[RTC List] Time Warner and Embarq can't compete with city-owned ISP, trying to outlaw it

[Patrick Moon]

William Van Hefner wrote:
> Hmm... They aren't using taxes to pay for it, but they ARE taking out
> loans that they will have to pay back (with interest). Gee, I wonder where
> they will get the money to pay back the loans and the interest?
>   
I agree with this, bonds seem to be this magical "no tax" solution to 
many people.
> Also, what happens in ten years when existing systems become completely
> obsolete, but they are still 10 years away from paying for the original
> hardware?
>   
This seems disingenuous... everyone has to face this issue, it certainly 
isn't a government-centric issue.  As you well know, all carrier have to 
face this and their customers will bear the brunt of it in the same way 
(whether it's a government project or a private venture) especially if 
the private firm has monopoly or duopoly dominance in their market.
> ...When a private company makes bad decisions, we can
> always shop elsewhere. 
Not always, your assuming a diverse free market.  Tangent case in 
point.  AT&T illegally spies on it's customers.  At the time, you look 
for another carrier in the area with similar ability to carry your 
bits... who else was there (you would find that the backbone was AT&T no 
matter who you sent the check too)?  And yes in other markets it's not 
so tied down...but RTC is in a tied down market (allowing that it is 
improving).
> When our elected officials make these types of
> errors, they are never held personally accountable. We all end up paying
> for it in the long run. I'd rather be able to just shop elsewhere than risk
> being left on the hook for someone else's mistakes.
>
>   
Actually it's the same here as before.  The fact that the government 
makes bad choices doesn't change the fact that private companies make 
just as bad choices. And the customers pay for it either way.
...

Cheers,
Patrick Moon