My biggest broadband fear? The best darn government money can buy.
Click HERE to watch a brilliant Bill Moyers interview of a whistle-blowing health-insurance insider who describes how health-care reform is probably going to get blown away by the industry. As I watched this guy demonstrate how they own the legislature I was struck by the exact parallel we face on the Task Force and how our proposals will also probably get blown away. Right now we're in the "charm offensive" phase, but woe betide any proposal that we may come up with that infringes on that cozy status quo. His description of the motives, strategy and tactics is quite stunning and enlightening. This interview is a very cogent description of why there are 7 reports prior to ours that have resulted in no action here in Minnesota.
The moral to the story? If we get a decent report out, we're going to have to lobby those same politicians (and the bureaucrats who carry out their legislative mandates) more effectively if we want anything to happen. It's going to be very hard to overcome the advantage that the providers enjoy. Case in point? The recent Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Federal broadband stimulus. It's clear that the incumbents got to the rule-makers and cut themselves a great deal.
We need to learn from this guy peepul. Watch this interview and start writing your playbook. Mobilize your constituents (education, libraries, business, consumers, environmentalists, etc.). We're going to need your help.
July 11th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Mike...no question that the providers (e.g., Comcast) will go wild if there is anything that smacks of regulation. The only possible antidote is putting this out under the light and ensuring that everyone can see exactly what's going on.
I'm thinking of guys like Chuck Olsen from TheUptake and how that level of citizen journalism -- along with tiny voices like ours on Minnov8 and other blogs -- could ensure that there is a groundswell of opposing power that can ensure the right thing is done by those legislators who'd rather the light isn't shined on them.