Slow down!

If there's one thing the glorious Free Market (may Its name be praised) can't stand interrupting the paeans to competition that are Its tribute, it's competition. Thus this from UPI for Friday:

The possibility that Nebraska's public power utilities might offer broadband over power lines has riled top state lawmakers.

Legislative Speaker Kermit Brashear, R-Omaha, introduced and led consideration this week of a bill that would keep cities and towns from competing against private telecommunications companies by providing high-speed Internet services to residents, the Omaha World-Herald reported Friday.

Brashear insisted that the entire state could now be serviced by private corporations either by "physical plant" or by satellite. He admitted such service could be poor (not to mention those who couldn't afford it), but hey, don't you believe in the Free Market (may Its name be praised)?