Internet isn't what's broken

So, having fixed our healthcare system (for better or worse), President Obama is planning to "fix" the Internet. Because it is so broken, of course. But don't worry, if you like your Internet service provider, you can keep your Internet service provider. Unless your provider didn't give enough to whatever political party is in charge, and then you will be provided with a new improved provider.

Monday, in his first of three articles on the matter, Uyless Black tries to make a case that the Internet is broken. Basically, he said that big companies are involved and so the government needs to step in and regulate things so it will cost less and become faster. He goes on to compare our Internet with that of South Korea, which has the fastest Internet speed in the world, and does so for less "visible" cost. What he fails to point out is that reduced cost is heavily subsidized by their government, and that the money to do so comes from increased taxes. He also fails to note that the Internet in South Korea is regulated, monitored, censored, and used to control what information is located by the end user.

There have been scandals involving political censorship just before elections and time restrictions on people younger than 18. The clock turns midnight and the Internet goes dark, because the government makes a better parent than the parents do. Plus, everyone is required to sign in under their government issued number. For increased security, but it isn't clear if the people were to be made more secure or the government.

Think about the possibilities! When your kids go on the Internet looking for information on President Washington, the first 50 links that come up talk about how bad the Founding Fathers were, and that they were wrong to limit all the good things government could do if it weren't for that pesky Bill of Rights thing, and why it should be repealed.

There is an old cold war joke in Russia, where you weren't allowed to say anything against the Party, and doing so might get you a one-way ticket to Siberia.

"Q. How does every Russian joke begin? A. With the person telling it carefully looking over their shoulder to make sure nobody else can hear it."

When government needs people like Uyless Black to explain why something is broken and they are here to fix it, we might be in for a treat. After all, what could go wrong? By the way, who is John Galt?

Michele Ash is a Hayden resident.