http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
I do not agree with your language.

But, does that mean 1 mb "per person"? If so it looks like my house is required to have 8mb :)]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
i can haz chezeburger??]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
We're living in the dark ages in America and there is no change in sight :(]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Avoid southern Europe then... you'll be disappointed, I can tell you that.]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/

Yes, the fins seem to have a confused understanding of what a right ought to be. No one has a "right" to a service. A "right" to force others to do work on your behalf. Rights ought to focus on things like a right to free speech, and the like, areas that prevent others from impinging on you, not FORCING others to drop to their knees and fetch your damn slippers and serve you. What is this?

They can still make laws requiring more internet service, and set whatever limits they wish, but please STOP with this "right" business. Calling it that confuses a generation of dumb fins into lumping any creature comfort under the sun as a right.]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
yea by the looks of it, we (in Europe) do have a better internet, I just cant belive that USA is so far behind, I mean com'on its practicly the center of todays modern world]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
It's a bit of a cloudy issue for sure but the Fins seem to be taking the lead here and it's no bad thing. The internet is such a huge part now of modern life (where it is available) and to be without it can severely disadvantage you especially as more and more services being offered by companies and even government moved largely, in some cases solely onto the net, so I'd say having the net is nearing a right, as far as I'm concerned.]]>Jul 1st 2010 2:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
A right is something that you have that someone can't take away from you or stop you from doing. You have the right not to be murdered. You have the right to say what you think. You have the right to be secure in your belongings and property and to defend yourself against someone trying to take them. You have a right to believe that Jesus or Allah or Cthulu or that waffle on the ceiling is a supreme deity to whom you owe your allegiance.

What none of us have is the right to force others to do something or, by extension, pay for something to be done. Rights cannot be granted to some at the expense of others, especially via the threat of violence, force, or captivity.

You bring up a "right to healthcare" which is really a misnomer. If we, as a society, agree that it is in our best interest to provide healthcare for those in need, in extreme circumstances, or during an emergency, then that is a socially derived benefit. Not a right.

A right to Internet access is more equivalent to the right to get a free newspaper or a right to free cable TV. It's something that a group of people have decided is worth pooling their money so that everyone benefits and, hopefully, improves the quality of life for all including those providing for those who can't afford the service.]]>Jul 1st 2010 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
What Finland is doing is saying that every Finn has the right to be able to get a 1Mbps broadband connection. Whether this'll be interpreted as "everybody has to be able to get it, no matter whether they can pay" or just "everyone needs to have 1Mbps as an option" is another matter, which the news reports aren't dealing with. Point being, someone living in the Finnish part of Lapland now must be provided with the option of a 1Mbps connection, even if it wouldn't be dreadfully cost-effective to offer that in his area otherwise.]]>Jul 1st 2010 3:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Our rights are those that we chose, do you think your constitution is a god given? What you might consider a right in your country is up to you, but get off your high horse and stop pretending that you know whats better for us.

I'm sure some considered public roads a part of infrastructure that shouldn't be ensured by the state, yet to my undestanding that's the case today in USA as well. The only thing that this law mean is that we consider Internet access so important that it's something we want the state to secure.

]]>Jul 1st 2010 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Yeah, handing out "Free" internet as a "Legal Right". Makes complete sense to me. What's next? How about Sex with a good looking partner? Shouldn't the government require that? Maybe a fasionable wardrobe for every man woman and child as a "Legal right" too?

Heck, let's not stop there. How about "Legal Rights" for gasoline too? I mean you CAN survive without internet, I'm pretty sure NOBODY can get to work without GAS.

WTF, let's just give everyone everything as a legal right.

Maybe we can tax the space aliens for everything we need since we're going to make rediculas laws giving people things that have absoF'inglutely nothing to do with "human rights".]]>Jul 1st 2010 4:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Surely if free speech is a right and the internet is one of the biggest ways in which people now communicate then guaranteeing it as a right is simply allowing everyone in the country can have it if they need it not just those who live close enough to an exchange.
It also means that unlike Britain and France there cannot be a law that takes your internet away if your ISP is told you are a "persistent pirate" ]]>Jul 1st 2010 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/That's four contries you just listed there, not three. I've heard heard a lot of horror stories about the American school system, but I didn't realize the math training was this bad.]]>Jul 1st 2010 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
I'm originally a Finn and i KNOW you can get at least a 1 Mb connection to ANYWHERE on Finland - Even in the middle of fockin' nowhere. The thing that you're from the States, please stop your stupid comments. We have cellphone coverage EVEN on the bloody island in the middle of nowhere and sometimes it just bugs to get calls when you're having a vacation.

Nowadays i live in Ireland which is the trying to do the same, but i can promise you that even by living in a major city in Finland, you can get a minimum of 100Mbs/512 connection for a price of 25 euros (around 20 dollars) a month.

The only minus-point? Finland is a feckin' expensive place to live...]]>Jul 1st 2010 4:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
TELL ME MORE!]]>Jul 1st 2010 5:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
You are my hero. Your post is by far the most informed, to the point, and made my day. Thank you.]]>Jul 1st 2010 5:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/

I think it shouldn't be called a "right" to broadband access. I believe it should be called a "right to information through broadband access."

The internets has become (IMO) a source for the free exchange of information - a way for you to learn about anything and everything. This is why I believe people fully championed the OLPC project. It wasn't about just giving a laptop that can play games and look up pron to kids, it was about the potential for them to learn about anything they wanted, giving them the same access to information that we all take for granted.

I doubt many people now currently own full-fledge encyclopedia volumes, but when I was in my single-digit years (pre-internets), my dad bought a 26 volume encyclopedia britannica set. It had a wealth of information that I didn't get from my books at school, or anywhere else for that matter. The OLPC project was essentially giving each child access to a billion times that content that I got at a young age. Education in a laptop, essentially.

I'm all for making a access to information a formal "right", and the current way to do that in our society is broadband access. I fully support Finland in this endeavor, and can only hope that some day, another 1.3 billion people, who already have broadband access, also have that same "right" to information.]]>Jul 1st 2010 6:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
For the record. I don't care if Fins want to pass laws requiring a minimum standard of bandwidth. Nor do I have some big issue with places like the UK and Canada granting basic healthcare to all of its citizens.

I have a problem with calling such things "rights." My problem is the name. To me, lumping things that are nice for a society to provide in the same class as basic protections is conceptually... sloppy and wrongheaded.

I mean honestly guys, to you people who pine for everything under the sun to be called a right... Do you honestly think something like broadband or healthcare, services that others provide, ought to be considered in the same league as a right to freedom of speech or practice of religion or x,y,z?

Saying you think there should be a distinction does NOT mean you are not allowed to make the same laws and provide such services as a courtesy, a nice thing a wealthy society can provide. But it seems very off to me to classify something like broadband a right. Or health care, or education. And some of those on that list are things I thing we can and SHOULD provide as a society. But stop calling them rights.]]>Jul 1st 2010 7:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/You must watch a lot of Glen Beck.
Having rights to things like healthcare and a good education are very important things that play an important role in many western societies (with the exception of the US when it comes to healthcare, and schools sometimes). I do agree that internet may be pushing it a bit, but none less it is still great, doesn't the government practically pay for the laying of the fiber anyways, so make the monopoly give every household at least very basic service.

The same goes for healthcare, which is more important than free internet. The BS that the GOP feeds you about about how "Socialist Healthcare makes us like the Soviets is complete BS!. Healthcare is a basic necessity, and a country like ours (USA), should still lead the world like it did many years ago (before I was even born), today we are just a big country that has a lot of money (in the hands of the top 1%) and a big military (because our tax dollars go to it), but have a healthcare system that does not even land in the top 30 places, some third world countries beat us! How can this happen?

Anyways, back to the web before I get off topic too much, the web links the world over, was developed by the US Dept of Defense, and funded by US Tax dollars, and in the US the infrastructure used a lot of those tax dollars, therefore, Internet for all tax payers is a good idea (we paid for it!). The outcomes from this can only be good, and it will help (in some part), to keep us number 1 in the world ( i mean, bring us back to no 1 after 25+ years)]]>Jul 1st 2010 11:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 2nd 2010 2:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/I agree with what you say about rights. However, the article is poorly worded - I don't remember Finnish media ever using the word "right" of the law. Instead, it's called "yleispalvelu", or "universal service". The official press release (http://www.lvm.fi/web/en/pressreleases/view/1169259) from the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications compares broadband access to telephone and postal services.]]>Jul 2nd 2010 4:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Of course, all of this assumes that rights exist in some real manner other than as useful fictions.]]>Jul 2nd 2010 4:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Well spoken, and all points conceded.

The sad thing to me is that both natural rights (self-defense) and Constitutionally-derived social rights (trial by jury) are marginalized in the minds of the general populace by latter-day spin doctors. These are *important* things, but we've started taking them for granted.

A similar corollary is "The war on..." be it drugs, poverty, etc. War is a terrible, destructive thing and shouldn't be lightly referenced, but now we've even got wars on high prices.

As always, The Simpsons (early years at least) provides great wisdom:

(Lisa finishes reading The Raven.)
Bart: Lisa, that wasn't scary, not even for a poem.
Lisa: Well, it was written in 1845. Maybe people were easier to scare back then.
Bart: Oh, yeah. Like when you look at Friday the 13th, part one. It's pretty tame by today's standards.]]>Jul 2nd 2010 9:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
The legislation never was about "providing a free 1mpbs internet to everyone". I assume you know this because you did read the article. Right? No.. It is about everyone having the right to get access to minimum of 1mpbs internet connection. See the difference? IF you want to have a internet connection, the providers are legally bound to provide you with one, and that pipe needs to be at least 1mbps heavy.


And to all of those PREACHING about the misuse of the word "right". Jesus Effin' Christ. You have the "right for attorney". I guess that is not right either, even though the police is regulated by law to say that. Guess all the lawyers, researchers and whatnots, that have been involved in the writing of those words, are just incorrect. Oh, snap! Just get over it.]]>Jul 2nd 2010 12:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Engadget trying to be funny touched off a debate that Americans aren't intelligent enough to have considering the social issues facing our country.

What should have been said is that Finland feels as a part of the infrastructure everybody has a right to have access to this service.

We like Private Industry solve problems maybe the Government should run, like the internet. There's no logical reason for us to pay $70 for the same speed you get in much of Europe for half as much and it has nothing to do with size or people inside America. Don't use Corporate Speak, Verzion, AT&T and the Cable Companies have no interest in the "Last Mile". They only want to put in high-speed internet and other services only when the local population can afford the justified cost as they see it. They don't understand they are offering a Public Service when it comes to the internet, designed, engineered and funded by the Government via Universities. So you want to continue to pay $70-100 to US Private Companies that limit your speed is say 10MBPS just because demand is low? Most of the public does not see the value in much more than 2-3MBPS and cynics only say people downloading torrents or music only need that kind of speed. No we can force changes in how content is distributed by expanding high speed net faster across the country, along with countless services not yet offered yet in the US. Like the Iphone 4 offers Video Calling, something that's been widely available across the global but you accept it as "new" because Apple is offering it? No its because Apple has been able to capture the market between dumb phone and smart phone.

Rant Off ]]>Jul 2nd 2010 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
I'm pretty sure they have all those rights that you are complaining they should have. They probably also have a clause in their laws similar to the US Constitution that says something similar to "...promote the general welfare". They have decided that the internet does just that. Its like having roads and stoplights. Its becoming an integral part to the infrastructure of modern society, so yeah... it totally makes sense that their society would do this.]]>Jul 6th 2010 1:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 8th 2010 10:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/because we're a democracy. We don't tell private enterprises that they MUST provide their service to everyone, regardless of cost. You know how expensive it is for telecoms to reach most rural of areas? Not cost-effective.]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Because theres little demand for it. People seem fine with 56kb internet as long as it loads CNN or FoxNews. Plus, Cable TV is much more popular than internet, so most be end up paying a lot for TV rather than something that can do BOTH (D:) like the internet. Even so, the U.S is catching up. I have 50+mb/s in my area and sometime this year in CO they'll be releasing 1gb/s speeds in select areas. ]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
shut up. come over to the UK and then you'll start missing your internet connection back home.]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/we don't even FORCE grocery stores to operate in a given region, and i'd consider food more vital to life than the internet.]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
It must be because the US doesn't recognize it as a fundamental human right! Quick- make it a right, the internets will get faster!
]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
The US is a republic, not a democracy.]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Where in CO, exactly? Probably not the Springs, I'm sure.]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 12:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 12:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
sorry, i can't hear you mocking our democracy over my high-speed Internet here in Finland]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Like someone else above said, we are a Republic in the US. We have a constitution that lays out the rights of the people and limits the government's power. Democracy is "mob rule". 51% could kill any number of people and it would be "okay" if the majority of citizens said it was.

As to the desire for faster internet, all I can say is that you don't want to get it this way. Once the government forcibly sinks its teeth into the internet they will proceed to pass TONS of regulations that 1)track your every moment on the net, and authorize you to be jailed if you say something that the State doesn't like, and 2) SLOW your computer/connection down with mandatory software and government filters.

Think about it this way, if you depend on the government for something that is important to you (ie the internet) how are you going to deal with it after they drive private sector businesses out of the industry and then restrict (or eliminate) your access to the web because they feel like it? ]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Looking at you crapcast.
Or is it xfin...suck...ity?]]>Jul 1st 2010 12:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
The solution for ultra-fast broadband is for the government to build and maintain a fibre network, and then lease it out to ISPs. It'll therefore be run like a utility, much like electricity/water/gas/railways. Unfortunately, given the recent Budget, this seems pretty unlikely atm.]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/2. Stop being a crazy hat. There are no black helicopters over your house.

If they "feel" like restricting my access then we can elect people that will unrestrict it. Thats the nice thing about our country. Why they would want to restrict it? I haven't got a clue? be realistic. you're being a crazy watermelon. stop it. ]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
Consider the size and population difference between the two countries and you will get a better idea. They only have about 5 million compared to USA 309 million. Also, the the USA is a lot larger country. Besides, I am happy with my 25/25 Mbps fiber connection :D]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
For everyone confused as to what the U.S. government structure is, it is a representative republic, meaning that we as a people are represented by a smaller number of individuals we elect to represent us, and that our head of state is not a monarch and is elected as well. A democracy, on the other hand, is a strict majority-rules form of government. The best analogy to describe democracy is "two wolves and a sheep deciding on what's for dinner."

To answer your question, Ninetysix,

U.S. companies that provide broadband access spend billions of dollars every year to maintain and upgrade their networks, and since the United States is so large of a country, it's a very costly investment to pump high-speed access to areas with limited amounts of people. Also, The U.S. is roughly 29 times larger than Finland in area and 58 times larger in population, so the investment required to do the same thing Finland is doing on the scale of the U.S. would be astronomical.]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 1:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/Jul 1st 2010 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
It is interesting that you admit that the State is monitoring all that takes place on the net (arguably an invasion of privacy). As to the belief that our constitution idealistically protects us from being "drug into a black hole", I whole heartedly agree. However, you would probably be interested in legislation that is currently being pushed by a bipartisan group from the senate:
S.3081 - Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010.

Our liberty is fragile, that is all I am saying. The government has NO business mandating how businesses expand or demanding that they offer a better service (heck they don't even have the right to give these businesses tax dollars to accomplish their goal). In giving the government power to do this we are opening the window to the government passing more laws saying that "we gave you tax-payer funding thus you must comply to the content standards that the State dictates". Is that something you want? ]]>Jul 1st 2010 1:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/finland-the-first-country-in-the-world-to-make-broadband-access/
But i assume you're talking about putting a tax on people who choose not to have a means of paying for health care services. Because I know I only go to the hospital when I choose to.

I refer you to right above the commerce clause:
The Congress shall have power To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

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