A proposed earmark in the federal bailout will place the entirety of the continental United States under the umbrella of broadband Internet access, but as with every other decision made on Capitol Hill, controversy abounds.
Advocates for the $9 billion program say that the improvement in digital infrastructure will create and sustain jobs, as well as provide the safety and advantage of advanced digital communication to those who are lacking. Opponents say that the program will be a colossal waste of money, providing unnecessary services to people who don't want them.
Nothing instills more confidence in a country's future than having its leaders debate the importance of the undeniable direction of modern technology. China must be thrilled to watch the conservative party question whether ubiquitous Internet access is necessary for every U.S. citizen.
Let's be frank: asking whether it's a good idea to expand our broadband infrastructure is like Henry Ford asking his R&D people whether cars were really necessary, based on the fact that horses still worked just fine. It's like someone asking the inventor of the printing press whether the device was necessary, given that people could write by hand. It's just plain dumb.
To be fair, there are plenty of people out there who don't need broadband access, and wouldn't use it if it were available. But these people are almost uniformly the aged portion of our society; people for whom the future was color television. It's not that these people don't matter, it's that we need to start planning by keeping in mind people for whom the future has not yet arrived. That future is cross-country wireless.
It's time for us to start thinking long-term benefits. Technology is moving in an obvious direction, and that direction passes through broadband territory. Sure, we could deny this fact, but we can be sure that no one else will. If we are really concerned about maintaining America's position in the global market, then we need to make smart investments and stop listening to the quibbles of small-minded men who think always of dollar signs and nothing else. This is the future. Stop kicking and screaming.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
