One of the great frustrations about our species – is our rigid insistence on repeating the same mistakes over and over and over again.
We spend centuries (eons) learning, it would seem, not a single, solitary thing.
Government schools (K-12) are, of course, an abomination. They indoctrinate the next generation of radicals – colleges then activate them.
There is no way any rational human of even minimal intelligence reaches on his own the conclusion that Collectivism – Socialism-Communism – is a good idea. Your gut instinctively tells you it is titanically stupid – and makes zero human nature sense.
When my government school began its very early Collectivism imposition – I immediately recoiled and vocally protested. (I spent a LOT of time in the Office with the respective Principals and Vice Principals – and my parents.)
I do not expect everyone to be as rapidly reticent. I do not expect everyone to be as vocally opposed. But I do expect each person to trust their gut – and begin to investigate on their own when their intestines tell them something is amiss.
That hardly ever seems to happen. Even with alleged leaders of our society.
We have had very recently in the news two such alleged leaders – getting something very wrong…they should KNOW better than to get very wrong. One is running for President of the United States of America – the other got one elected.
Behold: Democrat candidate Beto O’Rourke. And Republican “strategist” – and the “Brain” who got George W. Bush elected – Karl Rove.
Rove disappoints even a little more – as he is of the Party that allegedly stands for reducing government.
What have they both gotten so very, very wrong? The ongoing, rolling, perpetual failure that is Government Internet.
Government Internet is the resoundingly stupid notion that government should pretend to be Comcast and Verizon – and try to connect us to the World Wide Web.
It doesn’t work. And we know this – because Collectivism has never, ever worked. Nevertheless – we have tried Government Internet hundreds of times…and (shocker) it has never, ever worked.
There are websites dedicated to chronicling the very many inanities that comprise Government Internet. Here’s one:
Broadband Boondoggles: A Map of Failed Taxpayer-Funded Networks:
“For decades, local governments have made promises of faster and cheaper broadband networks. Unfortunately, these municipal networks often don’t deliver or fail, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill. Explore the map to learn about the massive debt, waste and broken promises left behind by these failed government networks.”
But both O’Rourke and Rove – want Government Internet. Because they are both rigidly insistent on repeating the same mistakes over and over and over again.
O’Rourke has zeroed in on what is absolutely the MOST important reason for Internet access.
Beto: Rural Communities Need Broadband So They Can Access Dating Apps Like Tinder:
“‘In Texas we have a problem with broadband in rural communities. You may have that in Iowa as well, where farmers and ranchers and producers literally cannot get online….
“‘They can’t go to Tinder and find a date tonight, to find that special person who’s going to make the difference in their lives. I want to make sure every American has that opportunity.’”
O’Rourke’s “solution?” Government, natch.
Beware Beto’s Siren Song of Rural Broadband
Yet again – it doesn’t work:
“(P)ast efforts at broadband expansion haven’t shown such prompt impacts on the economies of the benefitting areas.
“Studies (of)…the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $7 billion investment in broadband development…found no change in the economic and quality-of-life measurements….
“Research on the Department of Agriculture’s Broadband Loan Program also found ‘no evidence that loans received…have had a measurable positive impact on recipient communities.’”
Rove is bizarrely thinking even bigger government. Orders of magnitude bigger.
Rove wants government to “help” run the entirety of the impending Fifth Generation (5G) wireless network.
Karl Rove Jumps into Wireless Battle that is Dividing Trump World:
“Karl Rove isn’t a registered lobbyist, but he’s actively working Capitol Hill on one side of the 5G wireless fight that has split President Donald Trump’s advisers.
“The veteran Republican operative has been contacting congressional offices to warn against bipartisan efforts to ban government control of the super-fast wireless technology.”
What the HECK is a Republican doing trying to stop BIPARTISAN efforts to keep the government the heck out of wireless Internet?!?
Rove is to the Left of some Hill Democrats – who are themselves members of far and away the most Left Democrat contingent in history.
Why is Rove doing this? It would appear because Cronyism – the coin of the realm:
“Rove has also sat in on meetings with House and Senate Armed Services committee offices organized by a lobbyist for Rivada Networks, a politically connected company that wants the government to manage the sharing of 5G airwaves with wireless providers….
“Rivada, which is backed by tech investor and Trump ally Peter Thiel, counts Rove as an investor and adviser. Rivada’s model would have the administration take wireless spectrum from the Defense Department and use a third-party operator – ideally Rivada – to make those airwaves available to providers who need it on a rolling wholesale basis, much like in the electricity market.”
Since Rivada is the only company stupid enough to propose government involvement – they would be the company most likely to get the massive government contracts to work with the massive government involvement.
And why on Earth would Rove and his Cronies want to emulate the government-managed-electricity model?
The US Power Grid Failure: It’s When, Not If
New Power Grid ‘Report Card’ Reveal Dangerous Vulnerabilities
Five Reasons the U.S. Power Grid Is Overdue for a Cyber Catastrophe
Falling Apart: America’s Neglected Infrastructure
The Ten Greatest Infrastructure Failures In Modern History
You know what isn’t falling apart and failing? You know what isn’t crumbling and imploding?
Our Internet infrastructure. Because the government – isn’t at all involved.
The private sector has spent the last quarter century investing more than $1 trillion building, maintaining and expanding it.
We have gone from 14K dial-up sloth speeds – to 1GB and beyond warp speeds.
The reason we have led the world to wireless 3G, then 4G – and now on the brink of mega-fast 5G – is because the private sector did it. All by its onesies. No government at all.
So now that we are on the verge of this private-sector-delivered transformational tech leap forward – Rove wants to involve government?
Sorry – no sale.
I don’t care how much Crony coin Rove will make.
It ain’t worth strip-mining the entire sector – via government imposition.
Hard pass.
This first appeared in Red State.