Walker Deregulated, stopped Broadband! Gov. Evers now offering Broadband State-wide, helping rural Republican areas.

It's no secret that rural farm communities vote Republican, but what is unknown is what they think their getting for that. Deregulation is big, got it, but that only makes their water undrinkable and dangerous (that's a direct anecdotal comment from a conservative farmer I talked to). Farmers and small towns are also being ravaged by local bankruptcies and mega-farm takeovers that wipeout families and over produce milk.  

Thank Scott Walker for Lousy or No Internet, hurting Jobs, Public safety, and Rural Businesses: Yup, that's the other thing rural voters are getting for their GOP loyalty. Yet even this hasn't move the needle for them to support Democratic Gov. Evers, or his plan the serve every corner of Wisconsin with fiber optic high speed broadband. 

And the media needs to do more to assign blame. It's either not brought up, or it's buried deep within the article. The following was mentioned halfway into the story, and didn't point out how legislators should have come up with new rules to meet the needs of the new technology? 

In 2011, the telecom industry in Wisconsin was deregulated under Gov. Scott Walker’s administration. Supporters said it freed companies from a maze of arcane rules based on an era of landline telephones, and that the growing popularity of cell phones and other technologies would foster competition in internet service.

The changes largely stripped the Public Service Commission's authority to hold internet service providers accountable to the general public. “We don’t set rates. We cannot tell them they have to go into a sparsely populated part of the state,” said PSC Chairwoman Rebecca Cameron Valcq.

Love deregulation?

What Scott Walker did and didn't do for 8 years is haunting us now. It's especially noticeable after COVID exposed everything Republicans didn't bother to update or solve. 

It's 2021 Republicans, and the "Market Forces" didn't Work, and Republicans made it difficult for local communities to be broadband providers. 

If Gov. Evers efforts take off, this can happen...

Amelia Gagliano manages the Errand Solutions customer service center in Land O' Lakes. The Chicago-based firm was able to open an office in the small town in Vilas County, Wis., because it has high-speed internet. Many business professionals now work remotely from towns in the Northwoods, provided they can get a decent internet connection.

Gov. Evers, not Walker, is urgently trying to help farmers and rural communities survive and thrive, especially after seeing how bad things got in the pandemic. This was never on the Republicans list of must-do's, and even now, instead of increased funding for broadband rollout they opted instead for another tax cut:

If broadband isn't the No. 1 issue in rural Wisconsin, "it's got to be close to it," Gov. Tony Evers said in a Journal Sentinel interview.

The importance was cited 124 times in a state of Wisconsin rural prosperity report last December covering jobs, education, health care and other topics.

"Working-class parents can't work if they have to sit with their children in the car to access public Wi-Fi hotspots," the report said.

The pandemic cast the problem in even sharper relief. When schools went to online learning, the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance polled districts about their challenges. Dozens cited home internet access.

“This is an equity issue for rural families and has a deep impact on rural economic growth," the Adams-Friendship School District, in Adams County, said in response to the poll. "It has to become a priority like rural electrification in the early 1930s.”

The state Department of Public Instruction asked school districts to survey families about the depth of the problem. More than 400,000 people responded. In some districts, 25% of the survey respondents — one in four families — said they didn't have any home internet access, let alone broadband. It was nearly half of the families in a handful of districts.

FCC says Internet NOT a Utility now...yet Wisconsin GOP starting to think it is?

This isn't just about the inability of the Republican Party to run our government responsibly, it's also about a lack of awareness and the eventual realization that the "lefties" were right all along.

Well guess what? A few contradictory things just happened: The Republican dominated FCC is now saying the internet is NOT a public utility, essentially repealing net neutrality, while Republican legislators in Wisconsin are now realizing it just might be a public utility. Huh? God these people are slow. 

1. Walker Stopped Rural Job Creation and the Internet: Take one of Scott Walker's biggest initial mistakes; turning down federal rural broadband funding. Like the Journal Sentinel wrote in this Feb. 18, 2011 editorial:

The state is turning down $23 million because state taxpayers would have been on the hook for the entire amount if the state could not meet the grant's precise requirements, Mike Huebsch, secretary of the state Department of Administration said. Actually, high-speed Internet is part of the necessary infrastructure that is vital to communities that want to grow. The state will get there anyway, but this money could have speeded up the journey.

That's an understatement. 

Fast forward to December 2015, and to a state taxpayer corporate giveaway amounting to $1.5 million, a drop in the bucket to Obama's federal stimulus offer. Heck, Walker doled out $500,000 in 2014 and $450,000 in 2015, instead of  spending it on schools or transportation.

Fast forward to today with the news Microsoft picked our state to pilot a rural broadband experiment. It appears WPR is under the impression Republicans have been leading the rural broadband charge all along, not the Democrats:

For state lawmakers, bringing high-speed internet to rural Wisconsin has been a top priority. In May, the state Assembly passed a bill that would allocate $35 million to expand broadband in rural areas (state revenue folks).

Peanuts. 6 and half years ago we could have been well on our way, creating rural businesses and jobs with that $23 million federal offer.

 

2. Suddenly, Republicans think High Speed Internet is a Utility and Job Creator? It's not just hypocrisy, it a contradiction to their party position and federal policy. First, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, seeing a conspiracy theory behind net neutrality:

Pai said he would reclassify the internet through Title I of the Communications Act, rather than Title II. Without further explanation, Pai also claimed that the earlier net neutrality rules were actually a deliberate distraction created by the Obama White House: “In order to energize a dispirited base, the White House released an extraordinary YouTube video instructing the FCC to implement Title II regulations,” Pai said.

Here's what a few suddenly "enlightened" state Republican legislators are now saying, 6 years after the fact. See if you can see the contradiction:

State Assembly Rep. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said her constituents are worried about being able to complete daily tasks without reliable internet access.

"One of the biggest things that I hear repeatedly is that people would like to work from their home or help their children with school projects. A lot of other things are necessitated by having a good internet connection, and that is something that is very sketchy in up in our area as of now."

For state Rep. Romaine Quinn, R-Rice Lake, the lack of decent internet in all parts of Wisconsin could slow the state's growth.

"It's a health care issue. It's an economic driver issue. And it's an educational piece too. Everything that we do in life now kind of revolves around having internet access, whether we want to use it or not. It affects everyone. Especially business parks. If you don't have a business park that is wired to high-speed internet with a large bandwidth and capacity for users, you're not going to have businesses move there. Plain and simple."

Here's the outrageous kicker, and what made me write this blog post:

Felzkowski said  ... she'd like to see the internet be treated as something akin to a utility in the future.

Huh, that's what it is now!!!! But not for long: 

"Back in the 50s, when the government said that everybody was entitled to electricity — that it's an economic driver, it's a quality of life issue — we made sure that everybody had electricity and everybody had access to a telephone. This is the same concept that we're working under with broadband. So, the investment will be there to get broadband to the residents of the state of Wisconsin."

Rural Voters blamed Obama for Walker's Lousy high unemployment rate and economic Stagnation.

Before you read the following, understand this; Republicans have had complete super majority control of the entire state for 6 years. I know, I know, Democrats forgot to mention that during the last election, but what do you expect, a fight? 

The pain Wisconsinites are feeling can be directly blamed on the Republicans, and it's going to get much worse in coordination with the Trump administration. WSJ:

Supporters in Adams County described a local electorate that was overwhelmingly angry — and ready to break from the status quo, even if the direction of change is unclear. Now local residents say they're eyeing a Trump presidency with long-odds hope, deep anxiety or both.

Again, Republicans have been in charge for six years. Obama isn't responsible for resentment in rural Wisconsin. Walker is. Take the desperately needed rural broadband rollout that had too many strings attached when Obama offered it:

One of the governor’s first acts back in 2012 was to turn away nearly $23 million in grant funding that would have allowed the state to expand fiber optic broadband networks to 82 schools and 385 library facilities. We lost 150 full-time jobs that could have been created by this project.

State taxpayers would have been on the hook for the entire amount if the state could not meet the grant's precise requirements, Mike Huebsch said. "This is simply not an acceptable risk." 

Today...federal FCC strings are okay, 4 years too late:

About 40 percent of the money must be spent by the end of 2017 and 20 percent per year must be put to work in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Republicans successfully sold the idea that Obama's jobs record was a disaster, never thinking it was Walker all along who gave us job stagnation. 

State Rep. Joan Ballweg, a Markesan Republican described Adams County as home to many people who "have been hit harder by the stagnant economy. A lot of those folks feel like Mr. Trump talked like them and felt like them."

Amazing isn't it, a millionaire nacissist "talked like them and felt like them?" The world has gone mad.

Despite reality:

The economy created 11 million jobs under President Obama ... jobs created under President George W. Bush, was about 400,000 below zero. The economy has now added jobs for 73 consecutive months, a record.

Trump said he had to save America, a simple message, asking "what have you got to lose:"

Local Republicans hailed Trump's win as a "last-ditch effort" to save their country.

The following line stood out, because nothing below has anything to do with the federal government. It was all on Walker, yet he got off "Scott" free: 

The local economy, rooted in agriculture, tourism and logging, has failed for decades to yield enough good jobs, residents said. Its unemployment rate was among the highest of any Wisconsin county in 2015.

Heath Care, Health Care, Health Care: Democrats have been given a gift that will keep on giving. Please my god take this and run with it. 

One of Trump's biggest promises, just like Obama's "you can keep your old insurance," was to lower premium prices by repealing ObamaCare. Folks, I guarantee that's never gonna happen, so make this the number one talking point for the next 2 years: 

Mark Beda of rural Adams, backed Obama four years ago and Trump this time. A self-described moderate, Beda, a 47-year-old IT worker, said Obama's signature law has not made care more affordable and accessible for most people he knows. Part-way through Obama's second term, Beda said he felt it was likely he would vote for the Republican nominee in 2016.

Trump repeatedly pledged during the campaign to repeal Obama's health care law. But Beda said Trump instead should "fix" the law "to make it something that people can use ... something that is affordable. I think that would just be detrimental. You're not going to take it away. You just can't do that."

Health care costs under Trump and Paul Ryan will skyrocket, dropping tens of millions of Americans, guaranteed. Republicans will ask for more time, that free market competition will eventually lower prices. But people who need treatment and family coverage don't have time. And Republicans didn't give the Affordable Care Act any time to work.

Walker's Wisconsin 49th in internet speed, and moving forward?

Wisconsin media reporting has reached a new ridiculous low with this recent story:

"Wisconsin lags behind other states in internet speeds, a new report shows, although gains have been made..." 

Hey, that's not so bad, right, we're making gains? In the very next sentence, those "gains" don't seem so important:

Wisconsin ranks 49th among states and the District of Columbia in the average download internet speed for a wired connection, according to the report from Speedtest, a Seattle technology firm.

Well thank you Scott Walker, for all that you've done leaving it up to the free market that decided to do nothing without taxpayer handouts.

Instead of seeing this as a job killer, the JS article instead reassured Netflix users they could still watch movies:

The 28.59 megabits per second is still more than adequate for most internet users watching a movie on Netflix or telecommuting.

Way back on August 23, 2015, Walker turned away $23 million from the federal government:

The state is turning down $23 million because state taxpayers would have been on the hook for the entire amount if the state could not meet the grant's precise requirements, Mike Huebsch, secretary of the state Department of Administration, said.

Walker instead took away those consumer/taxpayer safeguards and requirements:

"Broadband Forward! Community certification is a welcome mat for more broadband investment. A streamlined permitting process and reasonable fee structure is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Well, maybe not everyone getting "streamlined" over. So Walker thought he could look like a broadband hero by giving a little over a million bucks to expansion:

In 2015, Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Legislature tripled the amount of funding for broadband expansion grants to $1.5 million annually, with a total of $6 million allocated from the Universal Service Fund cash reserves to fund grants over a four-year period ... the program’s $1.5 million combines with local and private matching funds.

 Putting that $1.5 million in perspective statewide:

Monday, backers of a proposed municipal broadband service in Madison released a report that showed the service could cost more than $200 million. If the plan is successful, Madison would become the largest Wisconsin city to have a municipal broadband service, competing with commercial internet providers.

Minnesota again beat out Wisconsin with an even wiser investment in the future:

Minnesota, by comparison, spent about $20 million on matching grants in 2014 and $10 million last year. Just last month, Gov. Mark Dayton asked lawmakers to approve $100 million of the state’s $1.2 billion surplus for broadband grants during the upcoming legislative session.

Free Market sees no Demand for Broadband expansion to Rural Farmers, Communities and Republican Voters, they're just not worth it.

The mystery continues...rural voters just love Republicans like Scott Walker and his legislative right wing social engineers hell bend on controlling other peoples lives. For example, Rep. Jesse Kremer admitted that his agenda is “frankly, red meat for conservatives.” If that wasn't insulting enough, he's been fighting to put fire hazards like real Christmas trees in churches, along with...

...legislation that banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, would place gender restrictions on school bathrooms and locker rooms, allow concealed carry permit-holders to carry weapons on public school grounds and college campuses, put photo IDs on food stamp recipients’ debit cards and prohibit city officials from blocking police officers from asking people about their immigration status.

This isn't about job creation, this about power and institutionalizing a politically driven agenda that runs counter to their own talking points.

I'm posting this after seeing the following "in the tank" Walker troll's jaw-dropping tweet:

This is proof Republicans are still arguing against the New Deal's Rural Electrification Act of 1936.

But rural farmers and local communities are desperately looking for the kind of help their own elected officials will never provide:

State Sen. Julie Lassa: As the Senate Committee on Economic Development held a series of listening sessions around the state this past fall, we heard from business leaders in many rural communities that greater access to broadband is crucial to enable them to attract both new businesses and skilled employees. Making a real investment in expanding broadband in rural areas would be one of the most important ways we can promote job creation in Wisconsin.

As you might recall, in one of the most irresponsible partisan actions taken by Walker, he rejected a chance for Wisconsin taxpayers to get back the money they paid into the federal government to build-up our broadband job creating infrastructure:

One of the governor’s first acts back in 2012 was to turn away nearly $23 million in grant funding that would have allowed the state to expand fiber optic broadband networks to 82 schools and 385 library facilities. We lost 150 full-time jobs that could have been created by this project.

So not only did Walker refuse a return of our own federal tax dollars, he’s now going to spend tax dollars we don't have to make up for his mistake:

The most recent state budget contains only $6 million spread over four years for broadband deployment.  

Is it any wonder than why Minnesota continues to rake in billion dollar surpluses and jobs with their broadband expansion:

According to the publication Government Technology, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development has already managed $30 million in broadband investment in that state since it launched in January 2014. The legislature there recently approved a $10 million annual investment in broadband expansion, and Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has proposed investing $100 million of the state’s nearly $2 billion budget surplus in bringing broadband to rural communities. 

After turning down a whopping $23 million for Rural Broadband expansion, Walker is now spending state taxpayer money instead.

The war on rural high speed broadband has been raging for some time in Wisconsin.

But thanks to Scott Walker's generosity it looks like even urban taxpaying Wisconsinites will be footing the bill for telecommunication providers to build out into rural parts of the state. 

Without government assistance, broadband providers say, they couldn't afford to extend the service to sparsely populated areas because there aren't enough customers to justify the cost.

Think of all the development that could have taken place if rural entrepreneurs were given a chance to compete online. Small towns might be flourishing right now, but we’ll never know.

The short history of obstruction is jaw-dropping, but thanks to Scott Walker, it looks like broadband providers won't just be making money on new rural customers, but they'll using state taxpayer money instead of their own, to extend services those areas.

It all started when Walker turned down $23 million in stimulus money to expand broadband everywhere in the state. Like the Journal Sentinel wrote in this Feb. 18, 2011 editorial:

The state is turning down $23 million because state taxpayers would have been on the hook for the entire amount if the state could not meet the grant's precise requirements, Mike Huebsch, secretary of the state Department of Administration, said in a memo to school and library associations. "This is simply not an acceptable risk," Huebsch wrote.

Actually, it is. High-speed Internet is part of the necessary infrastructure that is vital to communities that want to grow. The state will get there anyway, but this money could have speeded up the journey.

What federal funding did exist the broadband industry tried like hell to kill with legislation.

June 9, 2011: The UW would have to return nearly $40 million in federal funds if a state budget provision aimed at protecting rural telecommunications providers becomes law. UW officials say the “consequences would be catastrophic” ... But the trade group Access Wisconsin says the proposal is meant only to protect them from having to compete against a government-subsidized broadband network…

Seems pretty desperate? But telecom providers lost this one in the courts:

Nov. 14, 2011: A Dane County judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging a project (Buildiing Community Capacity through Broadband),that would expand high speed internet access through underserved areas of Wisconsin … AccessWisconsin had sued over the summer.

Fast forward to now and to a taxpayer corporate giveaway amounting to $1.5 million, a drop in the bucket compared with the stimulus give back. Heck, Walker gave away $500,000 in 2014 and $450,000 in 2015...oh, didn't you know?

State officials have authorized $1.5 million in broadband expansion grants for rural Wisconsin in fiscal-year 2016. Eleven grants were approved by the Public Service Commission, ranging in size from $41,914 to more than $286,000. The largest grant, $286,165, went to Wisconsin Independent Network, LLC, in Chippewa County, followed by $249,093 to ChoiceTel, a telecom in the Town of Land O' Lakes.

This is the third year the PSC has awarded broadband grants. In 2014, it approved $500,000 in grants to seven applicants, and in 2015 it awarded $452,579 to seven applicants.

Remember, Walker turned down Recovery Act Dollars for High Speed Internet to Rural Commnities

Wisconsin ranks between 22 and 26 percent for high speed internet, and a big reason why: Republicans are leaving it up to the free market to provide both speed and access to rural communities. But right now, it's not profitable. Yes, you can blame Scott Walker too.

Better broadband coverage can create economic ‘highways’ in rural Wisconsin Wisconsin ranks below average among the 50 states when it comes to high-speed Internet access, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. A major reason for the state’s mediocre ranking is access in rural Wisconsin.

WSJ reporter Tom Still also suggested the very party responsible for killing broadband's roll out is now ready to help:

It’s also a priority in the Legislature, where the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities, chaired by state Rep. Mike Kuglitsch, R-New Berlin, has taken an interest in rural broadband needs.

Taken an interest, how nice. Maybe Tom Still forget why we’re in the middle of the pack? Here’s a reminder from Journal Sentinel reporter Rick Barrett (hint, Scott Walker and his band of Republican pirates). Federal money would have extended service to schools, libraries and rural areas throughout the less profitable parts of the state:

April 2013 Numbers

Some businesses in southwest Wisconsin have complained that even though they are located only blocks from a high-speed Internet connection, they can't get the service extended to them.

But state officials turned down a $23 million federal grant aimed at delivering broadband to more schools and libraries. Among other things, federal officials wanted a commitment that the infrastructure the grant would fund would be used 20 years or more. Otherwise, Wisconsin would have to repay the money. "The details associated with that grant, and the strings attached to it, made it unworkable. It was the right decision to send the money back," said Bill Esbeck, executive director of the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association, which represents broadband providers in rural areas. He disagrees with the assessment that large parts of rural Wisconsin lack broadband.

Look at the numbers and the rejected $23 million from the fed. It's all part of the supposed "failed" stimulus:

USDA’s Rural Utilities Service is currently on target to complete over $3 billion in Recovery Act investments ensuring that rural communities and anchor institutions are connected to high-speed broadband networks.

Walker Stiffs Rural Supporters and Farmers by Dramatic Cuts to Broadband Expansion, hurting Business and Jobs.

UPDATE-May 17: Looks like someone had a change of heart when it comes to angry rural voters:

WPR: A program expanding broadband in rural areas will continue to be funded and lawmakers hope more people will have access to high-speed Internet. According to the Federal Communications Commission, 23 percent of rural Wisconsinites do not have access to broadband internet. 

No word on how telecommunication companies will respond since their last empty threat to leave the state. By the way, note to Democrats; remind voters who tried to defund broadband. Hint: Scott Walker! 

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Another mark against our president wannabee, Scott Walker, for his complete lack of understanding the implications of not providing broadband in the 21st century to rural businesses, towns and cities.

This letter to Albert Darling from a group of very concerned legislators reflects horribly on Walker, and shines a bright light on his inability to encourage a thriving business climate in Wisconsin.

Let the free market decide? Job killing 22nd place in Broadband Access Due to Unprofitable Rural Areas.

Just like electricity was some 80 years ago, the roll out of broadband to rural areas today is not profitable or in the best interest of our telecommunication giants. So surprise, we've still got a problem.

Democrats have pushed to bring inexpensive service to rural and uncovered areas of Wisconsin, only to get blasted for their efforts. State Republicans have even tried to get the state out of the internet provider business when it comes to schools, libraries, etc. which get service at a reduced rate, whining it’s unfairly competing with private providers.

How’s that free market working out?  Again, Republicans are on the wrong side of this issue and have killed jobs and held back the economy. Conversely, Democrats have done nothing to make this a campaign issue.

Lack of Broadband Access Killing Business, Big Surprise:

jsonline-Rick Barrett: A lack of reliable and affordable broadband service in many areas in Wisconsin is hampering the ability of individuals and businesses to capitalize on new technologies … Wisconsin ranks 22nd among states in average broadband speed and 26th in adoption of broadband service faster than 4 megabits per second.

Those aren't encouraging numbers as Wisconsin strives to compete in a national and global economy, said Reed Hall, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., a quasi public agency that represents business interests. "People want to work and live where there is quality and affordable broadband. Businesses have not yet started because of a lack of broadband in some areas of the state," Hall said. "I really think areas of the state that don't have adequate broadband are at a disadvantage. A lot of companies don't want to move to regions because broadband isn't there," Hall said.

Let the Free Market Work-Stimulus a waste of money and a boondoggle? And yet Republican policies have encouraged this disparity. Will they get the political blow back they deserve, and will Democrats point out how backward this conservative policy is?

Other communities and broadband providers have used federal stimulus money to expand service.

Let the Free Market Work-Small government Republicans Turned Down Help:

But state officials turned down a $23 million federal grant aimed at delivering broadband to more schools and libraries. Among other things, federal officials wanted a commitment that the infrastructure the grant would fund would be used 20 years or more. Otherwise, Wisconsin would have to repay the money.

Republicans Balk at lack of ability to sell off the taxpayer built infrastructure to freeloading telecommunication Giants:

"The details associated with that grant, and the strings attached to it, made it unworkable. It was the right decision to send the money back," said Bill Esbeck, executive director of the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association, which represents broadband providers in rural areas. He disagrees with the assessment that large parts of rural Wisconsin lack broadband.

Telecommunication Giant behind the Curtain: We don’t have a problem? Until it’s profitable, expansion has been put off:

Last fall, some providers said they might cancel or delay expansions because of changes aimed at bringing an $8 billion Universal Service Fund into the digital age … providers said they couldn't predict how much of the money would be available to subsidize rural broadband projects. That made them hesitant to invest in expansions costing millions of dollars.

Hall says expanding the service in rural areas is comparable to the expansion of the electrical grid in the 1930s. "To me, it's the next frontier. And it's just as important," Hall said.