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from the how-many-times-do-we-have-to-pay-for-broadband? dept.
U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has proposed up to $275 billion in infrastructure investment, including investment in broadband:
Hillary Clinton has announced a $250bn plan to build out the United States' broadband infrastructure and ensure that everyone has fast internet access at an affordable price by 2020.
That's the headline figure anyway in her new policy position called "Building Tomorrow's Economy Today." In reality, the presidential candidate has pledged to fund a $25 billion dollar "national infrastructure bank" over five years that will cover all infrastructure improvements for roads, bridges, pipes, and internet network.
That bank will provide "up to an additional $225 billion in federally supported investment," according to the policy paper, by leveraging "the $25 billion in direct loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of credit enhancement."
[...] Interestingly however, even Clinton's $25 billion infrastructure bank idea doesn't appear to have been her own. Democratic rival Bernie Sanders has been talking about the US' lackluster networks for some time, noting that the US comes 16th globally in terms of broadband access, and 12th in terms of average speed, according to the OECD. "Today, businesses, schools, and families in Bucharest, Romania, have access to much faster internet than most of the United States. That is unacceptable and has got to change," Sanders says in his policy position on "rebuilding America."
Interestingly, Sanders pledged the exact same figure as Clinton – $5 billion a year – but solely for internet rollout, rather than all infrastructure needs, through an Act of Congress. "The Rebuild America Act will invest $5 billion a year to expand high-speed broadband networks in under-served and unserved areas, and to boost speeds and capacity all across the country. Internet access is no longer a luxury: it is essential for 21st century commerce, education, telemedicine, and public safety," he said.
DSLReports calls the promises "painfully ambiguous". Other outlets have gravitated to the promises of "smart cities", "free Wi-Fi", "5G networks", and supporting "tomorrow's Internet of Things".
Billions in broadband investment? Hmm, where have I heard that one before?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Saturday December 05 2015, @01:13PM
No she wouldn't, my friend. The Clintons are desperately incompetent. What they are competent at, you don't want.
We've all been sitting around for 3 years now pointing out that the NSA police state surveillance will be abused for political control. She is one who will do that. She has a lifetime of scores to settle, and if she is put in the Oval Office that's exactly what she'll do.
Also, consider that the Clintons are in bed with Wall Street and the very evil 1% they play fight with in front of the cameras. I have witnessed them meeting with Chris Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax and the architect of the Vince Foster suicide theory, and Rupert Murdoch.
Hillary Clinton must never be President.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Saturday December 05 2015, @08:26PM
Right. Unfortunately, any Republican who wins the primary will do the same or worse.
Right now, she is the least-worst person from the field of people who have a reasonable chance of actually winning the job.