Monday, August 27, 2012

Apparently We Aren't Taxed Enough Already

Ronald Reagan once said that Governments view of the private sector could be summed up like this: if it moves, tax it.  If it keeps moving, regulate it.  If it stops moving, subsidize it.  It seems like the government is keeping true to that mantra.

The FCC is "contemplating" a tax on broadband internet service.  They claim these funds will be use to support the Connect America Fund, a subsidy created by the FCC to provide broadband access to those who don't have it- either because of cost or accessibility.

Translated, this means that the FCC is figuring out how they can get away with instituting a tax they've already decided to levy, and they'll be funneling that money to their cronies at AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, who see lots of profit in a government contract, but not so much profit in making service to remote areas a private venture.

As you might guess, I have some problems with this.

First off, I pay quite enough in taxes, thank you very much.  I, in Texas, should not be paying taxes so that someone in West Virginia can get broadband internet access.

Second, The FCC has no right to create taxes.  Taxation must be authored in the US House of Representatives, not in some unaccountable executive bureaucracy.  This is blatantly unconstitutional, if we were actually following the meaning of that document.

Finally (well, not really, but finally for this piece), it disturbs and disgusts me that this money will be taken from you and me, and funneled to communication companies.  If providing broadband service to remote areas were profitable, someone would already be doing it.  In fact, some people are, via satellite.  Such service is only broadband for download speed, and uses normal dial-up access speeds for upload, but it is profitable, as evidenced by the fact there are private companies doing it.  This isn't about providing access to those who don't have it.  It is about cronyism and corruption, and lining the pockets of AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.

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