Posted on 06/24/2015 10:59:21 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Millions of low-income Americans will soon be able to access the Internet as part of the Lifeline program. That’s because the Federal Communications Commission, the agency responsible for its oversight, wants to add broadband to its suite of services.
Established in 1985, Lifeline provides a discount on traditional phone services for eligible consumers, giving them the ability to connect to jobs, family members and emergency services. The program was updated to include wireless phone services in 2005, and the move to now include broadband for people to access the Internet reflects our changing communications ecosystem.
Yet this month’s efforts by the FCC to modernize the Lifeline program by extending the $9.25-per-month telephone service to include Internet access has already been met political opposition from both FCC commissioners and members of Congress.
More than 18 million eligible low-income consumers, including people of color, the elderly and the disabled, have been Lifeline beneficiaries.
Part of the Universal Service Fund, Lifeline is funded through contributions made by telecommunications companies and the fees that apply to customers’ monthly bill. Individuals can apply for Lifeline assistance if their income is at or below 135 percent of the poverty line or they are eligible for one of many qualifying public benefit programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, supplemental income, federal public housing assistance, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program.
The program is state-subsidized; eligible consumers pay their portion, and the remainder of the amount owed to the provider is covered through the USF. An estimated $2.2 billion was spent on the program in 2012.
Given that the Internet affects how citizens search for employment, find medical care or even apply for public benefits, why all the uproar? Gaining access to the benefits of first-class digital citizenship now requires that one must be online versus in line to avoid social, economic and political exclusion.
But several legislators, including presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz, are taking issue with Lifeline reform, labeling the service as the “Obama phone.” Lifeline is the legacy of the late former President Ronald Reagan, prioritizing telephone access for all Americans regardless of their income. The federal government has nothing to do with the program’s administration. Companies like TracFone, one of the largest Lifeline-eligible telecommunications carriers, are responsible for consumer verification and implementation.
Other critics point to waste, fraud and abuse as the pitfalls of the program, citing duplicate lines in one household or what one member of Congress recently described as “Lifeline cheats.” When a mainstream publication recently posted an article about the program’s reform, the feature included a photo of a Lifeline beneficiary who happened to be a young, African-American single mother who uses her Lifeline phone to connect with her kids’ doctors. Her tattoos on her arm in the photo received more scathing attention that the actual focus of the story – some commenters even deemed her ineligible for the benefit since she could obviously pay for her body art.
Unfortunately, these negative assessments and stereotypes of the program do more to fuel partisanship than a productive conversation on how the nation will reach the 80 million citizens who are not online.
Pointing fingers is beyond the general intent and rationale for modernizing the Lifeline program. The millions of Americans who struggle with the daily choices between eating and starving or working and caring for an elderly parent should also not have to weigh the cost of broadband service against these critical needs. And, most importantly, these Americans require 21st century tools to participate in our robust and information-rich economy.
In her remarks at a recent FCC meeting, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, one of the only African-American leaders there, who began program reform just a year ago, stated that lifeline can “build a bridge for struggling Americans … a path that could aid in transporting consumers out of poverty and isolation, to connectivity and independence.”
I think she’s right.
It’s time to follow the lead of the agency and the heart of Clyburn and adapt the program to include broadband as a choice for low-income consumers where traditional voice services no longer serve their original purpose – not because the people have changed but the world in which we live has.
Such actions will make Lifeline just what it was and is supposed to be – “a lifeline,” a bridge to opportunities.
The internet is for porn....
$135 telephone bills, in 3...2...1...
These assclowns are going to get better internet service than I can afford and pay for. And I’m paying for it.
WTF is this socialist bs.
[Art.]
<sob, dab, sniffle> Yes, yes, we must not have "pointing fingers" .... we must rise above, we must listen to "the better angels of our nature". We must look at this like liberals.
<dab, sniff, snuffle>
I regularly interview clients at a local food/clothing/etc bank who have more than the allotted one “obamaphone” per family.
The Lifeline program, like SSI is rife with fraud. I suspect billions are spent per year on fraud.
That's not WHY the government wants broadband into every home.Pornographers rejoice. There is free internet everywhere. Why can’t these people go to the library?
Next up will be welfare for the entitled losers to get free netflix, hulu, pandora, Jay Z radio ( whatever that mess was). And of course, the 2 minutes of hate sponsored by King Putt.
"Established in 1985", which means Reagan.
"updated to include wireless phone services in 2005", when Bush was prez and the GOP controlled both houses of Congress
Free Porn is good for them. It will arouse them and hopefully they will spit out even more illegitimate babies, who will in turn grow up and produce even more welfare dependents.
What’s next? Free automobiles?
body art = graffiti
I wish! Mine is $197.50 now.
That is for one regular phone (mine) and 2 "I Phones".
They already have car vouchers.
I was pointing to the sob-sister writing and advocacy style. Squish, sniffle, sob.
Never criticize us, we're being heartful. Or something.
I pay $90 for two lines: one phone, and one Internet line on VoiceStream Wireless. Thirteen dollars in *taxes* alone, for a total of $103.
$6 is Obamaphone taxes.
If I had gone with regular home Internet, I’d be looking at $200+ every month.
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