Beto O'Rourke targets Gov. Greg Abbott for vetoing bill to improve internet access in rural Texas

[TexasTowelie]

by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


As he campaigns in rural Texas, Beto O’Rourke is accusing Gov. Greg Abbott of stifling efforts to improve broadband internet access there, even after Abbott prioritized the issue in the regular legislative session earlier this year.

O’Rourke, a Democrat who announced in November he is running for governor, has started criticizing the Republican governor for vetoing a bill in June that would have helped replenish the Universal Service Fund, which supports telecommunications and internet services for more than 1 million rural Texas households. Abbott argued the bill “would have imposed a new fee on millions of Texans.”

The bipartisan supporters of the legislation say it was badly needed to help shore up revenue for the fund, which relies on a surcharge on in-state voice calls and has been bleeding money for years. The less revenue the fund has, the less money it has to reimburse providers, making service harder to maintain and more costly to provide in far-flung areas of the state.

“It’s another example of how Greg Abbott is causing inflation, especially for rural communities in Texas that are already struggling with higher prescription drug prices, higher gasoline prices,” O’Rourke said while campaigning last week in Lubbock. “Greg Abbott is really hurting these rural communities.”

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/21/beto-orourke-broadband-internet-access-texas/

[Midnight Writer]

1. I think Beto has a real chance of beating Abbott just by outworking him.

Beto will go to all those places Abbott won't. He will spend time there, talk to the people, press the flesh, show he cares, and ask for their votes. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious.

Abbott and the Texas fat cats who run the state are complacent. They think money and trickery can buy them the election. I think they are about to get a wake-up call.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Go get him, Beto! Abbott is such a lame governor. LAME. Texas deserves better: BETO. n/t

[SheltieLover]

3. Goooooo Beto!