Author Topic: The Greatest Con (Read 852 times)

Rolex · « **on:** July 11, 2006, 04:40:16 PM »

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provided the telcos with $200 billion of taxpayer money to wire up your house by 2006. Each of you were promised 45Mbps symmetrical fiber or coax/fiber combination for about $40 per month.

That is $2,000 per household and it's 2006.

So, how is that connection working for you?

And the same people who perpetrated this fraud aren't done yet. The telcos are spending over $1 million per week for advertising, untold millions in lobbying and fraudulent 'consumer groups' in Washington DC to extend the con even further to get net neutrality protection defeated. Companies have no money, so they're spending your money to screw you again.

$2,000 per household wasn't enough for these guys. If you aren't outraged by it, then you probably don't understand the magnitude of the fraud. It has to be the greatest financial con in history.

If you want to judge the corruption of your congressional representative, see where they stand on net neutrality. This is the easiest way to clearly see where their interests lie - with the consumer and taxpayer, or with the telcos and their lobbyists.

There is no way any representative can support an end to net neutrality without being on the take from a telco lobbyist, being an idiot, or having a financial interest in the fleecing of consumers.

Congress and the Justice Department should be bringing felony charges against the executives of the telcos, not going to their cocktail parties. If you took $2,000 from every household in your neighborhood and failed to deliver the internet connection you promised, you'd be in jail faster than you could say, "Con man."

LePaul · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2006, 04:43:32 PM »

You know, I was reading somewhere...maybe it was Tom's Hardware or TGDaily...but they just *finally* stopped taxing us for, ahem, sponsoring the war effort in the Spanish American War...or was it WW1? But you know how government is...they'll repeal one tax and institute another.

Kinda like the smokers tax. That money goes to children's health programs. So, if you quit smoking, you are hurting the children!

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:07:00 PM »

Didnt we get the income tax from WW1? If so we are still being taxed for that huge Euro ****up!

Damn warlike Euros!:D

Rolex
I dont know much about the subject but would like to learn, you hae any links that are good?

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:15:34 PM »

That first round went towards killing the independent ISP (I know, I was one of them). They gave away service for free to sway customers away from the independent. The methods are very much against the law and in huge violation of the FTC, but they do not care.
Rightfully so, as the FTC has not done a thing about any of the thousands complaints filed against the telcos.

Now, they are looking for the final nail in the coffin.

I said it in 1995, and will say it again. Telcos will own the Internet one day and when they do, you can expect some very quick rate increases, as you will have nowhere else to go.

But it all falls on deaf ears. No one gives a rats tush about this.

Sandman · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:16:56 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by LePaul
You know, I was reading somewhere...maybe it was Tom's Hardware or TGDaily...but they just *finally* stopped taxing us for, ahem, sponsoring the war effort in the Spanish American War...or was it WW1? But you know how government is...they'll repeal one tax and institute another.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060526-6928.html

cpxxx · « **Reply #5 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:31:51 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by GtoRA2
Didnt we get the income tax from WW1? If so we are still being taxed for that huge Euro ****up!

Damn warlike Euros!:D

Rolex
I dont know much about the subject but would like to learn, you hae any links that are good?

Don't know about double you double you one but the British are still paying back the lend lease loans from WW2. The final payment is scheduled for December this year. The Soviet Union had to pay back loans as of a few years ago. So they shouldn't really be taxing you.

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 11, 2006, 05:42:27 PM »

Wow CP
I had no idea the UK was still paying!

WW1 I think they put an income tax in place to pay for the war. They just never revoked it.

I think.

Good thing we made the Ruskies and Brits pay for it durring WW2, who knows what the income tax would be then:D

BluKitty · « **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2006, 07:49:27 PM »

Well it's not just a telco problem.

One lesson I've learned about being an "American" is .... don't steal a little.... steal ALOT and you'll be fine.

Until such behavior shows large prison terms and fines for elected officals as well as dirty corperations/executives, we will see pleanty more of "Enrons" and "Adelphia's" etc etc etc....

They are turning business and corprations into a monoplistic/aristocratic joke. And the telco's are just another symptom.

LePaul · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2006, 12:17:42 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sandman
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060526-6928.html

Thanks, Sandy!

Skuzzy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2006, 07:40:32 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by BluKitty
Well it's not just a telco problem.

One lesson I've learned about being an "American" is .... don't steal a little.... steal ALOT and you'll be fine.

Until such behavior shows large prison terms and fines for elected officals as well as dirty corperations/executives, we will see pleanty more of "Enrons" and "Adelphia's" etc etc etc....

That will never happen. Ya see, when we get pissed about something today, we go to our favorite bulletin board and express our outrage. Oh yeah, that is going to change the world. Woot!

Satisified with that, we move on to the next news bit. Wash, dry, repeat ad nauseum.

We are the sheep, hear us roar (on our favorite local bulletin board or blog). Cod forbid we actually do something about it. No one knows how to vote with thier wallet. No one is willing to give up anything they see as a personal benefit, regardless of the lonbg term ramifications. After all, "we can deal with it when it happens".

While most of us would gladly berate politicians for doing what is best in thier interests, many of the same outraged citizens do exactly the same thing.

Hypocrisy, apathy,...no cure in sight.

When I was fighting the good fight to keep my company going. I contacted the telco and warned them what they were doing was illegal. Here is the response, verbatim. "So sue us."
You see, another ISP did just that. After 9 years, and 3 personal bankruptcies, he had not seen a dime of the money awarded. That was six years ago. He comitted suicide last year, after losing his home and family. The telco had filed a counter-suit and won. He fought the good fight. Did him no good.

jigsaw · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2006, 07:57:37 AM »

The government sucks and there's very little if anything that can be done about it. The big things they're doing that really chap me at the moment are trying to privatize ATC and the "Orphan Works" bill, HR 5439.

Outsourcing is another big one, but that's corporate America idiots more than politicians.

I wonder if it's too late for me to go into politics so I can have job security.

Suave · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:07:59 AM »

The greatest con was in 2002.

But seriously.. I pledge alligiance to the flag, and the corperate conglomerate for which it stands..

Jackal1 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:08:37 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
That will never happen. Ya see, when we get pissed about something today, we go to our favorite bulletin board and express our outrage. Oh yeah, that is going to change the world. Woot!

Satisified with that, we move on to the next news bit. Wash, dry, repeat ad nauseum.

We are the sheep, hear us roar (on our favorite local bulletin board or blog). Cod forbid we actually do something about it. No one knows how to vote with thier wallet. No one is willing to give up anything they see as a personal benefit, regardless of the lonbg term ramifications. After all, "we can deal with it when it happens".

While most of us would gladly berate politicians for doing what is best in thier interests, many of the same outraged citizens do exactly the same thing.

Hypocrisy, apathy,...no cure in sight.

When I was fighting the good fight to keep my company going. I contacted the telco and warned them what they were doing was illegal. Here is the response, verbatim. "So sue us."
You see, another ISP did just that. After 9 years, and 3 personal bankruptcies, he had not seen a dime of the money awarded. That was six years ago. He comitted suicide last year, after losing his home and family. The telco had filed a counter-suit and won. He fought the good fight. Did him no good.

So......what do you suggest the solution, if any, is Skuzz?

lazs2 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:44:51 AM »

There is no solution... there are things you can do.

Don't ever vote for a democrat no matter how good she looks to you..

NEVER vote for a new tax no matter how much they say it wil give you personaly at someone elses expense.

NEVER vote for any new law that will take away someones (anyones) freedom no matter how much they tell you money it will save you by banning it.

Other than that... there is nothing you can do in any real way at this time.

Cut their purse strings and don't let em build power by forming new laws.

Write to all of em and get the form letters back but at least...write.

And yep... say what you think on BB's

lazs

Skuzzy · « **Reply #14 on:** July 12, 2006, 09:30:06 AM »

Jackal, the simple lack of unity, and being able to commit to something which cause us personal angst prevents anything from being done.

I write letters. I write them all the time. You have to get the ress interested. Unfortunately, things like doing what is right for the people of this nation rate right up there with the bubba who stumped his toe while opening a beer. No ratings, mean no press. No press means nothing will get done.

Politicians will only deviate from thier normal self-supporting agenda when the press gets involved. And even then, depending on how talented the politician is, it may do no good. Or the prolitician will simply find a way to destract the press to another topic. Redirection is the best friend of the politician. Used properly, it allows all manner of laws to be broken.

Why I continue to write is beyond me. I know it will do no good. Yet I keep wasting stamp, ink, envelopes, and paper on the endeavor.