Letter: Feds lose sight of telephone’s importance

Friday, Feb. 1, 2002 | 4:12 a.m.

Regarding Sandy Thompson's Jan. 27 column, "Disconnect costly telephone charges":

Glad to see the economic slowdown has provided Thompson with the time to notice what many people in this country have been protesting for more than eight years now. You see, that's when our Federal Communications Commission decided to start doing all consumers the favor of separating them from their money by using what has become a basic necessity, the telephone.

Granted, they began by imposing usage, excise tax and other fees on only those money-grubbing small-business people (those least able to pass the cost on), but it didn't take long before Al Gore decided it would be a great societal benefit to provide Internet access to all rural communities and schools.

At over $7.40 per line per month, it was explained the job would only take three years of such revenue; the job was actually funded in less than two, and that was almost four years ago.

Again, we thank you for coming down to our level and appreciating the finer things in life. Perhaps, with some time, energy and influence, you can get those money-grubbing bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., to understand the telephone was once a lifeline for many Americans. It became that way when it cost only $8 per month, phones and their repairs were free, information was a service and oh, yes, the government had not yet decided to help us with the evil monolopy AT&T.

BOB LITTLE Pahrump