The Politics of Big Business

Let me say that I don't believe that businesses should be treated as if they were an enemy. They are powerful and provide many basic needs and desires for the American people. In that regard, I completely support the GOP position. However, in this case I believe the GOP is dead wrong.

A Texas Congressman has introduced a bill that impose a nationwide prohibition on municipally-sponsored networks.
Dubbed by the Author, Representative Pet Sessions (R-Texas), the Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005, the bill prohibits state and local governments from providing any telecommunications or information service that is "substantially similar" to services provided by private companies.

This is simply awful legislation. Americans pay double, and sometimes triple, the price for high speed access that many countries do. We're being ripped off and the business don't want to lose any of their piece of the pie.

I have no problem with them making a buck, but the squashing of public works in order to make it strikes me as the worst kind of business. And the Republicans should not be helping to crack down on municipal wi-fi networks. At least, not unless they want to leave the American people far behind the rest of the developed world in our new technological age. (Hat tip: DailyKos)