Greenhouse Gases, Broadband Speeds and the Future of Transit

California officials ignore the high costs of implementing the state’s greenhouse gas reduction plan.

Comcast implements upgrades for broadband customers that will double download speeds in many areas.

Columnists debate the role of trains in meeting future transportation needs.  

More headlines: listen to the LibertyWeek podcast.

1. ENVIRONMENT

California officials ignore the high costs of implementing the state’s greenhouse gas reduction plan.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Energy Policy Analyst William Yeatman on California’s financial challenges:                                              

“Dodging climate commitments will be an attractive option, given the state of California’s economy. This week the Wall Street Journal reported that California is especially vulnerable to the financial crisis because it is home to so many housing bubbles. Citizens of California, moreover, carry more debt that citizens of other States. That applies to California government, too. Thanks to plummeting housing prices and depressed consumer spending, California faces a budget crisis. According to the Journal, California’s public debt is likely to surpass anything the State has known before – even the $38 billion deficit in the wake of the dot-com bust.”

 

2. TECHNOLOGY

Comcast implements upgrades for broadband customers that will double download speeds in many areas.  

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Research Associate Ryan Radia on what this means for consumers:

“I churn through a lot of file transfers each month, so I’m all for Comcast raising its cap (or, alternatively, implementing reasonable overage fees). But even with Comcast’s fairly generous limits, who isn’t ecstatic about being able to download any file in half as much time as before? Caps will surely evolve over time as demand for 1080p content delivered over the Internet grows, but for now, speed is a bigger concern than usage for most consumers.”

 

3. ECONOMICS

Columnists debate the role of trains in meeting future transportation needs.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Technology Policy Analyst Cord Blomquist on where this debate should really be happening:

“Today the DC Examiner has a point/counterpoint today on the topic of trains. Both sides are decidedly pro-train. Edward Hamberger, president of the Association of American Railroads said that more trains are good for America as they reduce congestion and pollution. James Jordan, president of the Interstate Maglev Project agrees with Mr. Hamburger, but believes that maglev trains are the superior train technology. Why should Hamberger and Jordan be debating this in a newspaper? Shouldn’t they be slogging it out in a free market to determine which technology is the best?”

 

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