Yeah, well, The City of Austin tried to build its
own metropolitan internet back in 1995. The telco's and cable companies lobbied the state legislature and passwed a law that prohibited municipalities in Texas from building, owning or subsidising data networks:-(
Six years later some of us have DSL and roadrunner. But I think most folks still would have prefered the city services. Telecom regulation is a joke, and Southwestern Bell is operated by criminals, thugs and extortionists.
The idea seems to ignore one of the great post-modern facts of life: leadership doesn't work. Germany did not need a 'strong leader' in the 1930's to fend off the 'redmond of europe'.
Christianity does not need 'strong leadership' in the form of the Catholic Church. Evolution
does not need the 'strong leadership' of Lamarck,
but the anarchy of Darwin.
Society runs better, more justly, more efficiently when more-or-less 'free' markets
(i.e. when more-or-less 'anarchy') reigns. Government regulation to prevent tainted hamburder meat is OK, just as standards bodies to avoid tainted API's are not a bad idea.
But 'strong leadership' eventually proves weak, corrupt, and and unjust. That anarchy is stronger and better, this is is the great post-modern idea of intellectualism in the 20th century. Its not an idea that should be lightly dismissed.
Slashdot Mirror
own metropolitan internet back in 1995. The telco's and cable companies lobbied the state legislature and passwed a law that prohibited municipalities in Texas from building, owning or subsidising data networks
Six years later some of us have DSL and roadrunner. But I think most folks still would have prefered the city services. Telecom regulation is a joke, and Southwestern Bell is operated by criminals, thugs and extortionists.
The idea seems to ignore one of the great post-modern facts of life: leadership doesn't work. Germany did not need a 'strong leader' in the 1930's to fend off the 'redmond of europe'. Christianity does not need 'strong leadership' in the form of the Catholic Church. Evolution does not need the 'strong leadership' of Lamarck, but the anarchy of Darwin. Society runs better, more justly, more efficiently when more-or-less 'free' markets (i.e. when more-or-less 'anarchy') reigns. Government regulation to prevent tainted hamburder meat is OK, just as standards bodies to avoid tainted API's are not a bad idea. But 'strong leadership' eventually proves weak, corrupt, and and unjust. That anarchy is stronger and better, this is is the great post-modern idea of intellectualism in the 20th century. Its not an idea that should be lightly dismissed.