Stimulus Means New Broadband Access in Missouri

Actually, what we like about this story is how it begins. It's true that Broadband is coming soon to Missouri as a result of the Stimulus legislation, but the Stimulus will result in Broadband coming to many more states, too.

So how does it begin? The St. Joe News reports,

Franklin D. Roosevelt took office with about 10 percent of rural households having electrical service. The vast majority of city homes had it.

“Cold figures do not measure the human importance of electric power in our present social order,” the 32nd president said.

In 1935, Mr. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration. Seven years later, nearly half of the nation’s farms had been wired for power.

Skip ahead seven decades and argue the parallels, but broadband Internet access has become the latest rural equalizer in the newest New Deal.

Read more here: "Broadband Could Be Expanded in Region Due to Stimulus" by Ken Newton.

Overall, President Obama's making broadband a priority in rural America is rural America's chance to get competitive with the urban areas of our country.

Open Letter to Senator Jon Tester on the Bush Budget

Dear Senator Tester,

My Rural America just loves you. Why? ... Because you're right about the Bush Budget being just plain cruel to rural America. You said just, " ... another nail in the coffin of rural America, so to speak."

Over the next days/weeks we'll be doing a continuing feature about our country's endangered Middle Class. Whether the subject -- i.e., the "nail" -- is "Economic Stimulus" package, Farm Bill or how the Bush Budget cuts "Essential Air", broadband, AMTRAK, the "Wild Land Fire Program" and/or a lot of other things too, it would be a real slap in the face to rural Americans if we were to end up stuck with the President and his allies' Budget.

To get us started, we're sharing the Great Falls Tribune's story, "Tester: Bush Budget Fails Rural America."

Thanks again for working hard to protect us all.

Your fans at My Rural America