Broadband Initiatives Show Obama Knows How to Work With Businesses

[Commentary] For all the carping from political foes about President Obama’s supposed disdain for the business community, some recent White House initiatives designed to boost broadband suggest the President has a pretty good idea about how to work with American companies.

With an Executive Order on June 14, the President took aim at a critical roadblock to broadband deployment by telling government agencies to open the door to installation of critical infrastructure on properties controlled or owned by the federal government. He said better processes could cut costs by up to 90 percent and help the private sector accelerate the delivery of high-speed connectivity across the country. The move probably won’t be featured on network news shows, daily newspapers, or online news sites, but it’s exactly the sort of thing that helps businesses succeed. Think about it. Every additional broadband line or cell tower that gets put down on government land [or on a building] means more orders for suppliers and helps broadband service providers reach more customers. All it takes is more efficiency by government. Instead of boosting their bottom line through layoffs and other cost-cutting measures, companies assisted by this Executive Order can now grow their businesses and create jobs at a faster pace. It’s really economic stimulus, without additional cost to the Treasury or haggling with Congress.