progressives should counter Comcast-Time Warner merge with call for public high speed internet

[yurbud]

Instead of playing defense and trying to undo the deal (or at least along with that), we should renew efforts to make the internet a public utility that cuts these bastards out of the loop entirely.

Many people are canceling their cable subscriptions anyway, which may be one of the things that prompted this merger--consolidating the power of an abusive, dying cartel that consistently overcharged customers and didn't deliver the a la carte services that even some Republican politicians tried to legislate them into providing.

They do however still have their high speed internet business.

Since they did and do such a poor job with their effective monopolies on cable TV (for decades you really had one option per location, and even now, it's just up to three or so if you count satellite too), why should we let them control the internet coming into our homes and businesses?

The internet was largely developed by the government at taxpayer expense, and the monopolies these companies enjoy is artificially created by regulation and legislation.

What the people give, the people can take away, and make the internet public again.

Local governments have experimented with government provided internet.

ISP's saw it as enough of a threat that they fought back and lobbied for laws and regulation to hobble it.

If it was done at the state or even national level, it might be harder for the telecom monopolies to fight back, and if you framed the issue correctly even many conservatives would back it like, "You how cable companies make you pay for 50 channels you'll never watch like Korean soap operas and Mongolian cricket matches? Now we can get even."

The price could be significantly below commercial ISP's and even include a modest profit because it would need to support the corporate profits and bloated executive salaries of private providers nor would it constantly be looking for more ways to scam money out of customers.

Would this be a good response to the mega telecomms along with trying to prevent the mass mergers?

6 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	YES: make their merger irrelevant and take away their profits with public internet
	5 (83%)
	NO: keep the internet private but do everything possible to block mergers and create competition instead of de facto monopolies
	1 (17%)
	OTHER (explain)
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[LiberalEsto]

1. My internet service from Comcrap just doubled in price

We used to get internet from Verizon, but found it unbelievably slow and unreliable. A little over a year ago we switched to Comcast -- only for internet service, nothing else. We have DirecTV because Comcast constantly increased the price of cable.

After the one-year introductory price expired, Comcast increased the cost of internet-only to more that $85 a month, including taxes. I'm sure it will continue increasing, even though the service isn't particularly fast.

National high speed internet service would be wonderful, but keep in mind that Comcast and its ilk buy a lot of politicians through campaign donations. These companies will scream "socialism" and do anything they can to keep American consumers stuck with their lousy and overpriced internet services.

[TheKentuckian]

2. Great thought but the security state must be defanged before government has the trust

for an under taking it under pressure about already. Probably would be seen as a naked power grab more than a fix of corruption and a failed market.

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. The Public Networking Service. +1 n/t

[yurbud]

4. I cut my cable with TWC, but paid an extra $10 a month for faster internet

Oddly, now it seems slower.

[Armstead]

5. Its a great idea....

But i suspect that's why it will not happen here in the U-STUPID-A

[yurbud]

6. if there is no one to pay politicians to do it...

it will be tough to get them too.

[yurbud]

7. .