ANOTHER BUSH DEFICIT: BROADBAND

Bill Clinton and Al Gore sponsored policies that put the U.S. in a solid leading position in development of the Internet. But, writes Thomas Bleha in Foreign Affairs, the Bush administration has reversed all that. And that's not a small thing:

The Bush administration's policies, or lack thereof, have since allowed Asia - Japan in particular - to not only catch up in the development and expansion of broadband and mobile phone technology, but to roundly pound us into the dirt. "The lag," he diplomatically asserts, "is arguably the result of the Bush administration's failure to make a priority of developing these networks."
...
The economy as a whole is at risk because of broadband shortcomings, says Charles H. Ferguson of the Brookings Institution (brookings.edu). Last year, he asserted in a book, "The Broadband Problem," that the United States might lose up to $1 trillion because of constraints on broadband deployment.

How many times, in how many ways, has this administration screwed this country? And how are we to repair the damage?

Bill Clinton, whatever you may think of him personally, was a can-do hands-on leader, unlike the disengaged, self-styled "CEO president" George W. Bush. It's doubtful we'll ever find another Democratic candidate (at least among the current crop) with the political skills of a Bill Clinton. But Howard Dean has the same drive, determination, confidence, boldness as BC at his best. And for this present time, he offers something Bill wouldn't: absolute integrity of character. Howard may see his current role as rebuilding the party, and thank God for it. But I sincerely hope he won't rule out a run for the presidency in 2008. I'm a long-time Hillary fan, dating back to the years when we lived in Arkansas and the Governor's wife was known as "Hillary Rodham" to the consternation of Republicans in the north of the state. I would not oppose her candidacy, but right now Howard has my heart, my confidence, and my support.