Five Countries With Better Internet Access Than The U.S.

Today I learned through a small article in the Huffington Post that there are at least five countries that provide their citizenry with better access to high speed, broadband Internet than what we here in the United States pay dearly for, if we can get get it at all.  Consider that that an estimated 19 million Americans have no access to high speed internet whatsoever.

The five countries cited in HP's article, heavily subsidize the broadband industry through direct government investment and tax incentives for industry investment in fiber optic cable installations.  Virtually each of the five countries also view access to broadband as a necessity, if not a basic human right for virtually all of their citizens.

First on the list of five was South Korea, where 94% of that country's citizens have high speed, broadband access.  The government there pledges that by the end of 2012, access to 1 gigabit per second will be available to its citizens.

The first country to make broadband access a legal right was Finland.  That country plans for 100 mega bit access to be a legal right by the end of 2015.

Sweden offers its citizens broadband access that is two times faster and one-third the price of what we pay for and what is available to Americans.  It has been documented that a full length High Definition movie could downloaded in just 2 seconds.

Japan offers the cheapest broadband connections in the world, in large part to government tax incentives for investment in large scale footprints of fiber optic infrastructure.  The Japanese also believe in long-range investment in the future by looking ahead to what will still be relevant and useful for their grandchildren and their grandchildren.

The most affordable broadband access in the world is offered in France.  This attributed to regulation that allows rival providers to share access to the broadband infrastructure.  The French government has declared internet access as a basic human right.

It would be nice if we, here in the U.S. could have access to some of the best ideas from each of these countries that would enhance the availability and high speed access that is virtually guaranteed in each of the five.

Coming soon:  My arguments as to why we could achieve these elements and much more.

Assault on the Working Class

Subsequent to last November’s elections and the Republican sweep to power and control of several states’ governorships and legislatures, not to mention the United States Congress, we now bear witness to an outright assault on the basic collective bargaining rights of state and municipal workers belonging to unions. In Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio legislative initiatives have been unleashed to turn them into “Right-to-Work (for less) States”. One legislator in Missouri has even gone so far as to introduce legislation to remove and replace her state’s child labor laws*.

*This fact is worth keeping in mind as I expose my own personal insights, beliefs and experiences later and throughout this blog.

Most recently, the spotlight is squarely on the Wisconsin governor and the predominately Republican legislature in their blatant, unholy mission to enact law that will balance the budget and eviscerate the unions. Affected union employees will be forced to submit to substantial wage and benefit cuts through increased contribution towards their pensions and healthcare. Admittedly, this sacrifice would more closely align the state’s public sector workers with worker benefits enjoyed in the private sector. Governor Scott Walker campaigned on the idea of making state employees more responsible for their pensions and healthcare. He just forgot to tell the voters that he would take away state employees’ right to collectively bargain future contracts and working conditions, basically eliminating public employees unions*. Immediately, upon assuming office, Walker and his fellow Republican cohorts enacted tax cuts for corporate interest; an amount virtually equal to what is now Wisconsin’s deficit, thus creating the budget crisis. What most of the media fails to report is that union leaders recognized from the beginning of the Republican takeover they would be required to make concessions. They communicated to the governor on more than one occasion, the willingness to accept more of the burden. There was no response from the governor. Again, during the latter part of the week of February 13th, union leaders again voiced their willingness to accept concessions without giving up their right to collective bargaining. The governor has basically taken the position that there will be no negotiation and that it will be his way and nothing less.

*In addition to removing the union’s ability have its voice heard on any issue, payroll deduction of union dues would end upon Wisconsin becoming a “Right to Work (for less)” state.

Fourteen Democratic State senators have fled the state to deny the quorum necessary to take a vote on the Republican bill. They have vowed to remain in hiding for as long as it takes to convince the governor to negotiate an end to his demand for forfeiture of collective bargaining rights. For more than two weeks now, Governor Walker has shown no indication that he is willing to compromise, even after a “moderate Republican senator” suggested a temporary suspension of collective bargaining rights for a period of two years.

During the past two weeks, many thousands of public and private sector employees converged at the state capitol building in Madison. We have witnessed the visible support of thousands more associated with the AFL-CIO as well as many Wisconsin policemen and firefighters, religious leaders, community leaders and activist. Also, many concerned, non-union, working class citizens have participated in demonstrations, showing support for the affected state public employees.

The above paragraphs set the backdrop for much of my future observations.