Legislation

by afagen

The first year of Barack Obama’s presidency has seen various efforts to undo and refocus much of the legislation from the Bush administration as well as make crucial changes to domestic and foreign affairs.  The healthcare battle has been ongoing since the election, deeply divided between Democrats and Republicans and still largely unresolved.  Education has also taken a platform with attempts to change the “no child left behind” policies of the Bush era.  And a new debate has begun the Federal Communication Commission over proposed government funding that will broaden national Internet access.

The F.C.C. already proposed a plan to Congress that reflects the goal of making high speed internet access like satellite broadband the country’s primary communication network.  This is obviously met with resistance from the telecommunication industry, namely large TV and telephone corporations.  The new legislation would presumably redirect funding that was previously funneled into telecommunications and put it into expanding satellite internet access and other high-speed broadband providers.  Further questions have been raised, however, regarding how much control the F.C.C. has over various Internet providers, which tend to form what are essentially online monopolies and can regulate prices and speed.  But the Federal Communication Commission claims that it can effectively bring high-speed internet access to rural areas and places where it was previously unavailable.

This is perhaps a necessary improvement, as statistics show that nearly one third of American households do not have access to high-speed Internet such as satellite internet broadband.  The current trend throughout the world proves that Internet is by far the most rapidly growing and developing communication medium, and it seems that its capabilities have already surpassed those of television and telephones.  Bringing a larger part of the American population this kind of communication potential is no doubt a priority.  Individuals living in rural areas should not be at any kind of disadvantage in terms of communication access or information acquisition and exchange because the current broadband status does not cover their specific zone.

Pouring funding into these kinds of issues should benefit the country as a whole to provide the current capabilities of technology.  With increased broadband speed, the possibilities of online navigation are enhanced, able to process a much higher volume of input at much quicker speed.  It should also be an economic stimulant, as the growth of this industry should equate to a growth in the corresponding job market, which holds great potential.

The ensuing debate may get heated, between the F.C.C. on one end and the big businesses of the telecommunication industries on the other.  As always, it will be difficult to sift out the various interests of large corporations that pervade the political system and make it difficult to get anything done in a reasonable amount of time.  But the explosive growth worldwide of the Internet as the primary communication tool bolsters the efforts to broaden national access and sets the stage for a shift in telecommunications.

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