HOORAY FOR BROADBAND!….Another bold policy initiative from President Bush:
“We ought to have universal, affordable access to broadband technology by the year 2007,” Bush said. “And then we ought to make sure as soon as possible thereafter consumers have plenty of choices.”
“It’s important that we stay on the cutting edge of technological change, and one way to do so is to have a bold plan for broadband,” he said. Bush did not elaborate on how he would accomplish the 2007 goal.
I’ll just bet he didn’t elaborate, especially since somebody in the White House obviously pulled that date out of their ass without even bothering to pick up the phone and find out if it was possible. Hell, South Korea’s been working toward this goal for nearly a decade and they still aren’t quite there yet. And that’s in a country 1% our size.
These guys really don’t even pretend to care about whether stuff is possible before they start yapping about it, do they? Besides, I thought Republicans were in favor of the free market handling this kind of stuff. What’s with the “bold plan”?
On the other hand, it is bold. Did I mention that?
POSTSCRIPT: I should make clear that I actually think having universal broadband access is a worthy goal. Maybe it requires a government program, maybe it doesn’t, but it sure isn’t going to happen by 2007. And frankly, with this gang in charge, I’d just as soon keep the free market in charge in any case.
