Bidenomics: $42 Billion Torched, Not One Internet Connection

September 23, 2024 Bidenomics: $42 Billion Torched, Not One Internet Connection  image

Key Takeaways

  • The Biden-Harris administration spent $42 billion dollars on broadband without connecting a single person, drawing bipartisan rage.
  • Nearly 90% of Americans on both sides of the aisle express disapproval over the failed rural broadband initiative.
  • Many people also criticize anti-competitive corporations and government agency red tape which prevents cheaper, faster solutions like Elon Musk’s Starlink. 

Our Methodology

Demographics

All Voters

Sample Size

16,000

Geographical Breakdown

National

Time Period

7 Days

MIG Reports leverages EyesOver technology, employing Advanced AI for precise analysis. This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article. 

Recent reports that the Biden Administration spent $42 billion on a “broadband expansion” project which has failed to connect anyone to the internet in three years went viral. Clips of FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr testifying in Congress enraged Americans. Carr explained that, after 1,039 days and billions of taxpayer dollars appropriated, not a single person has been connected to the internet.

MIG Reports data shows an overwhelming majority of Americans share Carr’s frustration and resentment. A bipartisan sentiment that government projects are failing, wasting taxpayer money, and private-sector solutions are being blocked, permeates voter discussion. Americans raise serious questions about the role of government in solving the rural broadband crisis.

$42 Billion for Nothing

Carr testified that, the past three years, the Biden-Harris administration allocated $42 billion for a broadband expansion initiative aimed at providing internet access to underserved rural areas. However, not a single household has been connected.

Americans agree with Carr’s critique, accusing the administration of gross mismanagement and calling this a clear example of government failure. For many, it exemplifies a pattern of bureaucratic incompetence, where billions are thrown at problems with no results.

In addition, Americans are angry that private sector solutions could solve the problem but are being blocked by crony capitalist corporations and government legal action.

The Outrage is Bipartisan

Voters across the political spectrum are not just disappointed—they're outraged. MIG Reports data shows, among all voters:

  • 68% disapprove of the broadband initiative spending and failure
  • 22% decry the program as typical and wasteful government mismanagement
  • 7% defend the project as important for rural Americans without internet

When it comes to voter groups:

  • 80% of conservatives view the initiative as an abject failure, seeing it as a clear example of wasteful spending.
  • 40% of liberals defend the initiative as necessary but poorly executed, while another 30% outright criticize the project.
  • 50% of Independents are skeptical of the program’s effectiveness and relevance.
  • 60% of swing state voters are frustrated, viewing the initiative as yet another fake promise with no real impact.

These reactions reveal dissatisfaction and outrage across political lines. Americans are furious with this program as an egregious waste of tax dollars.

Elon’s Starlink Getting Stuffed

Elon Musk claims Starlink could solve the rural internet problem quickly and for much cheaper, delivering high-speed internet to all rural areas across the U.S. He suggests, unlike the government’s failed and expensive project, Starlink is already operational and scalable. Most Americans agree with Elon that anti-competitive corporations and government regulators are actively blocking a real solution.

Using a combination of legal battles over spectrum rights and regulatory hurdles imposed by the FCC, corporations like Dish Network have lobbied against Starlink. Worsening the situation, Carr says the Biden-Harris administration has politicized the FCC to prevent Musk and Starlink from stepping in—and Americans agree.

Voter reactions to these tactics are similarly negative:

  • 71% of Americans express opposition to the FCC’s actions against Starlink.
  • 15% support the FCC’s efforts.
  • 14% unsure or neutral.

Bidenomics at Work

What’s striking about this issue is the bipartisan nature of the dissatisfaction. Conservatives, liberals, and swing voters are all united in their frustration over government inefficiency and failure to solve real-world problems. This isn’t limited to broadband either.

MIG Reports data among all voters shows:

  • 81% say they do not trust corporate motivations.
  • 58% express concerns about the impact of stifling innovation on local economies.
  • 71% are frustrated with elected officials.
  • 85% oppose using tax dollars to support corporations

There is a strong sense of frustration across the aisle, with many feeling their voices are not being heard. This is demonstrated by comments like, "It's just another example of how our elected officials are more interested in serving the interests of corporations than the people who elected them." Around 61% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans express a sense of disillusionment with the current state of politics.

Many voters cite examples like this broadband initiative and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's much-criticized electric vehicle (EV) charging station plan—which appropriated $7.5 billion in tax dollars and has only completed eight charging stations. Americans view both projects as emblematic of the Biden-Harris administration’s failed promises.

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