Free Government paid cell phone service

[pippi]

I got this in an email forward-which claimed it was enacted by the Obama administration. According to Snopes it is true but was enacted before Obama got into office.

Either way it is upsetting.

SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program

that provides a free cell phone and airtime each

month for income-eligible customers.

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/Home.aspx

Snopes info http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

[syrakusos]

The federal "Lifeline" program was created during the Reagan Administration. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced under Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC’s Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at just, reasonable, and affordable rates. Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers' monthly charges for basic telephone service.

The basic question is one of government financing in a free society. You object to your taxes going for this, or for anything that looks like "welfare." Fair enough. We all have our interests. Myself, I object to the welfare freebie handouts to people who cannot keep their lives in order. I refer to free unlimited police services at tax-payer expense. Ask any police chief. The fact is that 80% of the problems come from 20% of the addresses. Myself, I think they should pay for their own police services. Certainly, there should be user fees attached.

In any case, there is nothing new about subsidized telephone service. In fact, before 1984 and the Modified Final Judgment, all household consumers enjoyed subsidized phone service paid for with higher rates to businesses. I missed the part where conservatives cried long and loud for higher phone rates for households in the name of a free market.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Michael E. Marotta