Viral video touting free 'Obama phone' puts spotlight on federal program

FOX ^

[Sub-Driver]

Viral video touting free 'Obama phone' puts spotlight on federal program

By Joshua Rhett Miller

Published September 28, 2012

| FoxNews.com

A viral video of an Obama supporter touting her “Obama phone” has put the spotlight on an obscure federal program that provides discounted phone service to qualifying low-income Americans.

“Keep Obama as president,” the animated woman says on the video. “He gave us a phone.”

The video is drawing attention to the government program — Lifeline — as a national debate unfolds on entitlements and the growing percentage of Americans who pay no income taxes and get a long menu of government benefits. But even though some beneficiaries may credit President Obama for providing the phones, Lifeline is an extension of a program that has existed since 1985. Still, critics including Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., note the program has swelled from $772 million in 2008 to $1.6 billion.

“It's a government-run, taxpayer-funded program that's running wild and costing more and more,” reads Griffin’s official House of Representatives website.

Private carriers who contract with the government, including TracPhone and Sprint, have websites intended to publicize the program. Some attempt to dispel the program’s connection to the president, such as freegovernmentcellphones.net, while others, including obamaphone.net, embrace it.

“The free Obama phone is an important program, especially for low income families that would otherwise not have access to basic communications,” the homepage of obamaphone.net reads.

The site does, however, clarify that Obama did not start the program and that there's no such thing as an "Obama phone."

[JoeFromSidney]

The program was originally started to provide a "lifeline" for people too poor to afford a phone. They could communicate with police, doctors, emergency, etc. Unfortunately, the program has metastasized. Seems like that happens to all government programs that start out to "do good."

[1010RD]

These are on every major intersection in the south and west sides of Chicago. It’s bribery, pure and simple.

[Sacajaweau]

It’s ridiculous. The majority of these people have land lines so now they have 2 phones!!!

[arista]

Stupid Republicans just want to reform the program to eliminate fraud. Nonsense. The program should be eliminated entirely. Hardworking people having to pay an extra tax on their phone bills so that other people can get free phones is absurd.

A cell phone is not necessary to anyone's survival. People got along just fine without them 20 years ago.

[Gene Eric]

“the animated woman”

[a fool in paradise]

Discounted. Same kind of discount like those who pay no taxes getting a tax refund.

[rawcatslyentist]

[cripplecreek]

Conservatives would do well to stop calling them “Obama Phones” and push Obama to fess up and tell the truth. These phones are just one more out of control federal program and people were getting them long before Obama showed up on the scene and they’ll continue getting them long after he’s gone.

I’d be curious about the cost of this program compared to what it used to cost to maintain all the pay phones that are becoming extinct.

[rawcatslyentist]

Ghetto vote buying Chicago style.

[yldstrk]

yeah one of the dads at my kid’s school made a couple of fortunes off the government providing the welfare class with free cell phones

[Menehune56]

You can get a prepaid cell phone for $5-10 a month with 100 minutes. Not much for unlimited texting but enough for important and emergency calls. It’s good enough for me. Why should we have to pay for these lowlifes?

[nascarnation]

If you can access this video, Cong. Griffin explains how the costs went hyperbolic when Baraq took office:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J3VzthvIOM&feature=plcp

[boop]

But Reagan started it! Whaaaah! What would a poor person do without one of these babies in 1985?

[Bon mots]

[SamAdams76]

I'm the proud owner of a Romney phone. Cost me $399 and about $90 a month. I can do a lot more with my Romney phone than an Obama phone. Then again, I have a job, get paid good money and I can afford it. If the sad-sack Obama phone freeloaders voted for Romney, they too might be able to get good jobs and get a Romney phone for their very own. They can also get decent housing and switch from 40oz malt liquor to microbrews of their choice. They won't have to look like a loser jackass in a YouTube video. They can throw that Obama phone in the nearest trash can - along with Obama himself.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Bump......

[ptsal]

>>metastasized<< sounds like cancer to me.... zap it now!!

[wtd]

Mitt Romney's campaign ought to compile a collage of video clips with Obama give-aways including this raspy woman from Cleveland with her Obama-phone giveaway vote, Monique Crawford from Baltimore bragging about all the free cell phones she possessed, six in her purse and a few more at home, Peggy Joseph who stated Obama was going to pay for her gas and mortgage, etc. Mitt should attack these give-aways from a financial standpoint by using Obama's words (just words) about 'EVERBODY partaking in shared sacrifice'.

[Robert357]

Has the program been declared as part of the political spending of the Obama political campaign? Of course not as it is a federal program. But how can it be a non-partisan federal program if the web site advertising the program has Obama’s name in it?

This is political corruption Chicago style. It needs to be exposed as the vote buying scheme it is.

What federal program that gives something away is named after Bush? Nixon? Eisenhower? Reagan?

I want me a Reagan flu shot, a Bush social security check, and a Nixon passport! Then way can people have Obama phones, Obama money, etc?