Posted on 04/21/2013 11:40:31 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In designing a federal grant program, one can opt for very general eligibility criteria, to provide certain flexibility, but strictly limit the funding to ensure the grant is narrowly applied. One could, alternatively, detail very specific eligibility criteria, with less restrictions on funding, to ensure grants get where they are intended. Applying very general criteria with loose restrictions on funding, however, is a recipe for potential fraud. This is the exact problem with the proposal dubbed "MarcoPhones."
Last week, Breitbart News' Matt Boyle reported that the 844-page immigration proposal included a grant program providing satellite phones to people living in the "southwest border region" of the country. A Florida reporter dubbed the program "MarcoPhones," given Sen. Marco Rubio's public leadership of the "Gang of 8" immigration negotiations. Several outlets pushed back on the story, arguing that the program was originally proposed by AZ Sen. Kyl and McCain in 2011, after the tragic murder of a rancher the year before. This is true, but only to a point.
In 2011, Sens. McCain and Kyl introduced legislation to increase border security. They included a provision to create a 2-year grant program to provide satellite phones for residents in the "southwest border region." An individual would be eligible for a grant, provided, he or she:
(A) regularly resides or works in the Southwest Border region; (B) is at greater risk of border violence due to the lack of cellular service at his or her residence or business and his or her proximity to such border....
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Can you say fiasco?
Rubiocare.
Damned bleeding heart liberals.
Wow, the fear Marco Rubio instills in the enemy is remarkable and for good reason. The intensity of the attacks will grow and they thing that will make him more timid. I have seen him in action, under attack from the leaders of his party and his response is laughter and then he wins. When I say he reminds me of Reagan he does so in 3 ways, the way he smiles, the way he can win people over and the way he wins. His strong conservative values that his parents taught him well will serve him well.
I am no Rubio, Mcain or Kyl fan but I can vouch for lack cell coverage on some of these bigger ranches
I have been active since ‘05 on the S Texas border with a group of like minded patriots aiding BP and County SO. When You are stuck out in the middle of some of these 300k+ acre spreads you may as well furn your smart phone off. There is no coverage.
Many of the big ranchers have gone to sat phones and pay for them out of their own pockets as they should. However, there are small spreads that can not afford them and if bill was setup correctly could aid in reporting illegal invader or drug smuggling activities. Possibly the sats could be only set up to only call SO or BP.
But like everything our FERAL Government does. Common sense will not be used. This if passed could become another Obama phone fiasco
Rubio will crush Hillary, the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be for you.
Tried radio?
2 meter ham radio with phone patch.
We tried ham also. Some of the wooded areas were so dense we could not get out. Sats or Onstar would not even work. May work well in Arizona or West Texas
The smaller ranchers get togeher and build repeaters. Ham clubs do it all the time.
Follow the money. Some donor is gonna make big bucks from this. Betcha.
Wow, the fear Marco Rubio instills in the enemy is remarkable and for good reason. The intensity of the attacks will grow and they thing that will make him more timid. I have seen him in action, under attack from the leaders of his party and his response is laughter and then he wins. When I say he reminds me of Reagan he does so in 3 ways, the way he smiles, the way he can win people over and the way he wins. His strong conservative values that his parents taught him well will serve him well.
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LOL — if this meant as parody or sarcasm!
If this was a serious post, it’s absolutely delusional. Rubio is revealing more and more what he really is as he continues his migration toward being simpatico with Senators Schumer, Graham and McCain. He’s rapidly moving toward the left wing of RINOism. And this is spoken as a FORMER supporter of his and believer in his conservatism.
The only way I could be more disappointed in him would be if we find out he has extensive Muslim connections and/or financing—similar to Grover Norquist.
Why give anything away? Rubio is being played like a bad fiddle.
I've heard Rubio "speak conservative." I'm waiting for him to act conservative. That does not bode well.
The ability to create money out of thin air or issue perpetual debt enables government to spend way beyond its means and this is as good an example as any of the dangerous results.
Just as when a person who builds their home in a flood-prone area should be expected to carry the cost of property damage, if people want to live in an area where security is an issue, then part of the cost of living there is the cost of adequate communications with the outside world.
The only mitigation here is if the danger is due to failures in government policy. However, it appears that instead of promptly taking concrete steps to secure the border, it is more cost efficient to help American citizens whose homes and farms are endangered by policy failures to be able to more easily call for help from an understaffed federal office.
When moments count, cops are only hours or days away.
What a mess. And the bureaucracy cannot be held accountable for the billions wasted in the failed virtual fence project that was a liberal dream to avoid truly effective border control measure.
So lets stop calling it an ObamaPhone and start calling it a WELFARE phone. The former gets him votes, the second might cause shame.
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