According to the Laramie Boomerang, "The Federal Communications Commission has authorized $8.5 million in funding for broadband to be expanded in Albany County to 8,179 remote and rural locations." 

While I am sure that there are those in Albany County who are happy to have money, the question must be asked about the proper role of government in our economy. How is tax payer money spent, or wasted for that matter, and where can our federal government find $8.5 million when they are $23 trillion in debt?

To be fair to Albany County, they are not the only county in the country receiving large sums of money. The Boomerang reports,"Albany County is receiving almost a tenth of the entire funding the FCC is investing nationwide in this round of Connect America Fund Phase II projects." 

There are those who argue that today's internet is a modern-day economic highway. That is true. But why is government wasting money on outdated connectivity when the private sector is already taking care of rural internet access faster and far cheaper?

Amazon is just one of several companies planning to launch satellites that will provide internet to the world. Before that happens you can look at any home in the farthest regions of Wyoming and see a small dish on the roof providing phone, television, and internet, for a low monthly fee.

Companies are always struggling to find how to reach every possible costumer with the best service, for the lowest possible price. Staying in front of their competition pushes them even harder.

Getting government out of they way not only saves taxpayers money and helps to reduce our ever-growing national debt, but provides fast, reliable innovation that will never come from government funding.

The service that is coming to Albany County is supposed to be at a subsidized lower cost to the customer. Those features, if they appear at all, will end as soon as the subsidies run out - just as it always does.

 

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