Kansas moves to Stop Broadband Internet to residents

[RKP5637]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/30/1273848/-Kansas-moves-to-Stop-Broadband-Internet-to-residents

The State of Kansas could often be said to be one of those places where torturing your residents just makes sense. While the work against women, children, the disabled, schools and others continues, the state of Kansas Legislatures took on a new target: Stop Google Fiber. And not just google fiber, make sure that cities cannot invest in any broadband network technologies.

http://www.muninetworks.org/content/kansas-legislature-introduces-bill-limit-internet-investment

With Senate Bill No. 304 [pdf], the Kansas Legislature will consider a bill to revoke local authority to build networks. If passed, this bill would create some of the most draconian limits on building networks we have seen in any state.

The language in this bill prohibits not only networks that directly offer services but even public-private partnerships and open access approaches. This is the kind of language one would expect to see if the goal is to protect politically powerful cable and telephone company monopolies rather than just limiting local authority to deliver services.

These types of bills make a mockery of our political system. Whether to invest in essential infrastructure (or how to) is a decision that should be made at the local level, where people know how their unique mix of assets and challenges relate to ensuring everyone has fast, affordable, and reliable access to the Internet. There is no need for the state or federal authority to overrule local decision-making. The only reason we see it popping up in state after state (most recently Georgia) is because powerful cable and telephone companies want to ensure they face no competition - even in the most rural areas of the country.

This is not a matter of taxes. As we note in a recent fact sheet, most community networks have not used taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, the cable and telephone companies have a history of benefits from the public sector, from ongoing subsidies to having built their networks originally as monopolies protected from competition.

[Warpy]

1. Kansas is the epicenter of the new Dark Age

probably because that's where the Koch family raised their horrible sons. There are four and only one of them is apolitical.

[RKP5637]

3. It's a disgusting place. And they think highly creative and educated people want to

move there. Most people I knew in that category have left Kansas. Who wants to wreck ones future in a backward regressive place like Kansas, Brownbackistan Cockland. Yep, there's a reason it's a flyover state.

[tblue37]

15. I am intelligent and creative--and I teach at the University of Kansas, so I am still here.

Of course, Lawrence is an island of blue in a blood red sea in this state.

[RKP5637]

20. Very true! Lawrence is a very special place! It is definitely an island of blue. It was

the only place in Kansas where I felt sanity and intelligence prevailed! Despite the attempts of Brownback to kill off Lawrence and bring it into Brownbackistan, it remains a sea of blue! One of the bright spots in Kansas! It seems Manhattan is another!

[tblue37]

22. Yes, he and his legislative minions have tried to hurt us. They tried to

close our social services office, despite the size of the city, claiming that Lawrence's poor and handicapped--and handicapped poor--could go to Topeka, a 30 minute drive, even though most of those clients would not have any way to get there!

It took a LOT of protests to force them to back down.

They tried to redistrict the state to force us into a red district, but their redistricting attempts were so extreme that the state supreme court had to take it out of the legislature's hands. Fortunately, the court is still balanced by appointees from decent governors like Hayden and Sebelius.

We were essentially a three party state: Dems, moderate Repubs who worked with the Dems, and wingnut Repubs. But the wingnuts primaried the moderates and took complete control of the legislature. Some of the moderates have switched parties, but most just shrugged their shoulders and gave up.

[Eleanors38]

25. +50% of Texas toll roads surround Austin.

[Blue_Tires]

27. +1

I went to KU for grad school and once I got past my East Coast culture shock I absolutely loved the place...

[hfojvt]

28. hey now

don't forget Crawford

and the Dotte.

No city is an island ...

Although, ironically enough, there are more Democratic voters here in Leavenworth than there are in Crawford.

11,357 for Obama in 2012 vs. only 6,826 in Crawford. But heck, Obama LOST Crawford in 2012 by 47% to 53%. A slip from 2008.

Actually came much closer in Shawnee, losing only 49.5% to 50.5%. Shawnee is not really "blood red" either.

Also, Obama got over 1,000 votes in 41 of Kansas' counties and over 100 votes in every county - except Wallace, where he only got 68. (vs. 719 for Romney).

[tblue37]

31. True, but we blue islands are scattered and besieged! nt

[hfojvt]

32. you need to turn that around

it is Leavenworth that should be besieged, pinned as it is between the much bigger blue counties of Wyandotte and Douglas. Not to mention Atchison where Jerry Henry rules!!! (Jerry almost always runs unopposed. In 2012 he had a carpetbagger opponent who he trounced.)

Plus, imagine things like 2006 when Sebelius won places like Allen County by 2690 to 1571. ALLEN COUNTY???!!?!?!?!?!!!

She and Paul Morrison won a whole bunch of those "red" counties, although I don't have other examples because SOS does not have results by county in 2006, only by precinct.

[tblue37]

33. But "red" used to include relatively sane moderate Republican

representatives. Those who worked with Dems have been largely primaried out of their seats, so many red districts are far more extreme than they used to be.

[Logical]

11. I LIVE HERE!!!!!!!!!!! And you are....

100% correct.

It has become a hell hole.

And just think, not that long ago Kathleen Sebelius was our governor.

[RKP5637]

12. After Kathleen Sebelius left KS went straight to hell. We hope that butt KS calls a

governor gets voted out the next time around. If he stays, there is probably absolutely no hope for Kansas.

[okieinpain]

24. agree, lol.

[sakabatou]

2. *facedesk*

[dballance]

4. How does that square w/ privatize and less gov. intrusion again? /nt

[RKP5637]

5. Amazing, isn't it. n/t

[liberalhistorian]

9. Not to mention the

relentless mantra of "local control". Unless that means their corporate masters can't do what they want in a particular community, that is.

[okaawhatever]

6. It's becoming more clear that Dorothy was onto something when she left. I have a

new motto for Kansas: A State Even Dorothy Wouldn't Want To Go Back To

[RKP5637]

7. Love it, Excellent! "A State Even Dorothy Wouldn't Want To Go Back To." n/t

[Scuba]

8. Just buy your service from a company that will decide what sites you can visit.

"All The News We Want You To Know"

[RKP5637]

10. Yep, the brainwashing is thick and heavy! n/t

[Eleanors38]

26. Isn't Iran doing that?

[octoberlib]

13. Sounds like an ALEC bill.

Coming soon to a red state near you.

[okaawhatever]

14. I wonder if there's a way to find that out? nt

[octoberlib]

16. Good question. Let me search around online.

If the same bill is introduced in the next NC legislative session this spring, I'll know it is.

[octoberlib]

17. It sure as hell is.

Do a google search and there's link after link . http://alecexposed.org/w/images/6/6f/9A15-Municipal_Telecommunications_Private_Industry_Safeguards_Act_Exposed.pdf

[El_Johns]

30. Good catch.

[Laxman]

18. What's Next?

We'll no longer be able to gather in taverns and discuss politics?

[JHB]

29. Not in the dry counties...

...and in the other non-wet counties you'd better not skimp on snacks so that the establishment can make the 30% gross revenues from food sales provision.

[bluestate10]

19. Let me guess. Republicans are whipping the bill?

So, the people who scream red-faced when talking about State's Rights to deny Federal corrective actions want to shut down local decision making concerning improvement to local communication infrastructure.

For the people who say there is no difference or who always fall back on the "Third Way" is evil bullshit to show how much of an informed Progressive you are, keep your eyes closed while assholes like those in Kansas take their citizens back to the dark ages.

[steve2470]

21. free market FTW

in case I need to.

[Dash87]

23. Conservatives: For privatization until there's competition.

Then we have to use the government to crush any threats a monopoly might have.