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Rudyard K · 07-19-2010, 11:49 AM

It would appear that a cell phone is a base need today...and if you qualify...you can get one for free...along with some 70 minutes a month.

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enr...blic/home.aspx

What's next?...cable TV?

atlcomedy · 07-19-2010, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudyard K

What's next?...cable TV?

Our prisoners get it....

Texas Contrarian · 07-19-2010, 12:18 PM

Makes perfect sense in this age of unchecked government growth and entitlement expansion. No need to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for all this stuff. We can just borrow and/or print more money. After all, doesn't the world have an unlimited appetite for net new treasury debt issuance?

It's hot outside; tell the kids they can eat all the ice cream they want. The fat kid down the street will eat their broccoli for them!

charlestudor2005 · 07-19-2010, 12:32 PM

Well, it appears RK is blowing smoke out is ass again. Didn't even bother to read past the first page. Had he done so, he would have found the following:

Quote:

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.
Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline -- a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Lifeline service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, three-way calling, call waiting, caller ID and access to 911.
SafeLink phones are not paid for by taxpayers or the federal government. TracFone Wireless pays for the phones and also the cost of promoting its SafeLink program to make sure that eligible consumers know about the program.

Initiated by the Reagan administration!!!

daty/o · 07-19-2010, 12:36 PM

I have a base need that the government should subsidize. Think I can get them to send checks to the provider of my choice each week?

charlestudor2005 · 07-19-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteve

I have a base need that the government should subsidize. Think I can get them to send checks to the provider of my choice each week?

See "Nationalize the Hobby" thread...

atlcomedy · 07-19-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Well, it appears RK is blowing smoke out is ass again. Didn't even bother to read past the first page. Had he done so, he would have found the following:

Initiated by the Reagan administration!!!

And you point is?????

I don't want to speak for RK, but I dare say he'll say something is dumb if it is dumb, even if it happened between 1981-1988

BTW, even your excerpt says the program was overhauled in 1996. I don't think Ronnie proclaimed "a cellphone on every doorstep!"

Rudyard K · 07-19-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Well, it appears RK is blowing smoke out is ass again. Didn't even bother to read past the first page. Had he done so, he would have found the following:

Initiated by the Reagan administration!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

And you point is?????

I don't want to speak for RK, but I dare say he'll say something is dumb if it is dumb, even if it happened between 1981-1988

Exactly!! I don't care under whose administration it was intitated...I found out about it today...and it is still just as ludicrous. It seems to be you who is the one who, instead of addressing the issue at hand, runs to the sanctity of the blame game (a.k.a - the sanctity of a vacant mind).

charlestudor2005 · 07-19-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

And you point is?????

I don't want to speak for RK, but I dare say he'll say something is dumb if it is dumb, even if it happened between 1981-1988

BTW, even your excerpt says the program was overhauled in 1996. I don't think Ronnie proclaimed "a cellphone on every doorstep!"

Actually, I think RK thinks just about everything is dumb...unless it is his idea. That's pretty egocentric.

And the program doesn't propose a "cellphone on every doorstep." Entry into the program is limited (otherwise, I'm sure you'd be there).

Bliss · 07-19-2010, 01:06 PM

My step-daughter is a parapelegic with two kids and a fixed income. She qualified for the phone and it is a godsend for her. Minutes are limited, so she only uses it when she really needs to.

Rudyard K · 07-19-2010, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Actually, I think RK thinks just about everything is dumb...unless it is his idea. That's pretty egocentric.

No CT. There is much that goes on here...and elsewhere...that I don't know much about. As such, I either inquire further if it interests me, or I keep my mouth shut.

It is better to be silent and be thought a fool...than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. You would do well to learn that.

atlcomedy · 07-19-2010, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Entry into the program is limited (otherwise, I'm sure you'd be there).

Hell yeah!

70 minutes a month...just about perfect for a hobby phone

& it isn't like the government would require my real info....

charlestudor2005 · 07-19-2010, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Hell yeah!

70 minutes a month...just about perfect for a hobby phone

& it isn't like the government would require my real info....

As usual, you miss the point. It isn't government.

atlcomedy · 07-19-2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

As usual, you miss the point. It isn't government.

Then why did you even bring up Reagan or anything political?

:wavetow el2:

....& it is gov't, it's just that no direct tax dollars are being used to finance it....this is a "carve out" that the telecoms agree to do on their own to show they are responsible corporate citizens and keep the FCC (gov't) off their backs...

Rudyard K · 07-19-2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

As usual, you miss the point. It isn't government.

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Then why did you even bring up Reagan or anything political?

:wavetow el2:

....& it is gov't, it's just that no direct tax dollars are being used to finance it....this is a "carve out" that the telecoms agree to do on their own to show they are responsible corporate citizens and keep the FCC (gov't) off their backs...

Yep...Oh, what a tangled web we weave...