Here we go again: Congress is building another “BRIDGE” to nowhere – only this one will stifle innovation and kill investment in states like Minnesota where internet providers along with state legislators are working hard to bridge the digital divide with private investment in broadband deployment.
Yet several U.S. Senators recently introduced the BRIDGE Act – the old “we’re from the government and we’re here to help you” stuff.
As it happens, this Act does the same thing most every other “act” of Congress does – it increases the size and scope of the federal government’s broadband reach, it limits the constitutionally delegated power of states but most importantly, it encourages localities to start their own municipal broadband networks (and faithful readers of the FFM know how that ended in Lake County, and in Monticello, to name just a few) while crippling innovation that would help close the digital divide.
It is a bridge to nowhere in Minnesota.
The Freedom Foundation of Minnesota recently joined with a nationwide coalition to express our displeasure to Congress on the BRIDGE Act with the hope that they will listen to those of us on the broadband front lines and make the necessary adjustments to this legislation before it’s too late and taxpayers pay too much for unnecessary and unwanted broadband service.
You can read a copy of our letter to Congress HERE.
