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Are you so sure the government can run a high tech ISP better than the private sector? That they will employ the best and brightest and pay them market rates or

by Alupis 6y ago

Are you so sure the government can run a high tech ISP better than the private sector? That they will employ the best and brightest and pay them market rates or better? Or will it just turn into yet another jobs program, filled with sub-par employees that can never be fired for poor performance... While the infrastructure rots away? Say what you want about Comcast... But my internet never goes down, is always fast, is a reasonable price, and support is readily available within a couple minutes if needed. Can you say the same for any government run program or infrastructure project?

lotsofpulp 6y ago
> Say what you want about Comcast... But my internet never goes down, is always fast, is a reasonable price, and support is readily available within a couple minutes if needed. I’ve dealt with Comcast in 3 states on both coasts, and I can’t share any of those sentiments. The upload is always garbage. > Can you say the same for any government run program or infrastructure project? Yes, I’ve never had to call anyone about my electric, gas, sewage, water, roads, parks, or air. Also, FYI, a government org came up with the internet in the first place. This trope of “all things government bad” is so lazy. We are lucky in the US to live in a relatively trustworthy society, where the FAA/FDA/CDC/etc have done quite a few things to make our lives pleasant. Obviously they’re not perfect, but by and large the civilian agencies have undoubtedly pushed our quality of life up.
- Alupis 6y ago
  Electric - burned down several towns in California 2 years back due to failure to maintain the lines over the last 30 years. Gas and Sewage rarely require infrastructure upgrades... ie. there's no new home appliance that requires "more" gas than the lines can currently provide (or provided 30 years ago). Water? What about all the lead in the water issues that were exposed a few years back? Do you think they would have just fixed that if nobody made a big stink about it? ARPAnet has literally nothing to do with how commercial (or municipal) ISP's operate today... not sure what point you're trying to make. FAA has been attempting to upgrade ATC services nation-wide for years and years... still hasn't happened. Plus they've outsourced certifications of new aircraft to the manufacturer (because they don't have the staff to do it themselves, because they don't pay as well as private companies) which led to the Boeing 737-MAX thing... CDC is now a political organization spouting whatever the current president wants (at least under Trump and Biden) FDA - shills for the beef and corn industries... None of your examples are good.
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    > Electric - burned down several towns in California 2 years back due to failure to maintain the lines. That was a private entity. (The same one that also was on proabtion for felonies for killing people and causing widespread damage with its gas operations not long before.)
    - Alupis 6y ago
      Is it though? They can't do so much as paint their trucks without government approval. I'll admit, utilities are a bizarre hybrid at best - however it was the government's state level utility commission that approved the non-maintenance plans for decades.
      - lotsofpulp 6y ago
        I consider utilities as part of government. They private part is just so government officials can use them as a scapegoat. For example, not letting PGE raise prices to do proper maintenance, but then also blaming them when it caused wildfires. Of course, voters will vote for the politician that promises to keep costs down and keeps more money in their pockets.
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    I do not understand what the purpose of pointing out specific deficiencies is after I already pointed out that there were deficiencies. I know myself and many other people feel safe traveling via air, buying food at the grocery store, drinking tap water, are not worried about our houses burning down, and trust the vaccines will help protect us.

by Alupis 6y ago

lotsofpulp 6y ago

> Say what you want about Comcast... But my internet never goes down, is always fast, is a reasonable price, and support is readily available within a couple minutes if needed. I’ve dealt with Comcast in 3 states on both coasts, and I can’t share any of those sentiments. The upload is always garbage. > Can you say the same for any government run program or infrastructure project? Yes, I’ve never had to call anyone about my electric, gas, sewage, water, roads, parks, or air. Also, FYI, a government org came up with the internet in the first place. This trope of “all things government bad” is so lazy. We are lucky in the US to live in a relatively trustworthy society, where the FAA/FDA/CDC/etc have done quite a few things to make our lives pleasant. Obviously they’re not perfect, but by and large the civilian agencies have undoubtedly pushed our quality of life up.

Alupis 6y ago
Electric - burned down several towns in California 2 years back due to failure to maintain the lines over the last 30 years. Gas and Sewage rarely require infrastructure upgrades... ie. there's no new home appliance that requires "more" gas than the lines can currently provide (or provided 30 years ago). Water? What about all the lead in the water issues that were exposed a few years back? Do you think they would have just fixed that if nobody made a big stink about it? ARPAnet has literally nothing to do with how commercial (or municipal) ISP's operate today... not sure what point you're trying to make. FAA has been attempting to upgrade ATC services nation-wide for years and years... still hasn't happened. Plus they've outsourced certifications of new aircraft to the manufacturer (because they don't have the staff to do it themselves, because they don't pay as well as private companies) which led to the Boeing 737-MAX thing... CDC is now a political organization spouting whatever the current president wants (at least under Trump and Biden) FDA - shills for the beef and corn industries... None of your examples are good.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > Electric - burned down several towns in California 2 years back due to failure to maintain the lines. That was a private entity. (The same one that also was on proabtion for felonies for killing people and causing widespread damage with its gas operations not long before.)
  - Alupis 6y ago
    Is it though? They can't do so much as paint their trucks without government approval. I'll admit, utilities are a bizarre hybrid at best - however it was the government's state level utility commission that approved the non-maintenance plans for decades.
    - lotsofpulp 6y ago
      I consider utilities as part of government. They private part is just so government officials can use them as a scapegoat. For example, not letting PGE raise prices to do proper maintenance, but then also blaming them when it caused wildfires. Of course, voters will vote for the politician that promises to keep costs down and keeps more money in their pockets.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  I do not understand what the purpose of pointing out specific deficiencies is after I already pointed out that there were deficiencies. I know myself and many other people feel safe traveling via air, buying food at the grocery store, drinking tap water, are not worried about our houses burning down, and trust the vaccines will help protect us.