Cell phones: Theft dressed up as charity

Waterbury Republican-American ^ | July 16, 2010 | Editorial

[Graybeard58]

Let me know if you want on or off this Republican-American Editorial ping list.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Odd, I don’t have a cell phone.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

It’s all about income redistribution. They may call it a program to help people, but it’s taking money from those who work hard to earn money and give it to those who vote democrat.
Everything in politics is about income redistribution.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

The irony is that if the cell phone company told me clearly up front that they were going to charge me an extra couple dollars a month to provide free cell phones to demonstrably poor people, I’d probably agree. Its the arrogance of statutory compulsion that ruins it.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

A free cell phone recipient: "Most people use cell phones to find jobs to get off welfare . . ."

This guy could buy the Brooklyn Bridge.

[circlecity]

"that cell phones are not luxuries but necessities, as basic to modern life as electricity."

nonsense. There are millions who don't have cell phones in this country and still get along. There is no one in this country who doesn't use electricity in some form.

[FormerACLUmember]

I am guessing the free menthol cigarettes and free 40 ounce malt liquor promotions did not go well either.

[Graybeard58]

Cell phones are a Constitutional right! It’s right under that clause that explains the right to kill babies.

[jimbo123]

Trackphone is owned by Mexican robber baron Carlos Slim. It’s a Mexican company.

[rockinqsranch]

Me either.

[AppyPappy]

My Tracfone costs $100 a year...no monthly fees. The phone was thrown in for free

[rockinqsranch]

Thanks for the ping Graybeard. Let ‘em pay for their own damned phones. So many on the welfare circuit live to milk the Socialist parts of the system for anything whether they need it or not.

[Buckeye McFrog]

well how else ya gonna text in your votes for American Idol?

[Peet]

Hmmm... I'll have to find another no-contract prepaid service. Darn.

Carriers such as TracFone also get to pass the cost via a monthly charge of $2 a month on the bills of regular customers.

Is this a result of Al Gore (he invented the internet!) pushing the "Gore Tax" A.K.A. the universal access fee on all of our phone bills?

(I still kvetch about the Gore Tax every time I open a phone bill. The Mrs. tries to get to them first so she doesn't have to listen to me. I guess I should be thankful the woman hasn't smothered me in my sleep.)

[Slings and Arrows]

I have a cell phone but no landline. I save money (and aggravation) that way.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

To me, having a cell phone would be aggravation. People could call me wherever I am, interrupting dinners, movies, time out with friends, not to mention feeling the pressure to answer while driving, thus compromising my safety by additional distraction.

Nope, for me, you can catch me at home or send me an e-mail that I keep open all the time at home or in the office.

Being at constant armlength for anyone who has my number seems way too stressful and aggravating for me.

[Tax-chick]

If companies want to help the poor, they should take the money out of their own hides, not their customers."

Where does Kevin think corporations' money comes from ... a hole in the ground? Every cent of revenue came from the *customers*, no matter how the accounting is done.

[Tax-chick]

People could call me wherever I am, interrupting dinners, movies, time out with friends, not to mention feeling the pressure to answer while driving

You turn it off if you don't care to receive calls.

[Slings and Arrows]

My cellphone only rings when I am called by someone on my whitelist, and I only whitelist people I actually want to talk to. Everyone else is automatically (and silently) shunted to voicemail.