Wiretapping Tax

So, the libertarian in me is pretty pissed about this. The FCC has decided that to “make the process more efficient” blah blah universities and ISPs should pick up the tab for installing government wiretapping functionality into their networks.

The American Council on Education, which represents 1,800 colleges and universities, estimates that the costs of CALEA compliance could total roughly $7 billion for the entire higher-education community, or a tuition hike of $450 for every student in the nation.

Yeah, that seems like a good plan to increase our global competitiveness. I’m sure the lower total education of Americans under this plan will be made up in spades by the one time you catch someone with a pipe-bomb.

“The first obligation is…the safety of the people,” said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. No, actually your obligation is regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. Re-read the act that created the organization.