Phony peope at the Phone company.

You would expect the people at the telephone company to be phony, and believe me the people that run our local phone coop are. West River Telecommunications is our local phone company. It is unique because it has been used as an arm of the Republican Party for years. Coops are usually considered good examples of socialistic, democratic organizations. How did this one turn into an evil nest of Republicans? It all started when a staunch Republican, Mick Grosz, went from the board of West River to the CEO position. Mr. Gross had been a Republican legislator. This was unusual, normally the CEO is an employee that earned the position or someone from outside is hired. Next, he arranges to get another Republican legislator on the Board, Randy Christmann. For years West River Telephone has been used as an instrument to keep Christmann in office. The phone company sponsors events where Christmann hands out food, and they make sure his face appears everywhere.

Now, remember those Republicans who are all for free enterprise? Remember those Republicans who are against socialism? Remember those Republicans who are all for competition? Guess what? The Republicans at West River Telecommunications don't want any competition from free enterprise. The cooperatives have lobbied to make sure private companies cannot compete with them in my home town to provide phone service. This goes against everything Mr. Christmann, and Mr Grosz stand for. If they wanted they could grant Midco permission to provide phone service in the small towns. However, they know they would get trounced. Midco Cable company has the abiltiy to provide internet, telephone, and cable TV. With package deals they can do it for less than West River Telecommunications. Midco would offer people free long distance service. West River Telecommunications has such high rates for long distance only fools would use it.

Phone coops were granted a monopoly in the days of land lies only. The excuse was to provide phone service for people living out in the middle of nowhere. Somehow it has been overlooked that cell phones now exist. Farmers don't need land lines. The Coops have perfected the a system of subsidies that allows them to such off the tax payers in populated states to pay for their unnecessary service. This is bad enough, but when they deny cheap service to the people in their own state they have gone to far. Like every scam it is hard to kill, we are used to it.