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posted by martyb on Monday December 04 2017, @08:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the getting-shafted dept.

For decades, people in the US have been given a song and dance by the telecoms about how tax cuts, surcharges, and a long list of other expenses are necessary for telecoms to "invest" in infrastructure. The concessions are granted again and again, but the investments are never actually made. In all, US taxpayers have paid $400 Billion in taxes and Internet surcharges for fiber optic upgrades that never happened.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @09:26PM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @09:26PM (#605308)

    As OP said: Big Government corrupts business.

    Get the government out of the business of choosing how resources should be allocated. That's the business of business; that's the business of individuals (and their organizations), participating in a market of voluntary trade, where the government's sole role (if it must have one) should be to ensure that trade is indeed voluntary (e.g., trade occurs according to well negotiated contracts, and the like).

  • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday December 04 2017, @09:46PM (4 children)

    by bob_super (1357) on Monday December 04 2017, @09:46PM (#605321)

    > > > It is not the case that Big Business corrupts government; it is the case that Big Government corrupts business.
    > As OP said: Big Government corrupts business.

    I just came back from attending a street protest filled with CEOs who were trying to stop the government from offering them contracts, because the market distortion and massive influx of money was clearly causing them ethical worries, each time they had to submit their most accurate estimate for program costs.

    • (Score: 2) by JNCF on Monday December 04 2017, @09:56PM (3 children)

      by JNCF (4317) on Monday December 04 2017, @09:56PM (#605328) Journal

      Are you willing to share details of this protest I can research further? I understand if you don't want to be more specific. I'm not skeptical, just curious.

      • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday December 04 2017, @10:27PM (2 children)

        by bob_super (1357) on Monday December 04 2017, @10:27PM (#605357)

        You should have seen the sign that CEO held, which showed a grey government cubicle, with the slogan "stop making me exceed Street estimates with your broadband-for-the-masses clauses" on one side, and "without you my lobbyists could ensure fair competition" on the other.
        Since there were obviously no women, they all had to wear Balls Hats, to represent the oppression of being grabbed, and forced to sign unethical contracts which prevent them from delivering goods on time or anywhere near bid numbers.

        So many CEOs, all united, marching in protest of Big Government corruption and signing no-Campaign-Contribution pledges ... It was really a lot of fun, until my boss woke me up to write more code.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @11:44PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @11:44PM (#605403)

          It was really a lot of fun, until my boss woke me up to write more code.

          Lucky you.... my boss is asking for that documentation due one month ago.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 05 2017, @03:57AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 05 2017, @03:57AM (#605495)

            > Lucky you.... my boss is asking for that documentation due one month ago.

            Lucky you, I'm the boss and I have to fend off the customer while you finish the docs... The customer really wants this project done before the end of the year, and so do I because I don't want to have to go back for additional funding out of next year's budget for this old project.