The AT&T bill causes all my suspicions about Frankfort
to be strengthened. I have no evidence, but I strongly suspect some money
changed hands here..if not a direct buying of votes (illegal) than just
the massive spending AT&T did to get this bill passed.
A small army of lobbyists, more than 30..a half million
spent in their expenses, and at least $60,000 in direct contributions to
various campaigns over the last few years..to get a bill passed allowing the
carrier to drop landlines in certain circumstances..even tho the AT&T top
official said they wouldn’t do that and haven’t done that in other states where
similar bills have passed.
The governor has promised to sign it..all in the name of
“progress”..to get better, hi-speed broadband services throughout Kentucky. Now,
we need such service, and right now, we are deficient in it. Whose fault
is that? AT&T and other carriers. There is money to be made in
providing such service so go ahead and provide it. Besides, these new digital
services come with higher bills than plain old vanilla landlines.
In the 90s, money changed hands to get bills passed. Deals
were made, kickbacks offered—or extorted and the whole mess smelled so badly,
the Speaker of the House went to prison. It was called the BOPTROT scandal.
Reforms were passed..but since then every single major one of those reforms
have been either diluted or undone by new legislation.
The stage is ripe for a new BOPTROT scandal. Is the AT&T
bill it? I don’t know; I have no evidence-so far. Pity, the press corps in
Frankfort has also been diluted and we may never know because there are now
fewer investigative reporters there to figure out if a new BOPTROT has, in
fact, occurred..now..or in the future.
Where are you, 4th Estate, when we really need
you???
I'm just sayin'...
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