States' role in broadband: Goofus or Gallant

[Commentary] There's been a lot of attention paid to the role the federal government plays in fueling broadband deployment and adoption as a result of the broadband stimulus program and the National Broadband Plan. But a recent report from The Pew Center on the States reminds us that state governments also can play an important role.

People of my generation may remember the Goofus and Gallant comics that used to appear in Highlights for Children magazine. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Goofus was a kid who always did what he wasn't supposed to — throwing a snowball at another kid's face, for example. His nemesis, Gallant, always did a more correct version of the same activity — for example, throwing a snowball at a fence post. The Pew Center report, entitled "Bringing America Up to Speed: States' Role in Expanding Broadband," essentially singles out states that have been Gallants when it comes to encouraging broadband deployment and adoption. And although it stops short of pointing the finger at any Goofuses, it does point out how Goofus actions or inaction on the part of states can have the reverse affect.