Obama Phone

[10Seconds]

Nope, Reagan Phones.

http://www.wirelessforhope.org/#!about-lifeline

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.

http://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Reports/FCC-State_Link/Monitor/mr98-2.pdf

The free phone concept goes back way further than that too. I think even to 1935 when an Executive Order was used to try and get Telephone service spread to rural areas of the country.

Once the government starts paying for something, it NEVER stops. one thing leads to the next, like this, and now every person not working or saving enough to pay for a cell phone gets one of those too.

 

[Mike_60]

So Mike 60, are we for it or against it? Should we fix the program or nix it? Who's accountable for this mess, Bush or Obama?...

Well, I'm glad you finally recognize that entitlement programs in this country are a mess, and in some cases, causing more harm than good. As for my opinion...I think my posts pretty well sum up what I believe the problem to be. Who's to blame....I think both politicians and the electorate are to blame, in other words, all of us. But really, when you get right down to it your opinion is pretty much worthless, as mine is, because neither will change a thing.

 

[Mike_60]

Nope, Reagan Phones…..The federal "Lifeline" program was created during the Reagan Administration….

Up until recently the Life Line program was administered for the benefit of the Elderly, truly poor, physically disabled, single mom, etc., etc. type of individuals. It consisted of the phone company providing them with a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) line and a universal tax charge covering the bill. Cell phones started being included in the program during Bush the 2nd years by edict of his FCC. Under the current administration, pretty much anyone who is willing to queue up in line to do business thru a car door window in an abandon building’s parking lot can have one.

 

[Mike_60]

The free phone concept goes back way further than that too. I think even to 1935 when an Executive Order was used to try and get Telephone service spread to rural areas of the country…..

Every president all the way back to the founding of the Bell System back in the 1870’s (I believe) has put some mark on it. The push in the 1930’s was to create universal coverage, not meaning a free service, but that the system would be available everywhere. There have been almost countless public investments made in the system over the decades that included taxes, subsidies, bonds, etc., to make that happen, but it also included, huge amounts of private investments. The overall project took a generation to come to near completion. It wasn’t just with the phone company either, all utilities worked hand in hand with various government entities to make the progress needed to fund their expansion.

Reagan (the compassionate conservative that he was) felt that a little burden on everyone via a miniscule tax on phone service would make a huge difference in the lives of the indigent, and he was right. Again, every president has put their stamp on things with some of them updating the system, others expanding coverage, and some just using it as a political tool.

 

[gaseous maximus]

I would suspect the answer would be yes to both questions.


Should you be penalized for the rest of your life? I can’t answer that, because it would entirely depend on the mistakes you made and the law. But no matter how bad the mistakes are, there are things one can do to better themselves. Improving one’s lot in life should be a continuing effort and not just a onetime spurt (I’m not just talking financial either).
Generally, folks at times do need some help for whatever reason, and that is why the tax was instituted to begin with. Personally, my problem with freebie programs is not the fact we have them, but the way they tend to be administered. Some simply do not help give people a hand up and off the system, but actually encourage greater dependence. That isn’t fair to them or the tax payer.


The cell phone program actually started during the Bush years and was expanded by the Obama FCC.

Mike, thanks for the info. I apologize if I sounded like I wanted to change my way of life, cause I really don't,its just too much fun. All I want is a free phone, that'll take pictures.