I agree. How dare he, or anyone, even think of trying to make anything one bit better. Problem is...all they do is talk.
Congress never DOES anything.
And if they do, there are FAR more important things to do FIRST before low latency broadband.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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TScheisskopf
World News Trust
join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ
 ·Sprint Broadband D..
| Congress spends time on many issues. Frankly, I think that congrss turning its attention to the telecom industry is something that is long overdue. I hope we see more of it.
They are already working on the other subjects, by an large. If it's going too slow for you, well, in the government that is called "deliberation" and in business, "due diligence".
And then, of course, there is "obstruction"... |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
2 edits | The problem is that Congress was more worried about Howard Stern and Terry Schiavo and is now more worried about giving rights to illegals and engaging in pissing contests than it is about energy, healthcare and the trade deficit.
With so many problems in gov't, the economy and in the world, low latency broadband (since SRS is available to nearly 100% of Americans) is not something Congress should be concerned with.
And the problem is Congress folks spend time holding photo op press conferences on many issues while actually doing NOTHING to solve them and Sen. Turbin is one of those who does this sorta nonsense often.
In the surveys of what is of immediate importance to Americans I never see broadband on this list. What I see is immigration, the ecomony, healthcare.
Congress should spend 100% of its efforts there until they are solved. THEN worry about trivial nonsense like low latency broadband.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode :Obviously we're talking a matter of degree.... Well... the only problem with cronyism is that there is a tendency to put people into jobs for which they are not qualified, but if any president (or governor or mayor, etc.) doesn't hire people who are political allies for these jobs, then how would said elected official get his/her agenda implemented?
To put it more simply, here's a quote from "Big" Frank Rizzo, one of the last great mayors of Philadelphia, regarding cronyism:
"Who the hell you want me to give 'em to...my enemies?"
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to Ahrenl
said by Ahrenl :The only thing I heard was some politico speak about amnesty, which refuses to come to grips with the fact that there's no possible way to deport 12,000,000 people, especially when you don't even know where they are. LOL funny. If this was any other criminal problem, say rampant murder or child abuse, politicians would be having a group orgy to figure out how to solve it. The pols who throw out the "we can't deport them all" tripe are simply saying they are for amnesty without using so many words.
12 million people cannot be deported overnight, but they can be still be deported.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to ColorBASIC
said by ColorBASIC :Congress never DOES anything. The country is by far better off when Congress does nothing. I'll applaud the Democrat party if they accomplish 0 during this session of Congress.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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