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How to Get the Government to Cover Your Cell Phone Bill(s)
Time Magazine ^ | February 8, 2012 | Brad Tuttle |

Posted on 02/09/2012 8:28:37 PM PST by ConservativeStatement

Last year, a federal program paid out $1.6 billion to cover free cell phones and the monthly bills of 12.5 million wireless accounts. The program, overseen by the FCC and intended to help low-income Americans, is popular for obvious reasons, with participation rising steeply since 2008, when the government paid $772 million for phones and monthly bills. But observers complain that the program suffers from poor oversight, in which phones go to people who don’t qualify, and hundreds of thousands of those who do qualify have more than one phone.

(Excerpt) Read more at moneyland.time.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: cellphones; feds; phones
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1 posted on 02/09/2012 8:28:47 PM PST by ConservativeStatement
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To: ConservativeStatement

This kind of stuff just pisses me off.


2 posted on 02/09/2012 8:34:18 PM PST by BAW (God bless America.)
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To: BAW

It should piss off all clear-thinking Americans but too many people are disinterested.


3 posted on 02/09/2012 8:41:36 PM PST by ConservativeStatement (Obama "acted stupidly.")
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To: ConservativeStatement

I’d like to beat all those parasitic citizens over the head with their “free” phones. Shameless leaches with no integrity.


4 posted on 02/09/2012 8:47:23 PM PST by hal ogen (1st Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Obama phones.


5 posted on 02/09/2012 8:55:32 PM PST by Mark (Don't argue with my posts. I typed while under sniper fire..)
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To: ConservativeStatement

They are simply daibolical in coming up with schemes to redistribute the wealth - we don’t even need a “progressive” income tax - just find enough excuses to take money from those who pay the bills and funnel it to those who don’t, and social justice is ours.......


6 posted on 02/09/2012 8:58:32 PM PST by Intolerant in NJ
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To: ConservativeStatement
Why does anyone qualify for a free cell phone.
7 posted on 02/09/2012 8:59:20 PM PST by econjack
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To: ConservativeStatement

Just substitute the phrase “the Government” for the phrase “your neighbor”.

People think the Government is self supporting, it is not.


8 posted on 02/09/2012 9:01:12 PM PST by Kickass Conservative (Liberals, Useful Idiots Voting for Useless Idiots...)
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To: BAW

This kind of stuff just pisses me off.


Same here.


9 posted on 02/09/2012 9:04:38 PM PST by unkus (Silence Is Consent)
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To: econjack
I heard about this on Rush's show today and did a little research. This article is nearly two years old, from a Michigan newspaper. It is asinine.

“Clients often obviously can’t afford phones — even landlines,” Crisp said.

Funds come from wireless service providers who are required to contribute. For Sprint, that comes from the $2 to $3 added to customers’ monthly bills.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/free_cell_phones_service_comin.html

10 posted on 02/09/2012 9:06:01 PM PST by ConservativeStatement (Obama "acted stupidly.")
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To: ConservativeStatement; Graewoulf; VinceASA; Monkey Face; RIghtwardHo; pieces of time; Warthog-2; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.


11 posted on 02/09/2012 9:08:17 PM PST by narses
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To: ConservativeStatement
This topic came up last week and I wrote "I’m pretty sure that free cell phones was written in the Constitution. " Then the brilliant response came---

abishai to Mark

I found it...

"A well regulated voice, data, and texting plan, being necessary to the security of an informed and up to date populace, the right of the people to receive and bear free Cell Phones courtesy of the State, shall not be infringed."

12 posted on 02/09/2012 9:14:07 PM PST by Mark (Don't argue with my posts. I typed while under sniper fire..)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Now, let’s put this through the wizzinator.

Wwwwhhhhiiizzzzaaannnnatttoooorrrr!

$1.6 billion; divided by 12.5 million users; then divided by twelve months ==

Average phone bill per recipient: - $106 per month - supposedly for basic 250 minutes per month, per household.

Another great government handout benefit!

Maybe I can drink some government SNAP, gimmee some Ripple, while I be talking on da phone wit my main squeeze!


13 posted on 02/09/2012 9:33:05 PM PST by Noob1999 (Loose Lips, Sink Ships)
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To: Mark; All
"A well regulated voice, data, and texting plan, being necessary to the security of an informed and up to date populace, the right of the people to receive and bear free Cell Phones courtesy of the State, shall not be infringed."

(That was GREAT!!)

14 posted on 02/09/2012 9:56:50 PM PST by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: BAW
This kind of stuff just pisses me off.

Me too. A welfare mom that I know got her new glasses yesterday. I felt like telling her to thank my husband for them.

15 posted on 02/09/2012 10:03:14 PM PST by beaversmom
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To: Intolerant in NJ

Discounted cable from Comcast. Guess who pays for that?


16 posted on 02/09/2012 10:06:39 PM PST by beaversmom
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: beaversmom

You know how Obama blamed the economy on the ATM machines?

Well THIS phone debacle is due primarily to another machine - the pay phone! I say force the evil phone companies to put those pay phones back in!

Hmmm - not saying the government should be in the phone business, but how about they get rid of the cell phones and put some pay phones back instead? Of course with vandalism, etc... Although when I was in Europe years ago they had phone centers to make calls from. Of course that was also back in the day when you used a phone for an actual PURPOSE.


18 posted on 02/09/2012 10:13:02 PM PST by 21twelve
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To: hal ogen

If the government instead spent the money on “Hooked on Phonics” for each cell phone applicant, then they could buy their own cellphones.

I guess its just easier wif da gubmint cellphone.


19 posted on 02/09/2012 10:17:19 PM PST by kearnyirish2
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To: ConservativeStatement
How many of these “free” phones are used to organize “flash robs”? Yes, store owners forced to pay for phones people will use to help rob them.
20 posted on 02/09/2012 10:22:23 PM PST by Razz Barry (Round'em up, send'em home.)
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