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Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Congressional Candidate Kevin Dellicker Shares Views on ACP Extension and Broadband Infrastructure

Yesterday, I commended Lehigh Valley Congress person Susan Wild for her support of legislation that will extend the Affordable Connectivity Program, which gives a $30/month reduction in the cost of internet service to 23 million American households.  Because this program is set to expire in a matter of about two months, an extension would have to be in place long before November's election. For that reason, I decided against asking Wild's Republican opponents for their take on this topic. Despite this, GOP Congressional hopeful Kevin Dellicker shared his views on both an ACP extension as well as our broadband infrastructure.  Here's what he has to say:

Broadband is my business. I’ve been helping enterprise customers upgrade their broadband infrastructure for 20 years. Our typical project organizes large groups of buyers, puts their services out to bid, and then sources the most cost-effective solution from the best qualified providers. It maximizes private investment, encourages cooperation among buyers, drives competition among vendors, and puts the consumers in the driver’s seat. Our typical project results in a big service upgrade for the buyers, a more profitable investment for the providers, and better infrastructure for the entire community. If a public organization is involved, we often achieve big taxpayer savings on top of everything else.

Contrast that to the Broadband Infrastructure bill passed by President Biden and Susan Wild. Their program creates a bunch of grant programs around the country that will administer the broadband funds. State and local governments had to hire new people to manage the grant programs, and many of the new hires don’t know anything about the telecom industry. The grants are written to include all kinds of progressive priorities unrelated to broadband, such as environmental factors, labor union requirements, diversity, equity and inclusion plans, and the applications are extraordinarily complicated. Many of the established providers won’t go near them, so the program encourages unproven providers to jockey for the grants. The consumers don’t drive the process. Instead, the providers submit grants that are reviewed by the bureaucrats, who give the money to their chosen providers to build out the services. Often, the new providers with federal money get to compete against established providers who spent their own private capital to build out their own infrastructure. Nobody asks the consumers if they really want the services from the newly selected providers, but it doesn’t matter. The money is spent, and the politicians can claim that they’ve done something to improve broadband access.

This is why we are two years into the broadband infrastructure program and no broadband has been built. And its why even after the grants are delivered, people will be disappointed. Unfortunately, this same grant-based, bureaucrat-driven approach is being used for the CHIPS Act, the cybersecurity funding, and many of the other high-tech initiatives that Susan Wild and Joe Biden tout. Eventually, after tons of overhead and administrative costs, the remaining money goes to companies based on bureaucratic criteria, not to consumers based on market requirements. It’s all corporate welfare, and it’s doomed to failure.

Regarding the $7 billion in additional broadband spending, I won’t support that. Two questions for Susan Wild:

1) Is this really the most important thing that you think the federal government should be spending $7 billion on right now? I choose securing the border, replenishing our military weapons, and fighting fentanyl instead. Or maybe we can just not add to the deficit.

2) If we didn’t solve the broadband problem with the original $65 billion, why does anybody think another $7 billion will do the trick? The truth is, it won’t.

This broadband infrastructure bill is a perfect example of good intentions gone bad by ineffective politicians who know nothing about the industries they are trying to impact. Politicians like Susan Wild are doing more harm than good with this broadband infrastructure bill, and its only a matter of time that people start figuring it out.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope Dellicker knows that he has zero shot of beating Susan Wild if he somehow gets past the primary. Everyone knows that he is damaged goods.

Anonymous said...

Dellicker is a joke. Maybe if he endorsed Lisa Scheller last time we wouldn’t have Susan wild. People wouldn’t hate him then.

Anonymous said...

I really hope this guy doesn't make it out of the primary! He doesn't know what he is talking about.

Anonymous said...

Once again, Mr. Dellicker sounds just like the kind of person I want representing me in Washington. Bold, knowledgeable, well- reasoned, and fed-up with yet another misuse of our tax dollars. Our Federal Government has been broken in so many ways. It’s time to admit it and get different people at the controls of this foundering ship we call home.

Anonymous said...

“The grants are written to include all kinds of progressive priorities unrelated to broadband, such as environmental factors, labor union requirements, diversity, equity and inclusion plans” Dellicker states.

How dare they include ways to protect the environment, ensuring local individuals get jobs and making sure people are treated fairly.

What a joke Dellicker is.

peterjcochran said...

1st 3 comments with no name attached with their attack , appear to be the same author. All at the middle of the night ,must not need to be any where in the AM. - I’m in agreement with number 4 mostly. I’m far from a tech person , but WE HAVE to STOP spending money, and before you hand it out to the unaffordable folks , they should first check what they’re driving and how they spend their cash. The kids get access with taxes payers money already at school- and it doesn’t matter for the adults. They can go to public library that we already pay for.too. We are in so much in debt already. This government is a run away horse. The tax pays need to Come to the realization that we can’t keep buying votes with other people’s money, and prudent voters should not return politicians that spend foolishly .

Anonymous said...

The old Wild lib dem's are Already OUT THERE Pedaling her sorry job performance. The Big Dman is absolutely correct. This free internet is just another vote getting gimmick. People can't afford rent even if they have two jobs. However, sit on your ass at home and get a free phone and free internet to play online video games all day while you use your free phone to order your fix.

People are struggling and this is BS. This will not benefit any student or person who needs it for work, this is another give away to solidify a base of voter's dependent on government handouts while they sit on their asses.

Glad the man has the courage to cut through the crap and tell it like it is.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this, Bernie. From this statement, it's quite clear that Mr. Dellicker doesn't know what he's talking about and doesn't know how government works.

As for concentrating on the border, his fellow Republicans had a chance to do that recently and they wouldn't even bring a bill up for debate in the House. Afterwards, Mike Johnson sent everyone home on vacation.

Leadership requires action. Dellicker doesn't seem to understand that.

Anonymous said...

Waiting for the Wild ones response.

Anonymous said...

Of course Mr. Dellicker thinks business has all the answers, and they do- for a top price. He’s been selling the same idea for years. Business doesn’t seem to come up with any solutions until it gets a kick in the butt from responsible government. The pandenic showed how behind we are with infrastructure.

Anonymous said...

Dellicker is backed by the porno star republican crime family up in the point Phillips area. No thanks.

Anonymous said...

I'd vote for him over wild in a heartbeat

Anonymous said...

The first 3 comments are obviously sw puppets or staff.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Dellicker is another loser rubber stamp for trump. The Republicans had a chance to do all the good things they wanted with securing the border, but yet they didn’t and Dellicker would be another rubber stamp for the Autocratic trump. Facts: Republican senators made it clear Tuesday that they will kill the border security bill their party negotiated with Democrats, a stunning turnaround less than 48 hours after it was released by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and blessed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. We need more people like Susan Wild to help us navigate through these difficult times.

Anonymous said...

I am someone who for several decades has spent far too much of my money purchasing private cable system provided television, phone and internet access. During the past year I dropped my cable television service in order to stream live TV but I am still paying a very high rate for the cable provided internet service required for streaming to work in my area. I suspect there are thousands of other consumers such as me doing the same or something similar. There is no one, including Kevin Dellicker, offering me an option of bundling my needs with the many other residential consumers in order that we can put a packaged group deal out to bid in order to get a discounted rate from internet providers based on an economy of scale. Mr. Delicker offers several reasons why the proposal backed by Susan Wild and others is not a good option but he has not offered a single proposal of his own how a private sector only plan can provide me acceptable internet service at a more affordable price than the inflated rate that I now pay. Mr. Dellicker seems to be a far better critic of a proposal that he believes is flawed than someone who can actually get me what I want at a better price.

Anonymous said...

Just another guy who supports only the 1%. Wake up people!

Anonymous said...

The border doesn't need a bill as there is already action that could be taken! And bills for one thing need to stop being attached to other bills

Anonymous said...

Although an important challenge there are so many more important issues. Wild sent out an issue questionairre asking what was most important. None of them were to me! No big issues were on the inquiry,! I'll be voting delliker

Anonymous said...

Mr. Dellicker can't win in November. He has flipped on abortion from one extreme to another to another. Ms. Montero has no shot in the primary. I believe Mr. Mackenzie will have the best shot to win in November. It is going to be a close race.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Dellicker can't win in November. He has flipped on abortion from one extreme to another to another. Ms. Montero has no shot in the primary. I believe Mr. Mackenzie will have the best shot to win in November. It is going to be a close race.

Anonymous said...

12:04 do you care to explain how he is “ damaged goods” lol what a gutless statement. How about some fact based arguments to back up your claim.

Anonymous said...

Another attack without any facts to back it up 4:32AM. Doesn’t know how government works? I think his response was pretty spot on. You’re the same poster that starting posting just after midnight. How about some facts to back your statements!

Anonymous said...

Apparently Mr. Dellicker got this wrong (at least with this crowd) by displaying his intellect, professionalism and ability to identify problems and offer solutions. One would think these actions would be applauded by most voters but apparently not this group. Mr. Dellicker, please keep on doing what you are doing; namely, running a smart campaign that is kicking butt. Your opponents know this so they will do or say anything to take you down. They don’t stand a chance. Dellicker for Congress

Anonymous said...

The current problem in Washington is the loss of the old Republican Party. You can point to Trump and Gingrich for that. The recent failure to pass the bi-partisan border bill is disheartening.

Anonymous said...

Our next president needs to do the world work. Abortion is a state issue

Anonymous said...

2:42 -

I’ve read several opinions about the rejected border bill and read many portions of the actual document. The bill as written did almost nothing to secure the border. The bill was primarily a vessel to deliver more foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel. Some of that, I believe, later kicked back to our politicians. I’d like to see a STAND ALONE border bill. One not encumbered by unnecessary fluff.

Anonymous said...

Reply to 1:25PM.

Why the government needs to provide money to expand access to Broadband in this country -- because it's good for individuals and good for economic development.

Examples:

The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 brought electricity to isolated rural areas. Commercial operations would not have laid the wires because it wouldn't have been profitable enough for them.

The Interstate Highway System which began in 1957, made it much easier to ship goods and services throughout the nation as well as making travel easier.

Beginning in 1947 the federal government launched a program to eradicate Malaria inside the U.S. The elimination of disease improved the health of Americans as well as providing an economic boost since healthier people are more productive.

Anonymous said...

Bet your bottom dollar, Dellecker's clients are make money off of government subsidized services. I suppose "keep em uninformed" is a campaign strategy. Does this guy realize that many of Allentown students would not have access to the internet?

Anonymous said...

annon 5:14, Your examples are non sequitur. The examples you mention have benefited everyone. You are not categorized by income or race or ethnicity. Electric went to rich and poor as did the highways.

The Broadband is for the e(so-called) poor based on income. Meaningless in today's welfare state. Come up with better examples than poorly thought-out lib nonsense and get back to us.

Anonymous said...

Clearly, Mr. Dellicker is extremely knowledgeable about what is going on with the broadband situation and Congress's failure regarding the same on our dime. Additionally, from the comments written, my guess is that few actually understand his piece as it is intellectually over their heads!

I have been following Mr. Dellicker's educational background, (4 Master's Degrees) service to the country, (28 years-Lt. Col) community, business, church and his family. I am impressed with the character of this man. Our career politicians have failed us miserably. It is refreshing to have a candidate running for Congress that is EXTREMELY qualified and possesses such character and integrity. Dellicker for Congress.

Anonymous said...

They(or that person) supports Ryan, Ryan.

Anonymous said...

Sadly the ignorance on this feed is Blazing! Mr. Dellicker most definitely knows what he is talking about and it is obvious by he ignorance of many of the posters on here that they are either Wild supporters or support Mackenzie. If some of you are not aware, Dellicker has a moral compass and is running a very kind and factual Campaign, unlike Mackenzie who resorts to Lies and has degraded Mr.Dellicker’s Military Service. Many of you need to investigate the facts. Scheller would never have beaten Wild, she was an awful Candidate and Mr. Dellicker did indeed support her and offered her advice in her campaign which she declined. I for one have faith in Dellicker rather than a Career politician who thinks he is entitled to the position.