|
|
Freedom Action of the Week
Email List Archive
Free-Market.Net's F r e e d o m A c t i o n o f t h e W e e k ------------------------------------------------------------------ Edited by Mary Lou Seymour. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this and other lists, click to: http://www.free-market.net/features/lists/ First Week of June, 2002: Merger versus divide Remember the "digital divide?" The lefty statist politicos and their cronies have been pushing it as the civil liberties issue of the century. Jesse Jackson called it "classic apartheid," the NAACP's Kweisi Mfume dubbed it "technological segregation," and President Clinton urged a "national crusade." All with the view, presumably, of setting up government programs to help "disadvantaged" people access the Internet, and, incidentally of course, creating lots of plush bureaucratic jobs for their political friends. Many of us were skeptical of this "digital divide" all along, and a March report from the Pacific Research Institute quotes the Department of Commerce to show we were right: "In 2001, 25 percent of lower income people were online, and if things continue at this rate, it won't be long before virtually everyone who wants to connect can." However, while the politicians and the researchers have been hashing out whether a problem exists or not, the free market has moved briskly along and created the "solution" to the digital divide: the merger of Echostar and DirecTV, which would deliver local broadcast channels to all 210 U.S. television markets and affordable broadband satellite Internet service across the country. This would obviously not only be a good deal for all consumers -- it would end, once and for all, the "digital divide" as a pork barrel issue and prevent the formation of any new government programs to help "bridge the digital divide." Of course, since this is happening in America, the "land of the free," these companies have to get permission from the government and "prove" this merger isn't "anti-competitive;" and they need help to convince the goverment to let the free market work. So, for this week's action, let's bring our opinion to bear by participating in the public dialogue. EchoStar has set up a web site to explain the merger to shareholders and the public, which gives lots of info about the merger, including copies of letters from various companies and organizations in support of the merger, from Circuit City to the League of United Latin American Citizens to the National Center for Public Policy Research. For a free market viewpoint, see especially the National Center for Public Policy Research letter: "[we] feel strongly that the dynamics of a free market and not government programs represent the best opportunity for minority people to make full use of broadband technology. By providing broad based satellite technology to all areas of America at one uniform price, the post-merger company will add significantly to the free market options for obtaining broadband services." Cool! Writing a letter: The Echostar site has a nifty "form" that helps you write a letter; there's a form with a sample letter for a "customer" and one for a "retailer" which you can use as is or edit. After completing your online letter, and clicking on submit, your letter is sent to your Senators and Congresscritter (you can de-select any you don't want), as well as FCC Chairman Michael Powell. (See the "Take Action" link at the EchoStar site.) I was going to suggest that you not only send in an email, but also a hard copy letter to make sure your letter actually gets "counted," but EchoStar is pretty shrewd ... the form letter also notes that "Unfortunately, not all elected officials read their email. For this reason, a copy of your correspondence is going to EchoStar. If necessary, we will be able to mail or fax a copy to the addressee." But it's never a bad idea to snail mail your letter, particularly if you're the owner of a business or the head of an organization and can put your opinions on stationery with an impressive letterhead. Who knows, if you snail mail it and FAX a copy to EchoStar, they may post it on their site with the others ... good publicity for your business/organization, and free! The Department of Justice covers antitrust law, as in the Microsoft case. But they don't just sue when they think a company is engaging in "anti-competitive" practices -- they also get to chime in with their approval when big mergers like this take place. So, also send a letter to: The Honorable John Ashcroft Attorney General Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 I'm always on the look out for action issues that can be used to bridge another divide -- the one between us and the social libertarians on the left that just can't grasp how economic libertarianism would "help" the disadvantaged -- and this one is right on target. So send the EchoStar link to all your "lefty" friends (or post it on a "lefty" email forum) and give them a gentle shove in the libertarian direction! Til next week... For freedom! Mary Lou Pacific Research Institute -- What digital divide? http://www.free-market.net/rd/699870238.html EchoStar Merger Site: http://www.free-market.net/rd/702250545.html Action of the Week archive: http://www.free-market.net/features/list-archives/activism/maillist.html
In December 2004 this page was modified significantly from its original form for archiving purposes.
, founded in 1995, is now a part of ISIL.
 |