[ctdonath2]

Popcorn?

[markomalley]

Where do I select "opt out"?

Or is that not an option?

[xenob]

I’ll wait until the paranoia clears but this may not be a horrible thing. The current national emergency system is woefully inadequate. I know for me in the days of Tivo’s and iPod/iPhones I rarely listen to live broadcasts in the car or at home. National emergency alerts to my phone (which is always with me) based on proximity to a tower isn’t bad. Now if it’s messages like “This is Obama go vote for me!”. Then this is BS.

[Carley]

He’s going to call us while we’re driving.

He’s going to text us while we’re driving.

[DBrow]

I can’t imagine what a “presidential emergency message” would be.

Local authorities have jurisdiction, not the feds. I’m imagining that we still have a constitution and a republic, though. This will reinforce the concepts of president-as-king, “I’m running the country” thinking.

[Jedidah]

I have no problem with an emergency alert system. Most college campuses use similar networks to notify their populace of local emergencies, and they work well.

But I don’t want any messages whatsoever from Barry0, or from any other politician.

[newzjunkey]

Presidential messages? I think not. Ripe for abuse.

Who is going to pay the messaging fees?

[baddog 219]

[pabianice]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(novel)

[CharlyFord]

This would never be used for political advantage or propaganda purposes. No. Never.

Like he!! it won't!!! We'll be bombarded by the ministry of information.

[Iron Munro]

The heart of this proposal is a wealth redistribution scam to justify handing out “free” cell phones and cell phone service to moochers and zombies.

How else will they be able to receive government alerts advising them of the latest freebies and handouts and reminding them (at election time) of which politicians they can thank for all the free stuff they get and where to go for the next round of handouts.

[oneolcop]

All your phones are belong to us: BarackObama.gov.

Kill your cell phones!

[Buckeye McFrog]

The reality is that each year fewer and fewer people are tuned to a local radio or TV station where they are likely to hear an EAS alert. It makes a lot of practical sense, though I have no doubt this crowd in the WH will abuse it.

[Roninf5-1]

When Constitutionalists, 2nd Amendment supporters, gun-owners, military veterans, anti-abortion activists, tax protesters, home schoolers, small business owners, survivalists, gold and silver bugs, and people that generally oppose Americas transformation into a Third World pit are publicly declared "domestic terrorists" (they are already considered the #1 threat within the FEDGOV bureaucracy. See this MIAC Strategic Report) these Big Brother alert systems will be used to get the public to spy on and rat out their neighbors. All classical police states rely on citizen spy networks and this is it. Is this what my grandpa stormed the sands of Iwa Jima for?

[WOBBLY BOB]

give it a year and we'll be getting text messages about the heat index and SPF solar levels and when to wear SPF 45 sunscreen ...and a helmet for EPA pollution level alerts.

especially in a nanny state like NYC -mark my words.

[jimjohn]

As someone in the hi-tech world, I can't count the number of ways this could be abused.

It's pre-pay cell phone time (before they outlaw them).