There were doubtless some who made exactly that sort of argument back when electricity was available to many, but not to all. People of means in cities and towns had the power — literally — and those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and who lived in remote, rural areas were left in the dark.
It took a great deal of work, and quite a long time, to bring power to all the people. Today, of course, we cannot imagine how anyone ever lived without electric power.
Soon enough, it may be — and should be — the same for high-speed Internet service.
We live in a connected world. For most folks, anyway. But not for all.
There are still far too many families — many of them lower income and people of color — who don’t have the resources to have high-speed Internet access at home.
Thankfully, the White House is pushing to change that. The plan, part of last year’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law, provides money to states and territories to expand broadband service even as it would subsidize the monthly fees for those in need.
Consider a young family of four - a mom, a dad, two young kids - trying their absolute best to live the American dream. The parents are working like crazy to make a better life for their children. And they have instilled in them the importance of education.
But they are struggling. Barely making the rent. Barely putting food on the table. And the kids come home from school and have spotty Internet access — if they have Internet access at all.
They cannot do their homework. They cannot access a podcast or download a PDF. This sort of thing is exactly what President Joe Biden’s administration is looking to address.
Everyone heard the stories of families parking outside fast-food restaurants during the pandemic-imposed school closures so that kids could access wireless Internet. In America, it shouldn’t be this way.
Level the playing field. Get the poor kids online. Just like the rich kids.
Who could oppose this? The sort of person who’d have argued that no one but rich folk needed electricity in their homes, that’s who.
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