$42B Rural Broadband Can’t Get Past the Planning Stage Since 2021

A $42 billion initiative dating back to 2021 is still in the planning phase, with no households connected to high-speed internet yet. None, Nada, Nothing. In the clip below, you will quickly see why.

Ezra Klein, a journalist and host of The Ezra Klein Show, discusses the bureaucratic inefficiencies of Biden’s Build Back Better plan on Jon Stewart’s The Weekly Show podcast. The 14-step process for rural broadband funding that has stalled progress is the work of madmen.

They saddled their own rural Broadband, part of the Build Back Better bill [Bilk Back Better], with impossible regulations and overwhelming bureaucracy, which is why it can’t get done. The bill was passed in 2021, and nothing has happened.

Americans are paying $42 billion on broadband, but it’s being spent on pencil pushers. In the clip, Jon Stewart acts frustrated, but he’ll still vote for these control freaks 100% of the time, as will Ezra Klein.

This is what must be done to get NTIA approval, and nothing has happened yet:

The 14 Steps via Eric Abbenante

Jon Stewart screams ‘OMFG’ and is rendered speechless after hearing all 14 steps to apply for ‘Build Back Better’ funding:

Ezra Klein: “We have to issue the notice funding opportunity within 180 days that’s step one.

Step 2: States who want to participate must submit a letter of intent. After they do that, they can submit a request for up to $5 million in planning grants. Then the NTIA Step Four has to review and approve an award again. States who want to participate must submit that letter of intent.

Step 3: “They can request up to $5 million in planning grants. Just planning, just planning.

Step 4: “The requests are reviewed, approved, and awarded by the NTIA.” States must submit a five-year action plan. All 56 had passed through at least

Step 5: Took more than 3 years.

Step 6: Then the FCC, must publish the broadband data maps before NTIA allocates funds. So having done the no vote. So the letters of intent, the request for planning grants, then the review approval and awarding of the planning grants, then the five-year action plans in between that the federal government has to put forward a map saying where it thinks we need rural broadband subsidies. And then, of course, the states need an opportunity to challenge the map for accuracy.

Step 7: Then the NTIA has to use the FCC maps to make allocation decisions. It’s hard even to talk about this, man.

Step 8: states must submit an initial proposal to the NTIA.”

Jon Stewart: “But then what was the five-year plan and what the fuck did they apply for?”

Ezra Klein:

Step 9: NTIA must review and approve each state’s again initial proposal. By my read, we have had at least two initial proposals here, but that’s a different issue.

Step 10: States must publish their own map and allow internal challenges to their own map.

Step 11: The NTIA must review and improve the challenge results and the final map. The NCAA has put forward a map.

Step 12: states must run a competitive sub-granting process.”
Jon Stewart: “Oh, my fucking God. At step 12. After all this has been done!?”
Ezra Klein:

“Step 13: States must submit a final proposal. This – all the proposals weren’t enough for NTIA. Now that goes to three of 56.

Step 14: The NTIA must review and approve the state’s final proposal. And that is three of the 56 jurisdictions. And states are there.”

Jon Stewart: “I’m speechless.”

“I am the government, and I am here to help!”

The Pencil Pusher Oligarchy

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