itself or a regulated monopoly. We need lots of competitors in each market to keep prices down and quality of service up. That means cities shouldn't be seeking to replace existing competitors, but increase the number of competitors. Rights are not what government decides to bestow upon us. Rights are bestowed upon us because of our humanity: speech, asociation, press, religon, from intrusion of government into our daily lives. To call broadband ( a commercial product ) a right is to reduce true rights to mere product, disposal and transitionary. My right to free speech does not cost anyone else a dime, broadband does and to demand that third persons subsidize that prce for another is not a right, it is a passive tyranny. As a product, broadband will be replaced just as broadband is replacing something. I think you've been living in your parents basement a bit too long. In the real world, people use their own money to buy the things that are relevant to them. Thats what the big kids do. They get jobs... ROFL We Americans have grown weary of government spending our tax dollars in inefficient and ineffective ways of protecting us against perceived threats to our security. It's only a half decade overdue that government spent our tax dollars on something a bit more progressive that actually benefits all Americans. I'd refer to this drive as: "Let's stop playing defensive and let's start playing offensive. It's time our country leave the less developed technology