Opinion Internet is a utility. Govt should provide free internet for all homes

[MilesAbove]

How you gonna get them to provide it without controlling it?

 

[Clifford_Harris]

Lol electricity and water aren't free, why would the internet be? I never understood this internet being free because it's a utility when you have to pay for other utilities.

 

[ineverpost]

Oh good. "Low income" families. So once again, people who do nothing will be handed for free what I have to work for.

you always have the option of becoming one of those do nothings

 

[Seano]

you always have the option of becoming one of those do nothings

The problem is when you start wondering if you'd be better off "becoming one of those do nothings" than getting up and going to work everyday.

 

[Hollywood Jack]

At least in the lower connection speeds and caps at minimum.
Government should subsidize and provide basic wifi at no cost, especially to low income housing


If schools are a necessity, lockdowns are a necessity, then so is internet in order to learn.

You simply cannot have 2-3 major ISP running the internet business for the entire country and jacking up the prices the way they see fit


Goatmo taking the first step in creating internet equity but its still not enough.

Tech companies should be taxed and regulated as a utility with 1st Amendment protections for users in the modern-day public square.

 

[Diogenes of Sinope]

Tech companies should be taxed and regulated as a utility with 1st Amendment protections for users in the modern-day public square.

Agreed. In a world where the majority of our speech takes place on internet-based platforms, the law needs to scale

 

[chardog]

Agreed. In a world where the majority of our speech takes place on internet-based platforms, the law needs to scale

yep, considering government locked us down, it's our primary way of communication

 

[Prefect]

Oh good. "Low income" families. So once again, people who do nothing will be handed for free what I have to work for.

You basically can't function now days with out the internet. Try getting a job driving around town looking for help wanted signs.

 

[Prefect]

Government doesn’t provide free water or electricity to all homes

so your analogy is beyond dumb

It just provides welfare to pay for that.

 

[Prefect]

I believe we do enough for low income families in this country, especially when compared to what the working middle class sees for its tax dollars. Its not fair for people to work all their lives and have nothing better than those who coast.

You are near broke, aren't you?

 

[MMAViewer]

Oh good. "Low income" families. So once again, people who do nothing will be handed for free what I have to work for.

How would you get all your likes if we didn't make sure Cleetus could read your posts?

 

[MMAViewer]

I can't afford to buy a mansion. It's so unfair that some people have one and I don't.

People do not buy mansions. Banks do. Boot straps lil bucko

 

[rearnakedchoke]

But what if I told you that white conservatives are also poor? Still for it?

They are already voting against their best interests, they don’t need others doing that.

 

[Le Mercenaire]

Blue states will pay for it like we do everything else in the country

Good

 

[koquerelle]

QueenB, taking low iq trolling at a new level
Good job, mods!

 

[djacobox372]

How you gonna get them to provide it without controlling it?

If the government provides it you are protected constitutionally, if a private company provides it you are far more "controlled." Especially when that private company starts colluding with governent, as is the case now--worst of both worlds.

 

[Fluffernutter]

At least in the lower connection speeds and caps at minimum.
Government should subsidize and provide basic wifi at no cost, especially to low income housing


If schools are a necessity, lockdowns are a necessity, then so is internet in order to learn.

You simply cannot have 2-3 major ISP running the internet business for the entire country and jacking up the prices the way they see fit


Goatmo taking the first step in creating internet equity but its still not enough.

I agree with the opinion that internet must be seen as a utility.

However, where was this passion back in March when the schools moved online?

 

[Loiosh]

We don't provide free water, electricity, etc.

We absolutely should.

Resources are plentiful. Some of them should be free, including what you named and a good deal more. Internet should be free, no question. As a free resource it's arguably more important than any other.

It's all in the Pareto distribution. The vast majority of the work will always be done by the same percentage of people. A certain percentage of people are going to do little to no work. A certain percentage of people in the middle are going to do most of the complaining.

The number of people in poverty who want for food in North America is outrageous.

This is the most socialist series of statements I will have ever made anywhere, but we could and should be better. I wouldn't work any less hard or be any less productive if people who did nothing were fed and housed and I helped pay for it. That's already the case by choice and donation, which is a ridiculously inefficient way to deal with national problems.

The focus on maximization of profit limits us a species.

 

[panamaican]

We absolutely should.

Resources are plentiful. Some of them should be free, including what you named and a good deal more. Internet should be free, no question. As a free resource it's arguably more important than any other.

It's all in the Pareto distribution. The vast majority of the work will always be done by the same percentage of people. A certain percentage of people are going to do little to no work. A certain percentage of people in the middle are going to do most of the complaining.

The number of people in poverty who want for food in North America is outrageous.

This is the most socialist series of statements I will have ever made anywhere, but we could and should be better. I wouldn't work any less hard or be any less productive if people who did nothing were fed and housed and I helped pay for it. That's already the case by choice and donation, which is a ridiculously inefficient way to deal with national problems.

The focus on maximization of profit limits us a species.

I certainly agree with your pareto distribution. I don't really agree on the utilities thing though. I think that utilities shouldn't be free even though I'm fine with massive regulation on them. I think the cost issue can be handled through a variety of social aid programs. I'm aware of various state and city level programs that will pay or subsidize the utilities of the poor. I think such a thing is viable for the internet as well.

I do agree that it has passed into the realm of essential at this point and access has to be guaranteed. But I like local programs better than "free" because free means taxes and federal implementation and I'm not sure how you implement that better with the feds than through the states.

Although something like federal block grants might make sense.