[9653] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Telecommunications Competition Act of Washington State
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (adam fast)
Sat Jan 15 13:04:27 1994
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 1994 10:03:40 -0800 (PST)
From: adam fast <adamfast@u.washington.edu>
Reply-To: adam fast <adamfast@u.washington.edu>
To: Chip Morningstar -- Software Without Moving Parts <grand-central!amix!chip@beaver.cs.washington.edu>
Cc: com-priv@psi.com, communet@uvmvm.BITNET, nii_agenda@civicnet.org
In-Reply-To: <9401150049.AA08220@amix>
On Fri, 14 Jan 1994, Chip Morningstar -- Software Without Moving Parts wrote:
[about the Telecommunications Competition Act]
> This is the sort of well intentioned meddling that I have been fearing would
> eventually come of all this NII/Datahighway/Open Platform stuff, and now we are
> seeing it. In fact, I think this just part of the calm before the storm.
all law making is "meddling."
all technology incurs social costs of some kinds, that is why we regulate
technology. the assertion that the telecommunication industry should
be exempt from social pressures because the market will achieve social
good faster, better, and easier is an assertion that does not hold up
under scrutiny.
why has the level of telephone service actually been /declining/ since the
sixties? market forces are /not/ achieving universal service.
this bill is not directly about universal service, but my point is that a
lot of social goals (whatever they are) cannot be met by the market alone.
just as social goals cannot be met by legislation alone, or grassroots
organizing alone.
if you think people should not make any legislation regulating
technology, that is another discussion i would be happy to take up with
you somewhere else.
regarding this bill, however, i would like to respond to your questions,
i will do that a little later today.
adam
