Last year, a federal program paid out federal program paid out $1.6 billion to cover

[Vedubin01]

When you are paying your hard earned $120 a month AT&T cell phone this month.... just remember you are doing it wrong!

http://news.yahoo.com/washington-footing-cell-phone-bill-millions-low-income-202500656.html

Last year, a federal program paid out $1.6 billion to cover free cell phones and the monthly bills of 12.5 million wireless accounts. The program, overseen by the FCC and intended to help low-income Americans, is popular for obvious reasons, with participation rising steeply since 2008, when the government paid $772 million for phones and monthly bills. But observers complain that the program suffers from poor oversight, in which phones go to people who don't qualify, and hundreds of thousands of those who do qualify have more than one phone. more....

[joshh]

Sounds fair......if you're an Alinsky lover.

[Dozyproductions]

whats next, they'll provide low income families with hummers?

[tjts1]

You do realize that the same government that spent $722m on this program also printed the $722m? Are you just jealous because you didn't get a free cell phone?

[priapism]

The problem with this program is it's a duplicate of an existing program that gives free home phone lines to disadvantaged people. My first boss scammed them into giving his business and home "lifeline" phones for $5 a month.

[mrsleeve]

^

That

[Dozyproductions]

or its a problem that even both of those programs exist at all.

[Vedubin01]

You do realize that the same government that spent $722m on this program also printed the $722m? Are you just jealous because you didn't get a free cell phone?

With that, not only did I not get my cell phone bill paid for by the US taxpayer, I will be paying more for every purchase I make due to the devaluing of the $$ due to over printing.

[e30e]

whats next, they'll provide low income families with hummers?

No gm got rid of hummer maybe escalades

[Morrison]

Let's not overlook the positive side of this; the part that is which applies to all of us. That money isn't really going into the hands of the poor people with their 250 minute Tracfones. It's ultimately going to the equipment manufacturers and to the service providers. How is that good for us you ask? Effectively this is extra income that they, the service providers, can put into expanding their network and upgrading to 4g or 5g or whatever the hell g their network transmits data at, etc. Essentially then, they don't need as much of your money to do the same and you save money on YOUR cell phone bill.

Besides, you don't really think the Government listened to the lobbyists provided by the poor people on this do you? More likely the cell service providers have a few lobbyists though.

[BraveUlysses]

Let's not overlook the positive side of this; the part that is which applies to all of us. That money isn't really going into the hands of the poor people with their 250 minute Tracfones. It's ultimately going to the equipment manufacturers and to the service providers. How is that good for us you ask? Effectively this is extra income that they, the service providers, can put into expanding their network and upgrading to 4g or 5g or whatever the hell g their network transmits data at, etc. Essentially then, they don't need as much of your money to do the same and you save money on YOUR cell phone bill.

Besides, you don't really think the Government listened to the lobbyists provided by the poor people on this do you? More likely the cell service providers have a few lobbyists though.

If only "conservatives" complained as much about corporate welfare as they do to poor people...but I digress.

Based on the fact you can get burner phones for so little money per month, I think it's safe to say that programs like this can and should be drastically reduced or closed entirely.

All the various taxes on cell phone monthly bills are pretty bad, mine have been 20-25% of my monthly charges ever since I got my first cellphone in 2001.

[kronus]

All hail the return of ctrl-c ctrl-vedubin!

[gwb72tii]

You do realize that the same government that spent $722m on this program also printed the $722m? Are you just jealous because you didn't get a free cell phone?

and right there folks we have what's wrong with the entitlement society

the money is free, so wat's wrong?

[Pinepig]

whats next, they'll provide low income families with hummers?

You haven't been to the market the day that EBT cards get recharged lately have you.