Thread by @doctorow

THIS IS URGENT!

#California may be home to Silicon Valley, but its telcoms infrastructure is TERRIBLE. This was a problem before the crisis. Today - as our education, employment, politics, civics, family life and health are delivered by our broadband, it's a catastrophe

1/

Across the state, masked school children spend their days sitting on sidewalks in front of fast-food restaurants in order to get online and connect to their virtual classrooms.

https://twitter.com/kdeleon/status/1299386969873461248

40% of California Latinx households do not have broadband.

2/

We can fix this. #SB1130 expands fiber across the state, especially to underserved communities: communities of color, rural communities.

But Speaker @Rendon63rd just tabled the bill and is about to dismiss the legislature.

WE HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TODAY TO SAVE THE BILL

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This is entirely in the hands of the Speaker. Governor Newsom and the state Senate have signalled their support for closing the digital divide with #SB1130.

It is only Speaker @Rendon63d (whose own district is a broadband desert!) who stands in the way.

4/

Here's how to call and write to your state assembly member:

act.eff.org/action/califor…

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There's a statewide lockdown on. Our lazy, greedy, useless monopoly ISPs have put our state in a terribly vulnerable position, extracting our dollars to enrich their shareholders while underinvesting in services.

6/

The employment, education, and political futures of the state's poorest, most disadvantaged people are on the line. One man holds their future in his hands.

YOU CAN CHANGE HIS MIND!

CALL AND WRITE NOW. SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

7/

This fight is a long-shot, but we can't afford to lose it.

eof/