Critical? Critical.

I had the pleasure, during my theoretically-daily cardio program, to catch President Obama's speech about, and signing of, the stimulus bill. I am ashamed to admit that I had followed some of the basics of this bill, but did not until today realize the full extent of it (which may not have been certain until today anyway, given the ways of American politics). My interest here, however, is in two things Obama said and did during his speech.

One is his continued commitment to governmental transparency. As a bleeding-heart who desperately wants government to do what I think it's supposed to, seeing them making efforts to allow me to judge that for myself is monumental. I just wish this kind of behavior could be met with the level of work-a-day ignorance used to regard political scandals or celebrity meltdowns.

The other, and the more fascinating to me in the short term, is President Obama's comment about the stimulus package providing "critical broadband connections". President Obama is one of the first politicians, and definitely the first President of the United States, who I have ever heard refer to an Internet connection of a decent speed as "critical". Personally, I don't think he's wrong; and I also don't think I'll ever stop being grateful that we have a White House staff who finally understands the importance of the Internet.