Progressive critics worry the bipartisan infrastructure bill's broadband money is a handout to telecom giants
The American Prospect's David Dayen is not optimistic that President Biden's agenda will, as it intends to, "take back government from corporate domination." His wariness stems from the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill, specifically the broadband access section.
In the earlier phases of the negotiations, the proposal contained provisions angling to ensure competition in the broadband, Dayen writes. Those included increasing minimum internet speeds, prioritizing publicly-owned broadband and co-ops, and reversing state laws that restrict publicly-owned broadband. But none of those made it into the final version of the bill, which Dayen argues means telecom giants like AT&T and Comcast "can capture" the funding from the bill "without meaningful broadband adoption in unserved or underserved areas."
There are some provisions Dayen likes, such as one that mandates the Federal Communications Commission to prevent "digital redlining" (meaning providers can't pick and choose which neighborhoods to build out), but he doesn't believe it's enough to limit the monopolization of the market. "Maybe a little less money will be wasted when compared to previous federal broadband efforts," Dayen writes. But, he adds, "the structure of the heavily monopolized market remains intact; Congress failed to engage in any meaningful structural reform." Read more at The American Prospect.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Band Aid 40: time to change the tune?
In the Spotlight Band Aid's massively popular 1984 hit raised around £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the charity has generated over £140m in total
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Starmer vs the farmers: who will win?
Today's Big Question As farmers and rural groups descend on Westminster to protest at tax changes, parallels have been drawn with the miners' strike 40 years ago
By The Week UK Published
-
How secure are royal palaces?
The Explainer Royal family's safety is back in the spotlight after the latest security breach at Windsor
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strike
Speed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published