Broadband Companies to Feds: Keep Your Stimulus Money

[babylonsister]

http://www.propublica.org/ion/stimulus/item/broadband-companies-to-feds-keep-your-stimulus-money-814

Broadband Companies to Feds: Keep Your Stimulus Money
by Christopher Flavelle, ProPublica - August 14, 2009 11:13 am EDT


Major broadband carriers are turning their backs on stimulus money <1>, reports The Washington Post. The stimulus package offers $7.2 billion in grants to spread high-speed Internet access, but three big players — AT&T, Verizon and Comcast — have decided not to apply for the funds, according to industry sources. The companies are reportedly concerned about the scrutiny that would come with accepting the money, as well as a condition that would prevent them from favoring some applications and content over others, a rule known as net neutrality.

Meanwhile, the application deadline for some of those broadband grants has been extended — because government servers couldn’t handle the broadband traffic. According to a notice <2> (PDF) posted on BroadbandUSA.gov, the deadline for electronic applications has been pushed back a week, because the online application system “has experienced service delays due to the volume of activity from potential applicants.”

Should there be a second stimulus package? The New York Times hosted a virtual debate on the question between two economists: Casey B. Mulligan, a professor at the University of Chicago, and Dean Baker, co-director at the Center for Economic Policy Research. Opening arguments <3> took place Monday; the rebuttals <4> were posted today. Who do you think won? E-mail us <5> and we’ll include our favorite responses in a future roundup.

Fox News has released poll results showing that 72 percent of Americans believe giving what’s left of the $787 billion in stimulus money to taxpayers would do more to boost the economy <6> than letting the government spend it. A polling company asked <7> (PDF) the following question: “So far only a small amount of the $787 billion dollars in economic stimulus money has been spent. Which do you think would do more to boost the economy—the government spending the rest of the stimulus money or the government returning the money to the taxpayers?” Just 19 percent of respondents chose the first option, according to Fox.

[DeepBlueC]

1. such solid Americans

:sarcasm:

[aquart]

2. "Returning the money to the taxpayers"?

Nobody mentions how false a choice that is?

[ddeclue]

3. Time to break AT&T back up again...n/t

[crazylikafox]

4. Well good. Use it for another program that's NOT corporate welfare.

Giving these idiots money is just like throwing it down a deep hole. How about some more Bottom UP stimulus? Look how quickly cash-for-clunkers got things moving. It's sending many autoworkers back to work. Maybe we can keep some more people out of forclosure.

[TahitiNut]

5. We really need MUNICIPAL fiber-to-the-curb broadband infrastructure.

It's INSANE that increasingly unregulated companies gain local monopolies and use of a government EASEMENT for THEIR capital 'property.'

[nc4bo]

6. Interesting. nt