I am not surprised.
sigh.
wish I was.
Georgia might be first but it won’t be last.
I got one of the $10 ones for a relative for just that reason.
What the heck? What about everyone else that chooses not to spend their $$ on a cell phone? They get one free too? They should because what if they have an emergency outside their house like this lady says in the video. How could they call for help?
This is the craziest thing I ever heard! People lived for thousands of years without cell phones and coped with life. Heck I bet there’s people in this country that can’t even afford a land line, much less a cell phone!
I saw one of these here in Florida. I wasn’t paying any attention but sort of heard it out of the corner of my ear. When it was over I asked my wife if she had heard what I thought I had heard. We decided that yes, we had heard a commercial for a cell phone directed at those on welfare.
Now I know why it is that I see obviously unemployed young people standing at a bus stop or riding their bike and talking on a cell phone.
It bothers me that this new stimulus bill includes measures that would reverse the changes made to welfare over the last 10 years, not to mention putting government into an even more-controlling health care role.
Obamma say I ain’t gotsta pay fo’ mah texts!
Now Ah can get mo’ minutes on tha first an fifteenth!
It is a prepaid type of phone here in Florida and they give you a generous allotment of 68 minutes per month for free. Extra minutes are available by buying trac-phone cards. Its not enough minutes to stand at the bus stop chatting and might be enough to make ones dr’s appointments etc. The phones are given to anyone on food stamps, medicaid,or SSI. The other option they have is to get a land line for half price $8-10 per month the problem with land lines is a lot of common calls such as to a doctor’s office or hospital are out of area and cost extra money. This is all funded by the access tax on every phone line cell or land. The cell option may be for the best as the people getting them will not run up large un-payable bills to the local phone company raising everyone’s rates. The cell phone company probably gets $10 bucks per month for the phone and 68 minutes and makes money as the customers buy cards for extra minutes.
A cell phone is now a necessity. Un-frickin-believable.
Funding for the program is provided by the Federal Communications Commission from universal services funds, which are charged on phone bills and also pay for Internet access to schools and libraries and rural health care providers. Wireless carriers and pay-telephone providers also contribute to the fund, according to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority.
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/16/chattanooga-cell-phones-free-who-pays-911-fee/?local
How to Qualify
The process to qualify for Lifeline Service depends on the State you live in. In general, you may qualify if...
1. You already participate in other State or Federal assistance program such as Federal Public Housing Assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid. OR
2. Your total household income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines set by your State and/or the Federal Government.
AND 3. No one in your household currently receives Lifeline Service through another phone carrier.
4. You have a valid United States Postal Address. In order for us to ship you your free phone you must live at a residence that can receive mail from the US Post Office. Sorry, but P.O. Boxes cannot be accepted.
In addition to meeting the guidelines above you will also be required to provide proof of your participation in an assistance program, or proof of your income level.