As a resident of suburbia with 16MB cable access who does not need this, as a liberal who recognizes the people who would benefit are overwhelmingly right-wing citizens who vote to screw Americans in need every chance they get - my view is that this should be looked at as to whether it's an issue the government can play a helpful role in for these citizens to access an important need for communications, if the private sector can't.
Yes, I know it's wasted - that the Red States get things like the Tennessee Valley Authority, and far more back from the federal government than they pay.
But whether or not they continue to be clueless, it's how it should work IMO.