Re: Should we oppose the Data Superhighway/NII?

[Mike Godwin <mnemonic@eff.org>]

Steve Witham writes:

> As I understand it, for both telephones and cable TV, it is still common
> for local governments to "grant" "franchises" to single companies for
> phone and cable wires.  If there were one thing to change, that would be
> it.
> 
> In other words, the "market failure" you're talking about is in a 
> situation where the law forbids a market.  And the change required is 
> that the government not be involved.  It would be nice if that were
> how EFF stated its NII policy: Yankee Go Home.

It's not that simple, unfortunately. Once monopolies have been created
with government support, removing government intervention doesn't 
automatically make competition happen.

Compare it to strip-mining: once a strip mine has dug up the landscape,
the mere decision to stop mining doesn't automatically restore the land to
the status quo ante, or even to an environment in which any kind of
ecosystem can flourish.


--Mike