End Telecom Regulation

Deregulation has become liberal.

Specifically, telecomm deregulation, which has become a millstone around the neck of the Internet. The best thing to do is get rid of it and let connectivity run free.

Visicalc co-founder Bob Frankston makes this argument in a piece called Services, Infrastructure & Opportunity and it's something I agree with. Not only would it be the right thing to do, it would be great political jiu jitsu on the Bells, which have gamed the system during the Bush years to create the first subsidized, unregulated monopoly in the American economy in 100 years.

Let's see how they like the free market.

Here's the best part:

We need regulation when the marketplace has failed. The very existence of the Regulatorium is proof of a marketplace failure. In 1934 we didn’t have an alternative. In 2006 we now understand connectivity. A marketplace based on connectivity has incentives that are in alignment and thus little need for regulation.

We cannot afford to live as if were 1934 in 2006.

Truth. Now will someone in a position to be heard, loudly, in Washington put this forward? Who will be the champion of ending America's Broadband Gap?