Political partisanship has been a part of American politics since its first political parties were founded. Still, since the pandemic, new tensions have emerged that seem to be stoking the coals of deeper division. The nation's highly politicized response to COVID shaped public opinion and health behaviors, and, all too often, had tragic outcomes.
Yet as divisive as COVID politics have felt, it did manage to unite both sides of the aisle around an oncoming and urgent need. The "haves" and "have-nots" of the internet experienced the pandemic shutdown very differently. The digital transformation took off in strides, and it became clear that without affordable access to high-speed broadband across the country, an already widening economic and digital divide could quickly become too large to close.
The pandemic may have driven the political wedge deeper in many ways, but fortunately, for everyone's sake, we all agree on broadband.
In the Face of Digital Isolation, We Unified Around Broadband
When President Joe Biden declared access to high-speed internet a necessity rather than a luxury, there was no large-scale pushback as with most political issues — everyone was on board. In fact, after the 2021 Infrastructure Bill pledged $65 billion to broadband buildouts and affordability, House Republicans introduced the American Broadband Act to provide federal matching funds for state-level programs to ensure that money was spent right.
Why?
Because we had all just lived through the same experience — sent home from work, some left unemployed, and office closures for vital services created havoc in our everyday lives. The digital transformation that had already begun in earnest pre-pandemic saw an explosion of growth as companies scrambled to digitize their businesses. People with access to high-speed broadband received more remote medical services through telehealth, traveling to their doctor or hospital only for emergencies. Those who lost their jobs found options among the many remote work positions or freelance opportunities that sprung from the digital shift. Students with access excelled, while those without fell behind. As the digital revolution dawned, we all saw firsthand the outcomes of being connected or cut off.
Parties Are Coalescing Around Good Ideas for Their People
Both political parties have embraced infrastructure funding and the call for universal broadband because the need affects their constituents. The digital divide does not follow party lines: It crosses socioeconomic groups and geographies.
Most public attention focuses on rural areas without access, and for good reason. In 287 of the most rural counties in the U.S., more than 30% of homes had no high-speed internet access in 2021, and rural regions made up 80% of the counties with the least access to broadband. Low population density and unlikely economic return have made these regions less of a priority for large broadband companies to invest in costly buildouts, leaving many rural Americans with outdated technology or no access at all. When we worked with a service provider to deploy fiber in a county in West Virginia, where fewer than 14% of homes had broadband access, take rates were through the roof. The people were thrilled to go from cut-off to affordable service with the speeds of fiber. It was a game-changer.
Bringing broadband into rural and often more politically conservative areas will make a substantial difference, but it only closes part of the digital divide.
In 2018, the World Economic Forum reported that 23% of urban American homes also lacked broadband, listing "quality of internet" and "affordability" as the chief barriers to access. By 2021, experts added "digital literacy" to that list of factors still contributing to the urban digital divide. New York Times journalist Eduardo Porter cited 13.6 million urban homes still without a broadband connection compared to 4.6 million in rural regions, calling for deployments that address all gaps — in deployment, availability, adoption, utilization, and economic opportunity — in our current networks. We also need this funding to cut costs for people living in urban, often more politically liberal, areas where high-speed service is currently unaffordable.
Addressing both unserved and underserved regions to close the digital divide can introduce more widespread social, economic and health benefits to more areas, no matter the political leaning — creating more consumers, workers and entrepreneurs. The need for politicians to do the right thing with this broadband opportunity crosses party lines because it has the potential to impact us all.
The Time Is Now, and Bipartisanship Is Helping Us Get It Right
As we propel ourselves into an increasingly immersive future of symmetrical broadband speeds, those without internet lose their competitive edge and risk isolation from that rapidly advancing digital world. We need continued bipartisanship for this funding to get everywhere it needs to go — unserved and underserved communities alike — regardless of politics.
We must act now; the best first step anyone can take to keep the broadband issues free from divisive politics is helping people understand what makes it so critical. Here in Minnesota, Land O'Lakes took the initiative to form the American Connection Broadband Coalition at the onset of the pandemic, and we aligned with their efforts to get connectivity to farmers' co-ops across the nation. Their grassroots efforts since have built up a community of nearly 200 local companies and trade associations moving in the same direction to solve the issue of broadband in rural areas and participate in the education of others to get the word out. Meetings have become a regular event for us to attend and discuss where we are in the process of broadband expansion with government officials.
Every voice can help build more bipartisan support, ensuring the success of our plans for universal broadband. Continue the conversation with family, friends and colleagues of all political parties. Talk about the success stories in poor urban and rural communities that result from access to the digital world through broadband. Describe how access to digital careers, services and opportunities with broadband boosts local economies. Remind even the most partisan political thinker that we can (and should) agree on universal broadband.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
