In 2021, a program called 'BEAD' was initiated. It's purpose was to bring broadband access to rural and underserved parts of the nation. Kamala Harris was put in charge. $42.5 billion dollars ($42,500,000,000) was allocated for the program.
By 2024, $8.5 billion dollars ($8,500,000,000) had been spent on 'planning' and not one single home had been connected to broad brand as a result of the program. Total fucking failure of astonishing waste.
The real kicker? For that $42 billion buckaroos, they could have given every home in the USA a Starlink unit for no cost to the household, and I'm guessing a bulk deal like that could get the monthly service for a pittance.
Given that roughly 8,000,000 homes in the US are considered 'underserved' for broadband, that $42 billion could have bought each of them a Starlink unit, along with a two years of $0 broadband service.
UPDATE: I had to re-math this as I suck at mathiness. The $8.5 billion already blown would easily have purchased a unit for all 8,000,000 unserved homes, along with two years of service. That is not figuring in 'administration' costs, which appear to be 100% of available funds.
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