Should we oppose the Data Superhighway/NII?

[jdblair at nextsrv.cas.muohio.EDU]

Timothy May writes (in part of his posting),

> But most other parts I cannot support, especially the underpinning
> idea that the government needs to be involved in planning networks,
> and that various groups in society need "fair access" to such
> networks. And the idea that the government should set the specs for
> a network to tie in with the National Health Insurance Plan--a point
> repeatedly raised by Tom Kalil of the White House--is odious.

I'm not sure what you mean by "various groups," but I do think that a very
basic net connection, with minimal services (access to government records,
public domain postings, and similar information) should be provided either free
or at a very minimal cost.  It is not difficult for me to envision a day when
paper based sources of info (newspapers, magazines, etc.) may be impossible
to recieve in paper format, and when participation in our political system
will depend on having access just as much as it depends, for all practical
purposes, on having a stable residence.  Groups which cannot afford net
connection in the future may very likely become a politically excluded group.
Its important that we set the precedent now that these basic services not be
dependant on a certain minimum economic standing.  This is what I understand
"fair access" to mean.

-john.