[BC] Spectrum "looting in progress" update

[Kirk Harnack]

Lewis Munn wrote:
> Kirk...under the free enterprise system with land...look at the
> results!  The poor live in hovels and tenaments, or on the street.

The "poor" in the USA live better than the average European.  The "poor" 
in the USA live better than 98% of those in the former Soviet Union.

> The rich buy up huge amounts of choicest land and build palatial
> mansions.  Kerry is a prime example!  Had at one time at least 7 huge
> estates...because he was rich enough to buy up land that would have
> fed and housed hundreds of ordinary individuals.

Kerry, or any "rich" person is perfectly free to give his riches to the 
poor if he wants to (Kerry doesn't.)  People who think they should be 
taxed more are welcome to write big checks to the Federal Gov't.

Try replacing "rich" and "poor" in your vabulary with "achievers" and 
"non-achievers", and re-read.  Sounds harsh, but it's usually true.

Give someone who you call "poor" a lot of money (as in lottery winnings) 
and that money is nearly always gone in a few years - the "winner" then 
lives in more debt than before.

> 
> That is close in radio to what we have now...rich companies with
> central management, buying up all the stations they can, and hogging
> the spectrum space for themselves.  Small guys are drowned out.  And
> priced out.

Just as a mental exercise, try replacing "stations" or "spectrum" in the 
foregoing with "expensive diamonds".  Now, diamonds are, indeed, 
expensive - they seem overpriced, no?  "Poor" people can't afford them; 
not big ones anyway.  But "rich" people seem to have lots of them - and 
big ones.  Is there any outrage over the inequitable distribution of big 
diamonds in the world?  No.  The free enterprise system handles the 
distribution of big diamonds quite well.  "Fat cats'" wives have them. 
The "working poor" - not so much.  Why should private land or radio 
spectrum be any different?

"Public Airwaves?"  Hardly.  What does the "public" have to do with the 
airwaves?  What are "airwaves" anyway?  Aren't we really talking about 
RF coverage of some defined geographic area?  Sounds more like real 
estate to me.

> See what the big boys did with IBOC...a little home-town
> station can ill afford all the fancy expensive new stuff for
> IBOC...most supply local jobs and live hand to mouth as it is.

I know of small market operators who do QUITE well - even right now. 
(Their wives have lots of big diamonds, for example.)  I know of other 
small market operators who aren't so skilled at picking a place to buy a 
station; and aren't so good at running it.  They, indeed, live "hand to 
mouth."

What would you have done about this inequity?  Should the "fat cat" 
small market guy be required to give some of his profits to the guy who 
makes poor decisions and can't run his station profitably?

> 
> Since the distribution of wealth tends to be quite inequitable, your
> proposal as I hear it would do as happens with other areas...the rich
> hog most and the whole rest gets a few undersireable dregs for their
> share.

So, who is it that controls this "inquitable" distribution you speak of? 
  The free-enterprise system?  Come on; it doesn't care.  Money itself? 
Nah, money doesn't care who gets it.

Success tends to be attracted to achievers, risk-takers, employers or 
those who provide valuable goods or services.

The leftovers tend to go to those who don't achieve, those who play it 
safe, those who don't employ others or provide valuable services to others.


> 
> Survival of the richest!

What do you want?  Survival of the non-achievers?
> 
> Looey Munn Roundup, MT

BTW, Roundup sounds like a beautiful place to visit.   Low-income 
community, however, and houses are dirt-cheap.  No local radio stations, 
either, but there's not enough population to support one.

Lots of interesting data at 
http://www.city-data.com/city/Roundup-Montana.html

Is there no industry or higher education in Roundup?  Average commute 
time to work is listed as 22 minutes.  You can drive across town in 3 
minutes.  Where do people work there?


Regards,

Kirk Harnack