Posted on 08/02/2011 4:00:47 PM PDT by iowamark
Pennsylvanians on public assistance now have a new 'civil right' -- free cell phones. Meanwhile, the rest of us get to pay higher cell bills as a result.
Recently, a federal government program called the Universal Service Fund came to the Keystone State and some residents are thrilled because it means they can enjoy 250 minutes a month and a handset for free, just because they don't have the money to pay for it. Through Assurance Wireless and SafeLink from Tracfone Wireless these folks get to reach out and touch someone while the cost of their service is paid for by everyone else. You see, the telecommunications companies are funding the Universal Service Fund to the tune of $4 billion a year because the feds said they have to and in order to recoup their money, the companies turn around and hike their fees to paying customers. But those of use paying for the free service for the poor, should be happy about this infuriating situation, says Gary Carter, manager of national partnerships for Assurance, because "the program is about peace of mind." Free cell service means "one less bill that someone has to pay, so they can pay their rent or for day care...it is a right to have peace of mind," Cater explained...
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
That would be fraud in any state of the union. Assets are not counted in some, but income is counted in all. Please forward me his contact information and I'll take care of the problem.
Either FR is humor impaired since the default deal, or it wasn't that funny. ... Yeah, you're right. It's the default deal.
Ya can’t have those rogue Amish inner-city dwellers unable to contact their crack dealer, call in their numbers, etc., etc. It’s “Equal Rights”, and they should have everything Whitey has.....and Whitey should pay for it, too!
Free cell phone ping!
This is immoral as well as unconstitutional.
It is also a major fraud. The working American taxpayer will voluntarily pay for subsistence support but no more. Welfare will have to be means tested sooner or later for a number of reasons.
1. Telephone service can be justified as a safety issue, but not to the tune of 250 minutes a month. An emergency call takes 2 minutes, double that and assume 10 emergency calls a month, because the all of the "free money crowd" belongs to the "Joe Btfsplk" Clan. Total allowed minutes, 50. Limit all calls to emergency and medical numbers.
2. Have welfare recipients provide statements under oath that they don't have sufficient wealth to provide the basic necessities, food, energy, clothing, medical care. Fraudulent statements forfeit funds for three months. All expenses are limited to the most basic and economical forms.No more big screen TVs, MP3 players, videogames, $200 sports shoes, $400 sports jackets, Escalade SUVs, bling and custom wheels for cars, visits to casinos, lottery tickets, pro sports tickets, etc.
No prepared foods, cigarettes or restaurant visits; if they can't be bothered actually to cook their own meals like the rest of us under financial stress, they can starve. Buying large amounts of anything for resale to fund drug use forfeits benefits for 3 months.
3. Free pest control when requested or needed. Providers must be approved and supervised by agencies independedt of the welfare providing agencies.
I may have missed a few other necessities and forms of abuses, feel fee to add to the list.
I would welcome adult discussions arguing cogently why this list is unreasonable.
Knock yourself out.
This is immoral as well as unconstitutional.
It is also a major fraud. The working American taxpayer will voluntarily pay for subsistence support but no more. Welfare will have to be means tested sooner or later for a number of reasons.
1. Telephone service can be justified as a safety issue, but not to the tune of 250 minutes a month. An emergency call takes 2 minutes, double that and assume 10 emergency calls a month, because the all of the "free money crowd" belongs to the "Joe Btfsplk" Clan. Total allowed minutes, 50. Limit all calls to emergency and medical numbers.
2. Have welfare recipients provide statements under oath that they don't have sufficient wealth to provide the basic necessities, food, energy, clothing, medical care. Fraudulent statements forfeit funds for three months. All expenses are limited to the most basic and economical forms.No more big screen TVs, MP3 players, videogames, $200 sports shoes, $400 sports jackets, Escalade SUVs, bling and custom wheels for cars, visits to casinos, lottery tickets, pro sports tickets, etc.
No prepared foods, cigarettes or restaurant visits; if they can't be bothered actually to cook their own meals like the rest of us under financial stress, they can starve. Buying large amounts of anything for resale to fund drug use forfeits benefits for 3 months.
3. Free pest control when requested or needed. Providers must be approved and supervised by agencies independedt of the welfare providing agencies.
I may have missed a few other necessities and forms of abuses, feel fee to add to the list.
I would welcome adult discussions arguing cogently why this list is unreasonable.
Knock yourself out.
Alcoholic beverages should be added to your list.
A twofer...
Restructure the FCC to address its original task of assigning frequencies, or eliminate it entirely. Prohibit its power to make rules which last forever. Even Congress isn't authorized to do that.
Modify, limit or repeal the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to prevent violations of the Constitutional equal protection of the 14th Amendment. Forcing one goup of citizens to pay for the services of another group is NOT "equal protection."
Just because a stupid idea has been implemented by fools and criminals, doesn't mean it can be just as easily unimplemented...
Perhaps we should clarify the famous line, the government of the working taxpaying American worker by the working taxpaying American worker, for the working taxpaying American worker.
Idle able-bodied Parasites need not apply.
It’s not just PA, TN does it too, $23K is the magic number for a ‘free’ phone we SERFS are paying for.
And I bet it is available in the majority of states.
Here in Pennsylvania, we don’t want to see those urban Amish humiliated, by being the only one in the flashmob without texting capabilities. We’re changing our motto from “The Keystone State” to “The Freephone State”.
ping
Gimme a hundred million dollars. No, make that a billion dollars. That'll give me peace of mind.
:)
I’d argue that the cell phone can be unlimited, but can only be used to dial official emergency numbers. Programming that shouldn’t be that difficult.
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