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Description
In the Victorian era, presidential candidates did not wage media blitzes. Instead, they met with voters on their front porches or traveled by train from town to town and gave what were called "whistlestop speeches." Candidates ran on their reputations and respectability--campaigning for votes was deemed unseemly. Flash forward more than a century later, and it's apparent that politics and sentiments have changed. And election year 2008 is even more frenzied since candidates began their campaigns a year ahead of schedule, giving voters more time to weigh the pros and cons of the presidential hopefuls. Some NTCA members shared their hopes and fears about the upcoming election, as well as shed some insight into the candidates from their home states.
Universal Service Fund and Intercarrier Compensation Costs
Tom Rowland, president of NTCA's Board of Directors and president & chief executive officer of North Central Telephone Cooperative (Lafayette, Tenn.), said the two biggest issues facing rural telcos today are the continued funding of the Universal Service Fund (USF) and an equitable system for determining intercarrier compensation costs (ICC). "A president would have significant influence on the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] and could get this finally settled," he said.
Regarding USF, Rowland said he would like to see the program set up fairly where every carrier pays into it based on their own individual company costs. "I'd also like to see it expanded to broadband service--not just telephone service--because that's the wave of the future," he said. "With ICC, we need to get a cost-based rate system that everyone is comfortable with and can live with."
What's frustrating to him is that the commission has had recommendations for these two issues from an industry task force for the past two years, but it hasn't moved on them. "Lately, it seems like the FCC is taking a long time to address issues," Rowland said. "The FCC doesn't want to step on Congress' toes, but Congress is not doing anything either. It's very political and standard operating procedure that no one wants to make a move that will anger or upset another group, but that's why the government is there--to make those decisions."
Thompson Hails From Rural America
Rowland said he has not decided on any one candidate yet, but noted that he is familiar with Republican candidate Fred Thompson because he's from Tennessee. "He was reasonably supportive of rural issues when he was in the Senate and of rural America in general," he said, adding that Thompson grew up in a rural area. "If he does get the nomination and wins the election, he would be helpful to the rural community."
In addition, Rowland said that other NTCA members from the Northeast have said that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) has been fairly supportive of issues relating to telecommunications. "Bill Clinton and Hillary lived in Arkansas for many years, so it helps that they have the rural perspective somewhat,"... |
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