OK, America, Health Care Reform has been enacted into law. Now, everyone gets health care, whether they can afford it or not. Those who used to be able to afford it will pay higher taxes so that the government can pay for everyone’s health care. Then, no one will be able to afford health care but not to worry; the government will pay for everyone’s health care. Gee, I wonder if the Chinese will loan us that much money? Oh well, what the hell, all citizens are entitled to free health care so who cares if we go further in debt. Heck, we already have to borrow money to pay Social Security Benefits. What’s another hundred trillion dollars in the scheme of things?
All this has got me to thinking about Internet Access Reform. A recent pole by the BBC World Service found that 4 in 5 people around the world believe that access to the Internet is a fundamental right. Finland and Estonia have already ruled that access is a human right for their citizens. Dr. Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, said, “The Internet is the most powerful potential source for enlightenment ever created. Governments must regard the Internet as basic infrastructure – just like roads, waste and water. We have entered the knowledge society and everyone must have access to participate.” There you are; Europe will soon be furnishing computers and high speed Internet to all their citizens, as well as health care. If the United States is going to copy Europe’s government health care system then it is only reasonable to copy their Internet System. It is time for Internet Access Reform! Hey, Nancy Pelosi, are you listening?!
Dear Free: As soon as Pelosi can figure out how to make money with it, she'll be all over Internet access (IA). Not to worry.
ReplyDeleteThe larger question is whether IA is on a par with roads and water for our life support system. There is no question it can save govt tons of cash if they adopt it for voting, census taking, and a million different transactions that take place every day in person or through the mails (oops, this'll hurt that semi-govt function known as the US Postal Service; maybe we should reconsider.)
If government could harness the Internet, and none have so far done so, it would be the greatest propaganda tool advance since Joe Goebbels first grabbed a radio microphone. It's only a matter of time. 1984 all over again. Be afraid, very afraid. TsarPat
Dear Tsar,
ReplyDeleteYIKES! You are scaring me. Do you refer to the 1984 in the past or the "1984" in the future?
I'm thinking of a government in control of the Internet, able watch our every online move and some that aren't, gather all of our financial information and store it for use against us, and able to flash subliminal messages on our computer monitors; e.g., Vote for Obama, kill your neighbor. A new 1984. TsarPat
ReplyDelete