[newzjunkey]

The Steve Largent pushing for this on behalf of the wireless industry is the same as the football player and ex-Congressman (R).

Do we really need these fees, taxes and subsidies?

Does anyone know about this "Rural Caucus" leanings? I never heard of them before and this proposal seems to be flying a bit under the radar.

The House is debating the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which spawned the so-called Universal Service Fund (USF). The USF is under the FCC's control. Sixty-two House members signed the letter, supposedly in a bipartisan fashion.

[endthematrix]

Still paying for the Spanish-American War....

[Kozak]

Anyone who can see the southern sky CAN get broadband now by satellite. No need to suck on the taxpayer tit for this.

[glock rocks]

so that it can pass on subsidies to low-income customers, high-cost areas, and rural health care providers, schools and libraries

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. - Marx

[SoDak]

I'm considering soon taking a three or four month internet vacation, and unplugging my broadband at home and work. This helps the decision a little, based on principle alone.

[varyouga]

Phone taxes are supposedly used to install phones in rural areas where it would otherwise not be cost-effective to run copper.

Broadband certainly did change the way I live and work. A small tax could send broadband to rural areas and increase business in the long term.

Right now most rural areas could only get satellite broadband. It is usually slow, unreliable with bad customer service, and high priced.


But of course I'm thinking of a dream world where people are taxed fairly and taxes are not wasted. It's most likely the phone companies whining about losing customers to on-line phones.

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

[endthematrix]

FCC's strategic goal for Broadband
http://www.fcc.gov/broadband/

Does the FCC Require That Phone Companies Recover Their Universal Service Contributions From Their Customers?

The FCC does not require companies to recover their contributions directly from their customers. Each company makes a business decision about whether and how to assess customers to recover Universal Service costs.

Although it is not mandatory that companies charge a Universal Service fee to help recover their contributions to the fund, most do. Companies that choose to collect Universal Service fees from their customers cannot collect an amount that exceeds their contribution to the Universal Service Fund.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/usfincrease.html


Congressional Rural Caucus
http://www.house.gov/johnpeterson/ruralcaucus/telecomtaskforce.htm

[Recovering_Democrat]

"If our residents are to be competitive in today's fast-paced, technology-driven global marketplace, our communities will require affordable high-speed, high-capacity access to data and information over the Internet," Rep. John Peterson, R-Penn., co-chairman of the Congressional Rural Caucus, said... "If the private sector is either unwilling or unable to provide that service at an affordable price, we'll find a way to provide it for ourselves."

This is horse crap. Anyone ever tell this guy about DirecWay, or some other satellite internet system? At any rate, his constituents' choice of homestead should not infringe upon my pocketbook. I live in the city. I don't get the benefits of living in a rural community. Can I dip into the pockets of the rural citizens to buy some "night sounds of the wilderness" CDs?

[YOUGOTIT]

Destroy the USF. This tax needs to go.

[demlosers]

We don't need another stink'n tax - them Assbites.

[endthematrix]

Advocacy for local rights

http://www.telecommunityalliance.org/mission.html

[Vinnie]

Isn't this Universal Service tax the 'Al Gore' tax. The tax voted on by 2/3 of Clinton and Gore? By fiat.
A tax that was to increase to approx. 8% of your long distance phone bill.
Wasn't this tax supposed to connect all the poor school districts to the internet?
Now it's high speed service for residents.

[Lazamataz]

The power to tax is the power to destroy.

[tutstar]

ping

[montag813]

So we have to subsidize farmers' kids surfing porn and downloading illegal songs, software and movies? Wonderful.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the information. Good post.