The time is critical for broadband expansion. As Obama notes, America has dropped year after year in our standing for broadband deployment in the world (we are now 15th or worse). Broadband internet helps rural communities compete fairly with urban areas, small businesses can compete with mega-corporations and health care can become more efficient and accessible. The environmental benefits are huge as well, as broadband makes it possible for more people to work from home instead of driving a car to and from work.

Indeed, this broadband deployment plan is a two-fer - there will be thousands of jobs created in the short term to expand broadband, and then we will have an enhanced infrastructure to create millions of new jobs that may lead to greater efficiencies. According to the Brookings Institution, America could see a benefit of $1 Trillion in productivity if we improve our broadband penetration. Of course, most of these benefits require an open marketplace of ideas and goods and could be lost if we don't preserve Net Neutrality, so that issue needs to be addressed as well.

For Common Cause, the issue of highest priority is the impact that this would have on our democracy. Given the great leaps in the Internet's role in participation in our democracy, we know that expanded broadband would be a boon for the public discourse. Political fundraising and organizing went far beyond anyone's expectations. Tools like Youtube and Facebook played a key role in the election. Blogs broke stories, framed messages and gave people an outlet for their opinions like never before.

And on the more everyday side, local governments are providing more and more services online to their citizens. People are able to register to vote, watch streaming video of city council and school board meetings, fill out forms for tax reimbursements, etc. all online. Obama's broadband plan would improve delivery of services all over the US from rural areas to inner cities.

Since this is such a good idea all the way around, there is a temptation to jump on it and go full steam ahead - but doing it right more important.

We need accountability to make sure this is money well spent. The last thing we should do is give it to the big incumbent carriers (like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, etc.) for projects they are already planning on doing. This should be for things that aren't in the works but should be.

Priority should go to currently underserved or un-served areas and improve broadband adoption by ensuring that services are affordable.  This leads to a conclusion that the monies are probably best going as grants to local communities who know where the needs are and can entertain bids from local companies as well as major players. Each community should decide on its own how they want to develop their own broadband infrastructure as long as it conforms to certain standards. Some may want to create locally owned networks while some may want to partner with corporations. Either way, let the local communities decide.

What we absolutely should not do is to provide tax breaks to large corporations under the guise of buildout. We have seen time and time again that the accountability in tax breaks is severely lacking. The stimulus package must not degenerate into corporate welfare, as has too often been the sad fate of subsidies to the private sector.

We also should not just focus on the physical side of expanding broadband access. This package should also provide training to people so they can learn the skills and have the tools to break the digital divide. Let's create a whole new workforce of people who understand how to build and maintain networks and figure out ways to make them improve our society.

We want to see the power of the internet to enhance democracy spread far and wide. It just so happens that it is also a great thing for the economy - if done right.