Monopolies

US monopolies continue to include services that are granted monopoly power in exchange for providing expensive services to large populations. They are legally protected to be the exclusive provider of their services.

 

Typically this includes electric power and natural gas service and we hope our Public Service Commission keeps the costs in check. It also includes government services, like highway, road and bridge construction and maintenance, water treatment, water supply, sanitary sewers and trash removal.

 

Telephones used to be a regulated utility, but cell phones allowed some of us to cancel our land-line bills. Also, regular land lines have allowed customers to install their own phones and wiring for decades. The AT&T guys only fix outside lines if they go dead.  Cable TV is another quasi monopoly, but the cost has doubled and content is not the best because of bundling. You have to pay for channels you will never watch.  Newspapers are another quasi monopoly in most cities where there is only one newspaper.

 

We nave new monopolies like Microsoft and all of us are at its mercy. Our internet access allows choices, but bundling my phone, cable and internet in a temporary “low-ball” deal doesn’t look like a good idea to me. I think the AJC is useless unless I need to see what the enemy is up to. It’s the same with cable news and cable propaganda programming.

 

My monthly cost for internet access is $63.15. My TV cable cost is $112 and my telephone cost for 2 lines is $94. My separate long distance bill averages $15. My car cell phone averages $12. That’s a total of $296 per month. That’s about double the cost of my first house payment.  My AJC bill is another $27 per month.

 

I use the internet to get news and do this blog. I use the second land line for the computer. I use a separate long distance carrier to avoid AT&T abuse. I have a car cell phone to avoid being stranded with a car breakdown. I have cable TV for PBS documentaries, movies and to track the liberalization of Fox News. I have the AJC newspaper to keep track of fake news so I can call it out on my blog.

 

I am always tempted to cancel the newspaper and pull the plug on the TV, but right now we are at war with the liberals and we need to win this war.

 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader