Funny what a little public opposition will do to a government official’s steely resolve. Sadly, the same FCC commissioners who last week enthusiastically supported a new tax to subsidize cheap broadband service for the nation’s needy now deny that they ever supported it.
Finger pointing is the order of the day at the Federal Communications Commission as Democrats and Republicans blame each other for proposing the worthwhile tax.
For example, a spokesman for FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski made it clear that this brave public servant takes absolutely no responsibility for the proposal he one supported, saying he was merely “following the urging of Republican Commissioners and members of Congress.”
“The Chairman remains unconvinced that including broadband is the right approach,” the spokesman said, despite the Chairman’s unqualified support for the measure just weeks ago.
The only Republican member of the Commission, Robert McDowell, wants to make sure that everyone knows he never supported the idea. According to The Hill, McDowell said, “I have never suggested taxing broadband Internet access.” In fact, McDowell one-upped Genachowski by questioning whether the FCC even has the legal authority tax internet users.
In case you’re not familiar with the specifics of this situation, here’s the background:
A small fee is now added to every landline and wireless phone bill in the United States. All those dollars are put in a pot called the Universal Service Fund, which provides phone service to the nation’s needy and to those who live in rural areas where telephone service is lacking.
In 2011, the FCC rewrote the regulations so that $4.5 billion was taken from the Universal Service Fund to subsidize broadband internet service. The official name of the program is Connect America, but it’s more widely known as Cheap Government Internet. The goal of the redirected money was bring high-speed internet service to millions of needy Americans who can’t afford current expensive internet service. The FCC said it wanted to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor Americans.
From the FCC’s point of view, it wasn’t fair that he new internet service was being funded by fees added to phone bills. The Commission felt it would be more appropriate to add a similar fee to internet bills to fund internet service for the needy.
So earlier this year, the Commission proposed a new fee that would have been added to broadband internet bills and text messages.
Unfortunately, that’s where the problems began. Cowardly politicians across the country rebelled at the thought of a new “tax”, especially during a recession.
Chairman Genachowski immediately revised history and claimed he never supported a tax on broadband service because it might discourage people from adopting the technology.
Let us make our position absolutely clear: The digital divide is real. It’s in the best long-term interests of this country if high speed internet service is made available to more people, even if it must be subsidized by those who can afford it.
We urge the FCC commissioners to stand up for what’s right. Put aside your political fears and support this worthwhile program now.
Source: The Hill
Chris Gill says
The US Govt. And it’s ‘elected’ persons are bought and paid for by the 1%, and only serve the 1%. Wake Up!