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Conservative Reform Network
The Newsletter for Independent, Conservative Political Activists

In This Issue
Conservative Reform Network
I Don't Want Anything For Free
Government Central Planning

Conservative Reform Network

To build a network of funders and activists to advance an agenda of Economic Freedom, free markets for free people

To replace elected, liberal central planners with someone who supports Economic Freedom, Constitutional Limited Government, Rule of Law, Free Markets, not command and control Socialism by few, elite technocrats, and Free Trade, free market solutions to health care, retirement, energy independence, education, Individual Liberty, Personal Freedom and Personal Autonomy, self government.

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Dear Lowman,

Enjoy this issue, which focuses more on Free Markets. View more posts on my blog. Have a Safe Memorial Weekend.

I Don't Want Anything for Free: It Costs Too Much

The forgotten taxpayer, who actually worked or invested, to produce goods and services paid for this plan by city planners who used productive taxpayer money, taken, coercively, without consent of taxpayer, to fund this failed program. In the free market, the productive person can choose where to spend his or her money, or even not to spend and save and invest it, without coercion.

Philly's 'free' WiFi service has cost taxpayers $2.6 million

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The wireless Internet network that was supposed to cost Philadelphia nothing hasn't been as free as promised. Metro Philadelphia reports Mayor John Street last year forgave what was initially a $1.4 million loan from the city to help not-for-profit Wireless Philadelphia get off the ground.

The forgiven loan is on top of at least $1.26 million that, according to city records, has been spent on consultants.

That means the project so far has cost city taxpayers more than $2.6 million.

Earthlink announced Tuesday that it's pulling the plug on the network June 12.

CEO Greg Goldman says Wireless Philadelphia asked Street to forgive the loan so it could focus on fundraising. Street did not return an e-mail Thursday from Metro Philadelphia requesting comment.

Government Central Planning versus Free Market Consumers

Government central planners are experts and make a persuasive case for using money of productive taxpayers to provide a service "for free". Against that is the free market competitive system of choice that focuses on the consumer of end services as well as "producer goods", those goods used to produce other goods, sometimes called capital equipment.

In the limited government model, you, the user, the taxpayer, have the choice where to spend your money. There are, obviously, basically two ways to allocate resources: 1) free market price mechanism, or; 2) government rationing which concentrates economic and political power and decision-making in one entity, the government bureaucrats and elected officials.

This story of smaller municipalities competing with private companies to offer broadband and wireless is a good example how planners, with all the best intentions, and with expertise substitute their decisions for the consumer of the product. Municipal plans sound as if they are "free" and some hearing think they are getting something for nothing" and some are. The productive people who produce goods and provide services generate tax revenues which others then consumer. It is not as if there are not profit making companies, those which make choices about cost versus benefit, who are aware of these markets. As prices come down, it is likely that these municipalities will be served. New technologies like WiMax, long range WiFi, AND superfast WiMax will be almost everywhere 2 to 5 megabits by 2010 or 2011.

Mr. DePriest of Chattanooga makes a good case as did former Mayor Street and the IT bureaucrats in the City administration did. Reality proved their plans were wrong and productive people were punished for mistakes of a few.

Philadelphia had its recent failure on WiFi which cost the taxpayers of Philadelphia money they could ill afford to lose more than $2,6 million and which Mayor Nutter noted costs the City $3 million a year to operate is not a good deal for City. It does not appear the Inquirer reported how much City has lost on the Earthlink deal which was supposed to be "free" to City.

In addition to WiMax, this article and the short video above tell about WiMax and its competitive ability to bring fast broadband service at an affordable price.
"Verizon Communications Inc. is in the midst of a $23 billion project, called FiOS, to bring fiber to the homes of more than half of its 33 million customers in 28 states by 2010. Comcast last month began boosting speeds on its network, and estimates 20% of its customers will have access to faster speeds by the end of the year."

Dairy Co-Op Faces Manipulation Probe

Who profits from nonprofits? This "cooperative" is monopoly of 18,000 milk producers, whose have delegated decisions to a few officers of this "cooperative" - which does not seem much different than private corporation- this government 'cooperative" monopoly fixes prices for milk with government approval. It seems it went further and "manipulated" prices on Chicago Commodity Futures Trading market. If private company did what government is doing, it would be excoriated for hurting public. This "farmer-owned cooperative", read government collective, controls 1/3 of US milk supply. The price manipulation investigation is being done by Chicago Board of Trade. "price manipulation" is something like price fixing and with same result - higher prices to consumers who are being hammered by ever increasing food prices. There is separate investigation of million dollar payment to a former officer. Like any corporation, and corporations are cooperative and voluntary enterprise of stockholders and employees, power is concentrated in a few and it can be expected they act for their benefit and benefit of members rather than public.

And why would a government protected monopoly act illegally at all? What would a non profit gain from such illegal profit making activity? Isn't the purpose of government action to protect the public, not to manipulate the price the public pays. Is this "nonprofit", cooperative really a "public private" partnership benefitting the partners, government bureaucrats, elected officials and milk producers, or benefitting the public?

Even the legal price fixing hurts consumers. The mercantilist theories of protecting producers at expense of individuals is counterproductive and an abuse of power by government. Limited government places emphasis on choice and competition, not the good will of government bureaucrats and their partners, big business dairy producers.

PA EITC
The PA Education Improvement Tax Credits are a way to fund alternatives to government schools. Dollars Follows Scholars and PA School Choice. One size does not fit all and government schools may not always be best venue for your child. School Competition and Parental Choice are keys not only to better quality.