Posted on 12/08/2005 8:32:02 AM PST by grundle
Feeling, evidently, flush with (other people's) cash, the Senate has concocted a novel way to spend $3 billion: create a new entitlement. The Senate has passed -- and so has the House, with differences -- an entitlement to digital television.
If this filigree on the welfare state becomes law, everyone who owns old analog television sets -- everyone from your Aunt Emma in her wee apartment to the millionaire in the neighborhood McMansion who has such sets in the maid's room and the guest house -- will get subsidies to pay for making those sets capable of receiving digital signals.
by April 2009 broadcasters must end analog transmissions and the government will have auctioned the analog frequencies for various telecommunications purposes. For the vast majority of Americans, April 2009 will mean . . . absolutely nothing. Nationwide, 85 percent of all television households (and 63 percent of households below the poverty line) already have cable or satellite service.
All Americans -- rich and poor; it is uncompassionate to discriminate on the basis of money when dispersing money -- will be equally entitled to the help.
The $990 million House version of this entitlement -- call it No Couch Potato Left Behind -- is (relatively) parsimonious: Consumers would get vouchers worth only $40 and would be restricted to a measly two vouchers per household. The Senate's more spacious entitlement would pay for most of the cost -- $50 to $60 -- of the converter boxes. But there is Republican rigor in this: Consumers would be required to pay $10. That is the conservatism in compassionate conservatism.
Yet Americans have such an entitlement mentality, they seem to think that every pleasure -- e.g., digital television -- should be a collective right, meaning a federally funded entitlement.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Ok...we all feel pretty much the same. Now, rather than griping about it here, go to this site:
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm
and write your representatives and tell them you can't believe they would vote for something like this.
"Me: Yes I am. I am more than eager to get away from foolish scoffers and godless atheists."
OK. So, you think you're going to swept up in some kind of "rapture." Again, I would not hold my breath on this one.
I'm sure you want all the people you disagree with to burn in Hell, but it's sorta ugly that you really seem to enjoy the idea. You might want to consult Matthew, particularly Chapter 6. There's some advice in there, written especially for you.
"If you have satellite or cable service you will NOT need one of these tuners. They are only for people who use antennas."
I agree, however, for those like me who only have "basic/extended" cable, we will have to switch and pay for digital cable.
Based on my experience, this is a fact.
In the 98-01 time range I was single and living in a 3br apt in DE (GE for us Americans). The locals that came to my place freaked because 'single men in Germany don't have 3br apts'.
I'm not worried about myself in that regard. I've given my real name on this forum in years (Yep, years.) past.
Just shining some light on the subject.
"Yes I am. I am more than eager to get away from foolish scoffers and godless atheists. I can hear the "gnashing of teeth" already from the godless atheist crowd when they finally get what they desire and their anger at God for letting them have it."
There should be no air conditioners or cars, or satellite dishes, or cable wires, running into ANY public housing. If you can't pay rent, food, and utilities... these other items are absolute LUXURY items that TAXPAYERS should never subsidize. EVER.>>>>>>>>>>>>
I don't think taxpayers should subsidize ANYTHING, but in this part of the country a car is often a necessity for someone to have to make a living (either you need it to get to your job or you use it in doing your job). Also, with the way that housing is constructed now it may literally be impossible to survive a southern summer without air conditioning. In the days before air conditioning houses were built differently, I don't think I could survive in mine during the summer without air conditioning as it would probably be much hotter inside than outside.
To get in, you should have to sign away your "right to privacy", right to reproduction etc. It should be made clear this is not an entitlement but an act of charity that you may or may not chooses to accept.
I know this sounds draconian, but I think its warranted in order to both sufficiently motivate people not to sink to that level as well as to take over the decision making rights of those who do.>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I totally agree and the first thing that should be done is to take voting rights away from not only anyone who lives on welfare but anyone who works for the government.
"I totally agree and the first thing that should be done is to take voting rights away from not only anyone who lives on welfare but anyone who works for the government."
I'm sure you want all the people you disagree with to burn in Hell, but it's sorta ugly that you really seem to enjoy the idea. You might want to consult Matthew, particularly Chapter 6. There's some advice in there, written especially for you.>>>>>>>>>>
I am not an atheist, but I certainly have more in common with you than with the person you are replying to in this post, it really does seem that some people positively gloat at the idea that they will be sitting up in heaven while so many others will suffer everlasting torment. I was raised Southern Baptist but I no longer believe the whole routine about hell as it simply does not stand up to reason, and if there is a creator then he created me with the ability and need to reason, why would he deny me that?
I feel certain of one thing, if by some cosmic joke it turns out that there really is a hell, it will have a huge population of people who were smugly insistent that they were going to heaven.
"I feel certain of one thing, if by some cosmic joke it turns out that there really is a hell, it will have a huge population of people who were smugly insistent that they were going to heaven.
"
Well, I suppose that's possible. However, I can't see any real reason to believe that there is such a place, so I guess I won't concern myself with it.
BTW, I'm an equal opportunity critic, as you'll see a couple of messages up from this one. [grin]
No surprise. Welfare recipients used to spend all their welfare check on booze, cigs and lotto tix; their kids went hungry.
Voila!
Gave them food stamps so they can only buy food. Stores started giving welfare recipients money for food stamps at 50-75 cents on the dollar so they could buy booze, cigs and lotto tix; and their kids still went hungry.
Voila!
Start giving kids free school lunch and free school breakfast; and kids go hungry cause they're staying home watching TV and playing video games.
Since you have cable, you don't have to do anything.
"What is it you think that I desire? I'm an atheist. I know what I don't desire, and that's the painful death and torment of my Christian friends. It appears that is exactly what you desire for atheists (and probably all non-Christians)."
All that is stated in the Bible to be real and universal. True "Christians" aren't "tortured". In heaven there are "no more tears". We are all healthy. No more bad people, true justice and true peace. You will NEVER find this on earth. It will ONLY happen after Christ comes for his body, people that believe in Him. After that He will set up His own kingdom as stated in the Bible.
"Sorry, but that doesn't sound like the teachings of Jesus that I'm aware of. Not at all. "
Clearly you don't know His teachings from what you state otherwise you would not reply with such foolishness.
"I hope you live a long and happy life, full of health and satisfaction. I would never hope for anyone to be tormented for an eternity. Good luck to you with all that."
I wish for you to know what Christ teaches and what awaits those that believe in Him. Only then could you yearn for His coming too! I don't wish you any ill will ... just that you discover the truth about what He teaches and what true Chrsitianity, following His teachings, are while there is still time. I believe time is running out ... surely even from the standpoint of a "godless atheist" you see things going awry and not making much sense anymore. You don't have to be a Christian to see that ... .
"Since you have cable, you don't have to do anything."
Nope. The cable company will come and put in a digital box, but they're unlikely to charge you for it. They want you to keep paying that monthly fee. They'll just keep charging the cable fees.
"All that is stated in the Bible to be real and universal. True "Christians" aren't "tortured". In heaven there are "no more tears". We are all healthy. No more bad people, true justice and true peace. You will NEVER find this on earth. It will ONLY happen after Christ comes for his body, people that believe in Him. After that He will set up His own kingdom as stated in the Bible.
"
You're not reading very closely, so you're missing my point. I'm pointing out that you seem to be gleefully anticipating all those atheists being tormented. I'd never wish that for anyone, for any reason.
That's the difference between you and me, you see. You desire my destruction, while I have no such wishes for you.
I think both Matthew 5 and 7 are in order for your next Bible study, along with chapter 6. There's much in there that you seem to not understand, nmh.
You talk about True "Christians". I think you have some reading to do.
Darn, you've figured me out.
Well the counter argument can be made... the government forced the current analog band to be limited, so all tv sets in existance had to comply...
Now they are selling off those frequencies and expect everyone to convert by their fiat.
I am no fan of entitlement, but I definately can see that because they have mandated that all TV broadcasting must switch, they are leaving those with existing technology locked out, through no fault of their own.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.