FiOS comes to DC

Looking through my local neighborhood paper today I noticed a story that really illustrates what government is all about. Entitled "FiOS Franchise Clears Initial Council Hurdle," the article discusses Verizon's effort to roll-out its FiOS service here in DC. Essentially Verizon presented the DC government with its plan to introduce by what most accounts seems to be a pretty cool offering -- but was taken to task for what government officials deemed to be an unfair schedule for the introduction of its service:

"The initial map did not include equitable distribution," [Council member Mary Cheh, who chairs the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs] said. "We bargained hard, and made-clear we will not allow cherry-picking. I think we reached consensus on what is feasible and equitable to do."

Let's think about this. As a profit-maximizing firm, one has to assume that when Verizon looked at its FiOS roll-out schedule it decided on one that was most cost-effective, with the places that would see service first those that would be most profitable.

The DC government then looks at this and decides that it is somehow unfair. Apparently everyone deserves to get access to this service simultaneously, I suppose because cable television and high-speed internet are the latest in our ever-expanding list of rights and things that we are owed.

Look at some of the whining:

Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham:

"My constituents say they want it, and want it as soon as possible. But when can they get it? The lion's share of Ward 1 is in the second phase [of the planned roll-out]."

Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans:

"If there are any changes made, Ward 2 should get something. And places like Georgetown are so far off, nine years, the technology will be different by then."

Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells, meanwhile, let it be known that he was "not satisfied. Capitol Hill and Georgetown are areas to be served last."

In fact, about the only one that comes off with any common sense in this whole sorry episode is at-large member Kwame Brown:

"They're going to do the whole city in a certain time frame. So the question of one community being left out is irrelevant. We can't put the first shovel in the ground in every part of the city."

So here we have a company that wants to improve the lives of DC consumers (which, let us be clear, is a concern motivated by profit -- which is why profit is such a great thing) and the DC Council is trying to divvy up the spoils because of political concerns (it's also no coincidence that the at-large member makes the most sense while the ward representatives are looking out for their individual fiefdoms). As a result they are forcing Verizon into a roll-out plan that will assuredly be more expensive than what was originally planned. As a result the company, its shareholders and the country as a whole will be marginally poorer.

Plus there is the simple moral aspect -- it's Verizon's service, shouldn't their schedule be left up to them?

Multiply this by many times all over the country and you see the effect that government has.