in Politics 1,340 Words

Demise of the Digital Equity Act

One aspect of the things the Trump Administration has cut that I have not blogged about is the Digital Equity Act.

In their slash and burn attack on the federal government to supposedly eliminate waste, Elon Musk and Donald Trump simply took a chainsaw to everything that included the word “equity” and cut it off at the ground. Then, they pulled up the roots and tossed them away.

So, the Digital Equity Act had to be defunded. After all, this is what the Act did, according to the Congress.gov website (https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1841/all-info):

“This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to establish grant programs for promoting digital equity, supporting digital inclusion activities, and building capacity for state-led efforts to increase adoption of broadband by their residents.

“Specifically, the bill establishes the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program to make distributions to states based on their populations, demographics, and availability and adoption of broadband. The bill also establishes the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program for supporting efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion, and stimulate adoption of broadband.”

The objective of the Digital Equity Act was to help expand broadband internet service to rural and underserved parts of the country. It was meant to help level the playing field.

Photo of the word internet spelled out in capital letters in white against a black background
Photo by Stephen Tauro on Unsplash

Trump has pulled the funding for the Act. If the rural and underserved parts of the US do not get broadband internet service, he doesn’t care.

Public libraries in underserved areas were the recipients of some of the grants until the program disappeared. Donald Trump cannot imagine being in a situation where his only access to the internet would be the local public library – which might be 25 miles or more from his home.

As he said in his campaign for office, “I love the uneducated.” Wannabe dictators love the uneducated because they are easily tricked and easily led.

No one knows what goes on in Donald Trump’s mind. Does he want to keep the populous uninformed, or is he so narcissistic and uncaring that he does not ever for one second consider the human ramifications for the services he slashes with a scratch of his pen?

Trump has loudly and proudly bragged about doing away with everything having to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With the full support of the Republicans in Congress, Trump has said that anything DEI is discriminatory against white males.

White males have always been in charge in the United States, ever since they arrived and immediately started killing and pushing the indigenous peoples off the land.

White men got used to being in charge, so when black people and women of all colors started taking their rightful place as citizens in the 1960s, white men had to make some adjustments. In most cases, they did not adjust gracefully.

I came of age in the early 1970s, so I met some white male backlash head-on when I entered the workforce. Now, after 50 years of advancement toward equality, it seems that Trump and his ilk have had enough. The Trump Administration has come down on diversity, equity, and inclusion with a sledgehammer.

The sledgehammer is hitting diversity, equity, and inclusion across the board with no concern for the inflicted damage. Trump and his ilk don’t see it as damage. Damage to people of color and women is not damage to them; it is just the way things should be.

One example I read about was medical research being done about a correlation between menopause and Alzheimer’s Disease. The research had to end because it only studied women. Have any studies of prostate cancer been halted? I doubt it.

It will take years for us to see the full ramifications of what the Trump Administration and his supporters have done to our society – to education, to scientific and medical research, to our military, and to our workforce. People of color and women will be passed over for college scholarships and job opportunities. It might not be as blatant as it was in the 1960s and 1970s, but it will be there. It already was there, but now the Trump Administration has put its seal of approval on the practice and once again made it “the way it is supposed to be.”

Hurricane Helene Update and the Acting FEMA Director

As of Friday, 50 roads in North Carolina were still closed due to Hurricane Helene. That count included five US highways, three state highways, and 42 state roads.

I-40 near the Tennessee line remains at just one lane in both directions with a 35 mph speed limit. And, most of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is still closed due to landslides and the downing of thousands of trees during the storm.

The long-term ramifications on the entire state of North Carolina are massive, although the hurricane only hit the western part of the state. For instance, rebuilding and repairing state highways and roads from Hurricane Helene takes that money away from regular road and bridge repairs. It is estimated that the Hurricane Helene transportation expenses for the state will amount to $1 billion, which is what the state would normally spend on highways and bridges in a three-year period.

Last Tuesday, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and various TV media reported that the Acting Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) David Richardson said he was not aware that the United States had a hurricane season.

We do. It begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. Every year. Those are the months, Mr. Richardson, when tropical storms and hurricanes are likely to form in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico due to seasonal weather patterns and the temperature of the sea waters. It’s called science and common sense. Study history, Mr. Richardson, and you might notice a trend.

Are you wondering what Mr. Richardson’s qualifications are for the job? He is a former US Marine who has been a Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for countering weapons of mass destruction. I couldn’t find that he has any experience in responding to natural disasters.

I’ll take this opportunity, since I have some new blog readers, to repeat that I know there are other places where the people are suffering from natural disasters; however, I am a North Carolinian, so I will continue to concentrate on the unprecedented damage Hurricane Helene did in western North Carolina last September.

Disasters are covered for a short time by the media, but then other matters and events grab the headlines. I want my readers to be reminded that recovery from any natural disaster is not an easy undertaking and cannot be accomplished in a short period of time.

Thank you to my loyal readers who have hung in there with me as I’ve reported on Hurricane Helene weekly for the last eight months. That will continue.

The parts of the mountains in NC that are open desperately need our support, as much of the economy there is based on tourism, So, plan your trip carefully and concentrate your travel dollars on supporting small businesses. Remember to pack patience for when you run into road construction or detours.

It was announced on Friday that Chimney Rock State Park will reopen on June 27, exactly nine months after the hurricane. It is normally open year-round.

Until my next blog post

I’m going to take two or three days off from blogging this week. I need a break, and you probably do, too! If all goes as planned, my next post will be on Friday, June 13. Let’s all try to have a pleasant week.

By the way, when you finish reading a good book, take the time to leave a brief review of it or at least a four- or five-star rating for it online. That really helps the author, especially if it is their first book.

Remember the people of Ukraine and western North Carolina.

Janet

40 thoughts on “Demise of the Digital Equity Act”

  1. Our previous Congressman, Bob Good (for nothing), finally realized that Internet access was a necessity and not a luxury. (One might think that Covid would have taught us that.) If the one term head of the Freedom Caucus could learn that, it couldn’t have been too subtle a lesson to learn. Trump has never learned the definition or spelling of subtlety.

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  2. Good Lord, these ignoramuses don’t know that digital equity is about giving rural regions access to information and education through broadband? When I worked for Granite State College, the students in our northernmost county, Coos, were at a distinct disadvantage in online courses because the region didn’t have broadband. What’s more, they need to be able to access digital literacy course content and information.

    A rising tide lifts all boats, damn it!!!

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  3. Well-said, and you deserve a break today. There’s so much swirling around us that makes me think we are characters in a horror movie. But honey, trouble don’t last always! Enjoy your time off! 😍💐🤗

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  4. They learn nothing from any experience. The bottom line is to keep as many Americans uneducated as possible. It’s too hard to trick educated people, although Trump has done amazingly well at it. When are the poor going to catch on to the fact that Trump actually despises them? They … all of us … are dirt under his bone-spurred feet.

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  5. Cam Trump make it any clearer that he is waging war on education? All the while, he proves daily that he is poorly educated. I just watched a video clip of him speaking at CPAC after the election. He said the Governor of TX told him it was the first time since Reconstruction that a Republican won all the towns along the Mexican border. Trump is so ignorant, he said, “I said to him, “Define Reconstruction for me. He said it means the Civil War.” He is so ignorant of history, he doesn’t even know when he is showing his ignorance. And yet, he wants to deny Americans living in remote areas access to the internet!

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  6. Every time I say I’m taking a break from blogging…. well, let’s just say it hasn’t worked yet! We’ll see how this week goes. Some peace and quiet would be a nice change!

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  10. There is nothing more beautiful than diversity. Look at a flower garden, a forest, the oceans, and even the skies. To attempt to wipe away diversity in society is an attempt to destroy what God has created in His love and wisdom. God did not make us all alike for a reason, and although we do not know the reason, we reckon it is so that we could enrich our lives with whatever others can offer. When I arrived in the US (as a young child) I was not greeted as a stranger, although my English was British and not American, but I looked the part. So I never had any run-ins with racists or others that disliked or distrusted foreigners. But I did know many from other American countries who were discriminated and maligned simply for the way they looked, for the way God made them. What happened to the Christian ideal or the command from Jesus that we should love God with all our heart and our brothers too?

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  11. Girl Janet, the only way I have managed to step away, is to tune this mess out as much as I possibly can. Crazy has a way of shape-shifting itself to make you think they are normal and you are the one with issues. 🤪 It can be a struggle sometimes, but I still think we are going to be okay my friend! 🥰🙏🏼💖 Stay focused! Hugs!

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  12. Yet again he seems to be targeting the very people who are more likely to have voted for them by going for rural areas. The idea that the richest country in the world shouldn’t ensure access to the internet for all is quite breath-taking. Enjoy your break, Janet – you deserve it!

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  14. Indeed, Francis. What has happened that Christian ideal or command to love one another as we love ourselves? To love one another as God loves each of us? Can you imagine how boring life would be if everyone looked alike or sounded alike or thought alike? This Fascist thing that Trump and all his followers are pushing that we must rid our country of everyone who is different from the white norm is outrageous. They apparently weren’t taught the song that I was taught as a very small child at church: “Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Trump shows no signs that he has ever set foot in a church or had any religious influences in his entire life. And he only lets people in his circle who are just like him. The ones who wear the cross necklaces, I am especially doubtful of them. They are too eager to prove they are Christians by their jewelry and all the while they spout hate from their mouths. And tonight 700 active-duty US Marines have been sent to Los Angeles. Imagine US Marines being ordered to act on their fellow citizens! It has come to this. We are in a very bad place, Francis. I’m glad you don’t live here anymore. All I can say is, “God, please help us.” I keep praying that Trump will accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and turn from his evil ways. I will continue to pray for him. (He might need a road to Damascus conversion.)

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  15. Good advice, but now that the power is back on, I can’t stop watching what’s happening in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Austin. Trump says all protesters are horrible people. I thought that were all wonderful people on January 6, 2021, when they were protesting for him! The hypocrisy of it all! Hugs back to you.

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  16. Seeing the pictures from Los Angeles tonight and knowing that TACO has called up 700 active-duty US Marines to go to Los Angeles is just horrifying. I will never forgive the people who voted for him. Yes, I need a break. My whole country needs a break!

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  17. LOL! It was all over the news, Liz. Sorry you missed it! It certainly took a stable genius to order 700 US Marines to Los Angeles tonight, didn’t it? This is tragic. Our electricity was off for 7 hours from 1:30 until 8:30 tonight due to a vehicle damaging equipment (or so Duke Energy said), and I was horrified when I turned the TV on and saw what was happening in Los Angeles and heard that he actually followed through and called up the Marines! We are in a very bad place in this country.

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  18. I agree Janet, without a Damascus conversion he will never change. Hatred is a powerful companion and it lives in the heart of these people, not just him. I also blame all the others that empower him and neglect democracy and Christianity. A country is not someone’s private farm and that’s what they are trying to accomplish and that is very dangerous and scary as that is what dictators do.

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  21. Hi, Francis. I’m back home tonight after three days in the mountains of western North Carolina. When I get my thoughts and photos together, I will blog about it. It was sobering to see how much damaged remains nine and a half months after the hurricane… and we did not get into the worst parts where roads are still closed. It was a good and safe trip, but it is always good to return home and relax a bit after a lot of driving. It was good not to have access to a TV except at night to keep up with the news. In the car, my sister and I enjoyed playing a variety of our music CDs — many I had not listened to in several years, so that was great! I actually did a little proofreading of my devotional book’s manuscript while we were away. It is surprising how many omissions and typos one can find after putting a written piece aside for a couple of weeks! I have more proofreading and corrections to make before I can have it ready to publish in August. I hope your work is going smoothly. I know you’re quite busy, so I’ll close for now. As always, you needn’t feel like you must reply. Take care.

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  22. Everything seems to be building up to that, Liz. They say he’s been looking for an excuse to call up the military for weeks, if not months. US Marines aren’t trained to do crowd control! This is a powder keg waiting to explode and the Repubs are already blaming Newsom and Baker. And now good old Israel goes and attacks Iran. Just what we needed. President Bone Spurs will delight in joining that fight! It was nice to take three days away from 24/7 news, but I’m back into now. Maybe I should stop paying DirecTV and see how I get along without it. It is tempting!

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  23. The hypocrisy is beyond comprehension! He despises the poor and the sick and the old. He despises rural people… and to think, they are the ones that voted for him! Go figure! I heard on the radio as we were driving home this afternoon that the House Republicans are cutting off all federal funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting because PBS and NPR have a liberal bent. Holy Smokes! Sesame Street? Ken Burns’ documentaries? The cooking shows? NOVA? Nature? They obviously have never watched PBS!

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  24. So glad to hear Janet! Sounds wonderful. It is definitely good for the soul to get away like that and disconnect with the madness and reconnect with the brilliance and wisdom that God has spread all over our Earth. I am preparing to leave for my summer place and at the same time preparing the exhibition we are having in October as I want to leave everything done before I leave. I am also now editing the poetry/interview section of Masticadores’s LatinosUSA (English & Spanish) for our senior editor Juan Ré. I love it but I am really not too experienced with keeping up with schedules and files, but learning and doing my work. And of course I am preparing my book(s) which I want to publish at least one by year’s end. Wishing you a peaceful and productive weekend and all the best!

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  25. Janet, the folks making such idiotic statements about PBS and NPR are illiterate fools and only doing what Simon Says. This level of ignorance totally baffles me to no end. Unfreaking real! 😡😲🤬

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  26. You have much to do and a short time in which to do it! It will get done, and then you can relax in your beautiful summer place. Editing is tedious work, as I am learning again as well with my devotional book. I wish you all the best and will be happy to hear from you as your schedule allows this summer. I hope we will both have a peaceful and productive weekend. It doesn’t help my sense of calm to know that Israel has started another war. It seems that bullies are in charge of too many countries.

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  27. Ken Burns and Rick Steves have been speaking out for the importance of PBS, but I’m afraid their statements aren’t being heard or listened to by the people in power. I wonder if the drastic cuts in funding will force PBS to decrease how many hours a day they will be able to broadcast. I haven’t heard that mentioned, but I wonder if they’ll be able to continue overnight broadcasting. I’ll miss it, if they do. I have terrible sleep problems, so I often watch PBS between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Yes, the level of ignorance! Too many rich people making decisions for the rest of us when they have no clue what they’re doing. Do these people truly not care how many people they hurt?

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  28. Yes, you are right, just when you think nothing else can go terrible, Israel starts a war and with Iran! My summer place allows me time to write and think and I can certainly appreciate that. It is by the waters of the beautiful Aegean Sea, which I love and just looking at the sea creates a sense of peace, like the mountains do… I wish you the best with the Devotional book and I know that with your discipline and dedication you will get great things done. Have a smashing good weekend Janet!

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  29. Honey Janet, as it looks right now, they really don’t care, unless it affects them. It seems like any sense of humanity is floating out the door. And let’s not even talk about common sense! UGH! 😝

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  33. It was wonderful to just listen to music as we traveled instead of listening to the news all day. A lot of the scenery was distressing, though. I’m glad we finally got to visit the mountains again. It was reassuring to see the town of Boone — where we both went to college — looking good again.

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  35. Janet, after looking at some of the news, I simply can’t believe everything that is happening. I hope you have a wonderful weekend too. I simply refuse to do “crazy” today! 😝 Hugs my friend.

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  36. The news today from Minnesota is terrible. I’m encouraged by all the protests. I just wasn’t physically able to participate in a protest. I’m working on my blog for Monday about the three days my sister and I spent in the NC mountains this week.. It’s longer than I wanted, but I have a lot to say and lots of pictures to share. So, I’m not doing “crazy” today either! LOL! I really wanted to go to the protest in Concord or Charlotte, but my fibromyalgia is on the warpath today. Hugs to you, too, my friend, and Happy No Kings Day!

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  39. Good for you, Liz! Sounds like just what you needed! I keep thinking I need to hold another DIY Writing Retreat. The one I did a few months ago was productive. It was three days. I can’t seem to settle on a block of three days to schedule another one. Maybe I should settle for one day! A writing workshop sounds wonderful right now!

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