Re: Another Government give away

["Robert L Bass" <Sales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"JoeRaisin" wrote:
>
> Some folks work hard in order to afford luxuries such as a cellular phone.
>
> But now, if you are lazy and prefer to live on the government dole (perhaps
> for a span of multiple generations) that's no reason you can't get in on
> modern technology.
>
> Now (as of September this year) if you are on Medicaid, live in public housing
> of get food stamps, you can get a free phone (provided by TracPhon - which is
> not a new program) and the government will be happy to pay for over an hour of
> talk time every month (which IS new).

This one's been floating around the right-wing blogs for a while, usually blamed
on Obama (of course).  Glad you mentioned it's nothing new.  Here's the way the
story is being told (cf: www.snopes.com):

"I had a former employee call me earlier today inquiring about a job, and at the
end of the conversation he gave me his phone number. I asked the former employee
if this was a new cell phone number and he told me yes this was his 'Obama
phone.' I asked him what an 'Obama phone' was and he went on to say that welfare
recipients are now eligible to receive (1) a FREE new phone and (2) approx 70
minutes of FREE minutes every month. I was a little skeptical so I Googled it
and low and behold he was telling the truth. TAX PAYER MONEY IS BEING
REDISTRIBUTED TO WELFARE RECIPIENTS FOR FREE CELL PHONES. This program was
started earlier this year. Enough is enough, the ship is sinking and it's
sinking fast. The very foundations that this country was built on are being
shaken. The age old concepts of God, family, and hard work have flown out the
window and are being replaced with 'Hope and Change' and 'Change we can believe
in.'"

Origins:   As noted on the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) web page
about Universal Service Support Mechanisms:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Congress recognize that
telephone service provides a vital link to emergency services, government
services, and surrounding communities. Telephone service is considered a
necessity for daily modern life. Yet the cost of starting and maintaining such
service may be too high for some consumers. Under Congressional mandate, the
federal Universal Service Fund (USF) supports the Lifeline Assistance and
Link-Up America programs. These programs provide discounts on basic monthly
service and initial installation or activation fees for telephone service at the
primary residence to income-eligible consumers. The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), with the help of the Universal Service Administrative Company
(USAC), administers the USF.

The USF subsidizes telephone/telecommunications services to low-income residents
and other entities through a number or programs, one of which is the
Lifeline/Link-Up program, which "provides discounts on monthly service and
initial telephone installation or activation fees for primary residences to
income-eligible consumers":

Lifeline Assistance provides discounts on basic monthly service at the primary
residence for qualified telephone subscribers. These discounts can be up to
$10.00 per month, depending on your state.

Link-Up America helps income-eligible consumers initiate telephone service. This
program pays one-half (up to a maximum of $30) of the initial installation fee
for a traditional, wireline telephone or activation fee for a wireless telephone
for a primary residence. It also allows participants to pay the remaining amount
they owe on a deferred schedule, interest-free. (In some cases cellular service
is cheaper than landlines, and the latter is not a viable option for persons
without fixed residential addresses.)

The intent of these programs is to help ensure that everyone, regardless of
income, has access to basic telephone services in order to be able to keep in
touch with family members, make medical appointments, contact emergency
services, be reachable by telephone themselves, etc. Contrary to what is
suggested by the example cited above, Lifeline/Link-Up discounts are not
available only to "welfare recipients" - these programs are implemented at both
the state and federal levels, so qualification criteria can vary from state to
state, but in general participants must have an income that is at or below 135%
of the federal Poverty Guidelines, or take part in at least one of the following
federal assistance programs:

    * Medicaid
    * Food Stamps
    * Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    * Federal Public Housing Assistance
    * Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
    * Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
    * The National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program

TracFone (through its SafeLink Wireless outlet) is one company that provides
subsidized telephone service to qualifying participants through the Lifeline
program, in the form of free cellphones and (limited) free cellular service.
(Although SafeLink provides free service, not all carriers certified to
participate in Lifeline do - others provide discounted, rather than free,
wireless service.) SafeLink Wireless service is currently available only in 19
states, primarily in the eastern United States.

Also contrary to what is suggested in the example quoted above, the LifeLine
program is not an "Obama program" (i.e., one that was initiated by or during the
Obama administration). LifeLine was implemented by Congress well before the
advent of the Obama administration, and the SafeLink Wireless service was
launched by TracFone in Tennessee in August 2008 and in Florida in September
2008, months before the election that put Barack Obama in the White House.

Additional information:

Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers  Universal Service Support
for Low-Income Consumers
Last updated:   27 October 2009


The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

The concern is that without a phone people in a medical emergency may be unable
to summon help.  Also, it is commonly understood that a phone is more than a
luxury.  The telephone is a necessity of modern life.  Like most people who use
cell phones, my family periodically upgrades to new models.  When we do we give
our old phones to a local women's shelter.  As I understand it, they are given
to the women free and services are provided at a discount.  Part of the discount
comes from subsidies like LifeLine.  The rest is provided by the company in the
form of a discount off their regular rates.  I think it's a good idea.  It's not
charity -- just common decency.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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