Posted on 06/17/2009 12:24:04 PM PDT by JohnKSmith
...SIC to receive $400 million in federal funds taken from the “Universal Service Fund” (USF) tax on consumers’ phone bills....
In the US about 33% of households have high speed internet connections. If DHHL leaseholders have the same level of interest in high speed internet connections, SIC would serve about 1800 lots at an average cost to the taxpayers of about $278,000 per lot. Currently SIC is reported to serve about 1300 customers....
(Excerpt) Read more at hawaiifreepress.com ...
There is also a correspondence in timing between the purchase of Verizon’s Hawai`i assets by the Carlysle Group, a company founded on its many well-known connections to both Democrat and Republican national political leaders and appointees, and the FCC’s subsequent ruling in SIC’s favor."
So now we know why Powell supported the Bamster. Quid Pro quo.
Its a bit complicated, but this is what I get from the article.
Sandwich Isles Communications will get several hundred million in government funding to wire 1300 people for internet. These people already have an internet provider, which is Hawaii Telecom.
Evidently Michael Powell stopped this during his tenure, but now that he is gone, the deal is going through.
Sandwich Isles’ management reads like a who’s who of Hawaiian Democratic politicians. It sounds like Powell Junior was on the right side of it, but he’s gone now.
There are some levels of corruption that are so egregious and so high level it becomes unprosecutable. Because when everyone is in on it, and their man is in the White House, just who is going to prosecute it?
No.
Powell Jr was a key player in making all of this happen and he is proud of it.
Read the Forbes article linked in the Hawaii Free Press article. Powell Jr is quoted praising the founders of Sandwich Isles Communiations.
Thanks, I read it and its all still a bit confusing.
It does mention Powell, that he and Hee are friends, but doesn’t detail what Powell’s involvement was. The other article makes it sound as if the FCC held them off while Powell was its head, and it only went forward after Powell resigned.
At one point it says that Verizon wasn’t serving the people on the homelands, but the other article makes it seem as if in fact they are served by them. That after an expenditure of several hundred million the result will be that Hee can undercut Verizon by about $4 dollars a month per customer, which seems like a real boondoggle. A lot to spend for four bucks.
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