[Novalug] Local Internet Co-op

Walt Smith waltechmail@yahoo.com
Sat Feb 28 11:59:29 EST 2015


This question has a couple of interesting facets.

coops have been around forever, but are often missing from
legaleze about  business.  Years ago, the IRS seriously
went after arrangements where people bartered services and goods,
knda like a super duper permanent swapmeet.   They wanted their taxes.
Even though many of the tangibles were used, broken or had little
market value.   Labor is another issue.  ( now they monitor you on ebay ).
Even though currency often wasn't used.  But it's sorta-kinda not a coop,
maybe.  What is a coop ?

Maryland is somewhat famous for having the state and counties 
( or city ) create rheir own corporations.   If a city tried to become
an internet provider by having some city division  ( say, IT services )
setup free Internet, thats different than a city created corporation
selling/giving away services.  And who paid the state anyway for such
anticitizen laws preventing citizens to cooperate and run their own lives?
(Hence Maryland, while voting democratic, is also by action a Republican 
state).

Of course, at a different end of the spectrum, it means citizens can 
be placed in multiple jeopardies if they violate rules in some service.
For example, The motor vehicle program is run by the state.  So are
the courts.  And Insurance is regulated by the state.   So a motor
vehicle infraction can result in essentially multiple punishments.
Including by the MVA itself.

That aside, are such laws including only specific entities, or does 
the legislation intentionally exclude entities ?
Maybe it doesn't matter after the FCC ruling.

So are there not more examples of coops trying to do some
Internet service ?  Relatedly, in an urban environment, with density,
it shouldn't be hard or expensive to have cheap services.  Does the
ruling now allow Universities or citizens to setup their own wifi 
neighborhoods ?  Or, bluntly,  allow other cable and Internet providers into
the city other than Venison and Comcrap ? 



Walt........

-------------------

That is me. But I'm not sure this ruling helps out co-ops running their own
lines. Co-ops are not a government organization.


-Fox

----
The government is lawless, not the press (people).
( [Supreme Court] Justice Douglas re: The Pentagon Papers )



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