The Seattle Times has a great story on how broadband is changing life in Washington state’s Methow Valley.

The Methow Valley, along with the rest of rural Washington, is now wired. The same technology that makes it possible to outsource to India and the Philippines is changing the labor landscape closer to home. Thanks to broadband, specks on the map now have the potential to be cyber kingdoms and server farms, data portals and telecommuting perches.

There is so much potential in wiring the rural US. Tech companies can relocate, bringing jobs to areas that may be struggling to survive. All they need is the office space. No heavy equipment or underground tanks or massive plots of real estate. Or let them stay in The City and simply hire people in the rural areas who are able to commute via broadband. This should be on every state’s agenda and should be on the platforms of candidates in the fall elections. (I won’t hold my breath, at least not here in Minnesota.)

Thanks to Om Malik’s pointer to this story. Check out his new GigaOM site.