President Bush on Broadband Internet in the US

[Peter Kaminski <kaminski@istori.com>]

I don't have an analysis of what it means, but during a technology forum at 
the White House today, President Bush touched on broadband technology and 
the Internet in the US.  Here are excerpts from President Bush's remarks at 
the 21st Century High Tech Forum, June 13, 2002 
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020613-11.html>:

* "This country must be aggressive about the expansion of broadband."

* "[The Internet] ought to be a tax-free environment in order to encourage 
use."

* "[The FCC] is focusing on policies that will bring high-speed Internet 
service, will create competition, will keep the consumers in mind, but to 
understand the -- kind of the economic vitality that will occur when 
broadband is more fully accessible."


Additional context for these remarks:


"And so, which really leads me to an interesting question that I know is on 
your mind, and that is broadband technology. This country must be 
aggressive about the expansion of broadband; we have to. (Applause.) I used 
to travel around our state of Texas a lot. I saw some really innovative 
health programs. I remember going to the Texas Tech Medical Center, and 
seeing a fellow have his ear examined by a nurse practitioner in I think it 
was Alpine, Texas. And the picture was clear and the specialist was able to 
diagnose the disease.

We have virtual classrooms in Texas, virtual school districts in Texas, 
where we've hooked up a fairly wealthy school district with rural or poor 
school districts. It made a huge difference. It would have been a heck of a 
lot better if there had been broadband technology, however, to make the 
process move a lot quicker.

I get -- when I'm down at Crawford, I'm in constant contact with our 
administration. We've got secure teleconferencing capacity there. And it's 
pretty good. It can be better. (Laughter.) It can be more real-time. It's 
an important part of life and it's time for us to be -- time for us to 
move, move with an agenda.

Hopefully, we're doing a pretty good job of working to eliminate hurdles 
and barriers to get broadband implemented. I've fought off -- or worked 
with Congress, is a better way to put it -- (laughter) -- to prevent access 
taxes on the Internet. It ought to be a tax-free environment in order to 
encourage use. And, of course, a lot of the action is going to come through 
the FCC. I know that, you know that. And I'm confident that the chairman 
and the board is focusing on policies that will bring high-speed Internet 
service, will create competition, will keep the consumers in mind, but to 
understand the -- kind of the economic vitality that will occur when 
broadband is more fully accessible."

Pete
http://www.istori.com/log/

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