As long as we're arguing from principle rather than technology--
It helps everyone if there isn't an underclass that's excluded from
basic participation in society, because something that's essential--
like in this case a telephone--is no longer available. Access to
basic services with only modest means is particularly important in a
period of turmoil (like right now), when no one can be sure of any
kind of economic security.
Sooner or later, everyone pays for the disenfranchised, the
economically unfit, the ones who have to go to the emergency room
because they have no other access to medical care, etc. That's why
we try to fund public health, medicaid, the electric grid, water and
sewer systems, etc., to try to maintain a basic level of public
service available to most if not all citizens. You no longer have to
be rich to have electricity--by buying your own generator--or to have
clean water (your own well and treatment plant).
I don't think this is the same as taking all the good and then
demanding that others pay to ameliorate the negative aspects. It's
more like trying to maintain a basic level of civilization. (I
thought we had established this as a basic principle of government at
least by the New Deal.)
On Jan 2, 2010, at 2:20 PM, tjpa wrote:
On Jan 2, 2010, at 11:06 AM, Constance Warner wrote:
This whole thing looks like the replacement of light rail with
cars and GM-built buses in the 30's and 40's. Right now,
municipalities are trying to rebuild what was destroyed in the
name of corporate profits. Destroying low-cost public transit
wasn't a good idea, and abolishing landlines isn't either.
You have the right to live almost anywhere you like, but that does
not give you the right to a subsidy from the rest of us. You get
many benefits from living in the outback, both psychic and
financial. It is not right for you happily take all the good and
then demand that others pay to ameliorate the negative aspects. You
need to decide what you value more, beautiful Internet or beautiful
view. If you demand both, then you need to pony up the dough to get
it.
**********************************************************************
***
** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives,
privacy **
** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://
www.cguys.org/ **
**********************************************************************
***
*************************************************************************
** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy **
** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ **
*************************************************************************
