The right seemed pretty worked up yesterday after Drudge pushed a video of a woman claiming she's voting for President Obama because he gave her a phone (thanks to James Carter for the tip). It wasn't long before Rush Limbaugh and others like him were excitedly asking over-the-top questions: is Obama getting votes through bribes?
And though I don't doubt that your Fox News-watching uncle will be emailing all-caps messages about this any minute now, the truth is far from scandalous.
The Federal Communications Commission has a program called Lifeline that provides low-cost or free phone service. The agency's website says this is because it and Congress "recognize that telephone service provides a vital link to emergency services, government services and surrounding communities." Who qualifies varies by state, but "in general," to qualify you must have an income that is no more than 135 percent of the federal poverty line, or be enrolled in assistance programs like Medicaid, public housing assistance, discounted school lunch, or yes, food stamps. [...]
Strictly speaking, it's not a government-funded program: the telephone companies make payments to a fund administered by a non-profit called the Universal Service Administrative Company, but anyone with a phone bill chips in through a surcharge on their service.
Though the origins of the universal service program date back at least to 1934, the Lifeline program in particular was instituted by a well-known redistributionist by the name of President Ronald Reagan in 1984. A related effort, expanding affordable access to cell phones for low-income Americans, was created by another radical liberal by the name of George W. Bush.
As for the larger context, Dave Weigel's point bears repeating: "Shockingly, despite the bipartisan origins of the service, the idea of an 'Obama Phone' for the undeserving has existed for a long time. You know what else has existed for a long time? The Drudge Report hyping up tabloid news that makes black people look like violent dopes who'll do anything for more goodies from Obama."
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Dag nab it there you go messing with a good slam! Reagan was a socialist?
Actually I'll agree with Reagan on this one. Free land lines, no cell phones.
As a social service worker, I am familiar with this program. I specifically work with adults with disabilities and only assist those with very limited funds to access this program as the number of minutes provided is very minimal. I encourage anyone who can afford it to get a normal cell phone that will more completely meet their needs. There is another program that assists with land lines, but it is not free. It's something like $12 per month.
Why land line and no cell? Infrastructure cost for cell is less damaging to the environment and is now probably cheaper overall than wired phones. Is your suggested limitation simply punitive or based on some cost/benefit factual analysis? Just asking.
Reagan didn't extend it to cell phones, because they almost didn't exist when he was president. When I worked for AT&T back when it was The Bell System we all knew about the "Universal Service Fund," which was essentially a tax on all phone users to help pay to extent service to rural areas where it was cost prohibitive to get them connectivity or they were too poor to pay for it. If the ability to communicate is an important tool for people, especially poor people, then it makes sense given today's technology that this should be done via cell phones. This is a lot less expensive than it would be to provide land line service to rural areas.
I also used to work for AT&T...the Universal Service Fund essentially started in 1984 when competition was allowed. Before that, long distance subsidized local service. Then in 1984, the USF "balanced" that out. I believe it was a mandate of the AT&T break-up court order, so really not political, but more of a judicial decision.
@ 1.1:
Both are available. In NC, the program gives a $14 discount on a land line--mine still costs me about $20/month with minimal extras. Alternatively, it pays for a free cell phone with about 250 minutes/month and is really the best option for a lot of people--the homeless, obviously, and others with, let's say, insecure lodging. And also, since it's free, if it's your only phone, it saves the balance that would be due on a land line. As far as I know, there isn't a way to get that for free.
Cell phones fulfill the intention of the requirements more so than home phones. Cell phones a. allow for more communication at a cheaper price and b. are mobile which provides assistance to people who ware homeless and can't have a landline. You didn't forget about the homeless now did you Shooter? Wait, I answered my own question.
This has little to do with free phones. What this is really about is displaying the total ignorance of some people and what they will base their vote on.
I have worked with Domestic Violence Survivors for decades and within the last ten years these lifelines have become available to survivors for their safety and access to legal and social services. This program has literally saved the lives of women and children who are being stalked relentlessly. You cannot do that with a landlines. This kind of phone only works within the parameters of the county service area. Once you step across the county line you cannot call out on these phones except for 911. They have a limit of 1200 minutes. The average duration of crisis intervention for Survivors of Domestic Violence is approximately 6 months to 1 year. Once those minutes are expired, lifeline program ends for the consumer and there is no replacement. I would not group lifesaving measures as " free stuff". This program is paid for by the phone service provider not Obama.
Watch the video! This video shows to what extent the entitlement mentality is linked to Obama's policies. People like this don't even realize that they are being limited by the system that keeps them under Obama's control.
And yet another dyed in the wool right wing Southern racist will say,
"That does it! I'm gonna vote for Romney!- Momma, hand that there phone they done give you down at the food stamp office!"
Is it really necessary to use "Southern" as an adjective to racist? Not all of us southerners are racist and it would be a wise man who recognizes that fact and who does not condemn all of us to this category of individuals.
Thank you. In fact my state of North Carolina went blue in 2008 and will probably go blue again in 2012.
I apologize for "tarring with a broad brush!"
When I see the electoral map of the United States nightly on my TeeVee, I see that a broad swath of the nation is RED. And it goes from the Canadian border to TexMex.
I also realize that we have them "up here"- witness the recent "tomahawk chops" in Massachusetts. ( I live in Berks County, PA, home of the KKK/Aryan Nation, et al, where the Stars and Bars flies proudly above MIA-POW banners.).
Thanks Day -- I'm sure I speak for the southerners on this board when I say we appreciate your graciousness! And thank goodness Rachel can find us -- or we can find her -- wherever we are.
Sorry not all racism is in the south it is very healthy and alive up north and out in the sunshine states out there they are called Miltias and skinheads and christian white groups there are more northern states calling for voter suppersion than in the south still doesn't make it right but we need to remember it is all over.
... and while you're at it, keep your government hands off my Medicare.
Boy they are really getting desperate.
Polls? What polls? Don't you know there are a bunch of welfare loving Negros about to take the white house again?
Booga Booga Booga ..They're coming for your stuff.
I fear we have yet to see the worst as Romney pulls off the biggest #fail in history
I am hoping Obama has long coattails. We need to really clean house.
This is what I'm talking about when I say that mainstream media (non-partisan), is grossly irresponsible; under-reporting, yellow journalism; and blatant antagonistic headlines ! they, by using the above mentioned "methods"of "reporting, contribute to the lies and racism and lies and lies of the right! and lies, and lies ad infinitum...
Pity the fools who listen to Rush Limbaugh or go to Drudge for reading material, yeah, pity the fools!
Desperation hath not a better name than middle-aged-white-paternalistic-world-view! Just let me say to my loved ones, my neighbors and my fellow conservatives - get over it!
Democratic values are anchored in the content of our characters (not our socioeconomic or ethnic origins), and quite frankly, the likes of Drudge and Limbaugh et al. are showing their lack of character everyday!
What a bunch of spiritually and intellectually ugly dudes those whiners happen to be!
Yeah, go out and pity any fool you meet! -Kevo
Neither Party has it perfect, but your sentence about the lack of character in Drudge and Limbaugh was so perfect-I couldn't help but comment.
How would these whiners react if this country was a 3 or more party System? The lack of goodwill and Americanism in this Nation is disgusting. It seriously makes me wonder how much of Bush's "coming together as a nation' after 9/11 WAS genuine and not a power play.....
more evidence of the increasing desperation. I know someone on the comments has said that the GOP seems to be getting stupider, but I think they were this way all along. It's just their fear is accentuating it.
That and , what they use to say only behind closed doors , they are saying out in public now , exposing themselves as the ignorant woman hating bigots they are , thru their constitutional right of free speech ...SPLATT!!!!
Now we can go make our own REALITY BASED TV video of a white person using food stamps at the store , while talking about voting for romney , right?
And in other news, it seems that the Red Sea parted and it too was President Obama's fault!
When will we tire of the trivial?
miss fire
Where are the Drudge-up Reports on corporate welfare?
They could, they're invited, to start with farm subsidies:
....policymakers love to discuss the plight of the small farmer, the bulk of federal farm subsidies goes to the largest farms. For example, the largest 10 percent of recipients have received 72 percent of all subsidy payments in recent years. Numerous large corporations and even some wealthy celebrities receive farm subsidies because they are the owners of farmland. It is landowners, not tenant farmers or farm workers, who benefit from subsidies. And one does not even have to be the owner of farmland to receive subsidies: Since 2000 the USDA has paid $1.3 billion in farm subsidies to people who own land that is no longer used for farming.
Duh!! Hence the name "small farmer" If you only own a small amount of land, your subsidy is going to be smaller. The largest percent of money appropriated in the farm bill goes to food stamps, school lunch programs, etc, not even to the farmers. Most of it is social program money. Money goes also to programs that retain wetlands, protect highly erodable soil etc. There is the influence of the "green" movement. Look it up and see what percent actually goes to farmers and additionally, what part is actually appropriated for insurance against drought and other disasters that cause crops to fail. Those monies are given out only when crops fail. There is a limit on subsidies according to income, so upper income farmers cannot get ANY subsidies. Take those protections away and see how much you city slickers pay for food. Do your homework on the farm programs and see how that money is actuallly spent.
Reading comprehension just isn't your forte, is it?
Farm subsidies were originally put in place to ensure the survivability of, you guessed it!, the small family farm! When farm subsidies were first enacted, there weren't the large number of "factory farms" around that now exist.
Because farm sizes vary, even those growing exactly the same crops, it was difficult to limit the subsidies to farms of a certain size, but in the 1930s it didn't really matter. The abuse of the subsidies began showing up in the 1960s and 1970 by which time the number of people engaged in agriculture declined to about 5% of the workforce, while the amount of land under cultivation had increased, all through mechinization. Monster farms, owned by corporations and not by individual families were set up and those "farms" also qualified for subsidies, with the result that a program intended to maintain individual, family-owned farms has become nothing but a money-funnel for agricultural corporations.
Honestly, the only thing worse than your reading comprehension is your ability to reason. But then...
Well, if the Heritage Foundation is in favor of eliminating farm subsidies, it's a sure bet that the funds benefit the poor and the needy.
As with the phone program, why is it so important to conservatives to eliminate anything that helps regular people? If liberals talk about eliminating oil subsidies the refrain is the same from the GOP.. "it's not worth cutting because a few billion dollars is not going to put a dent in the debt". But they jump all over the idea of cutting stuff like Meals on Wheels. A phone is a neccessity in this modern world, not a luxury... after all, I practically have an anxiety attack any time I realize I've left home without my cellphone..
Yes, that program helped my 80 year old WHITE mother have a phone for $10 a month....just so she could call 911 in case of an emergency. Moooocher!
My god she needs to get a job and take responsibility for herself.... (that's what Romney/Ryan would tell her)
Wow? How desperate are they?
This campaign almost makes me long for the days when racists would have been too ashamed to do this stuff so openly. This is the most disgusting campaign I've ever seen.
FOX News Tweaking a story to make President Obama look like a Far Left Socialist we all know FOX is Fair and Balanced at least in the Alternate Universe of the Wingnuts and RWNJ's I can't wait to hear Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert and the Allen West take on this story.
Americans are not fools! They will see through the right wings come November 6th.
Not if they get their news from Fox or Rush remember a lot of people don't watch national news or read papers any more that i s how the Republicans took over the states and passed all the crapy laws that they did.
hey im a mid. aged white guy and i don't subscribe to any of the republicans Crap! not all of us are racist money grubbing fascists
Many folks who take advantage of these programs are senior citizens living on fixed incomes. Should they be denied this simple program to help them out so they can make dr. appointments, refill prescriptions, contact family, etc.? It's not like they are getting unlimited minutes, texting and internet service or receive phones with bells and whistles - they only receive about 200 minutes a month and must pay for anything over that and the phones are the cheapest on the market. I don't agree that just anyone should receive these phones, but I believe seniors who need them should receive them.
And surely Paul Ryan, whose elderly mother is now being dragged around on his campaign stops, also has one of Pres. Obama's "free" phones, along with her Social Security Benefits package which they claim is so wrong for America.
Here's hoping that the 47% rise up in November.
Rush was yammering about the "Obamaphone.net" site during his segment about the video- if you take a peek at the site, it's pretty devoid of any details that an ostensible government-sponsored site would have. Also, a whois check reveals nothing about the owner of the domain. The whole thing seems a bit suspect.
Interesting. I tried the "whois" check myself, and the only result was as follows:
Scrolling to the bottom of the page, it became clear that the three asterisks were directing the viewer to a link to "Terms and Conditions", where, among other things, one is informed that:
Now, there are "services" sold to domain-name owners who wish to establish a degree of opacity to the casual investigator (though government agencies could still subpoena the specific information), e.g. something called "WhoisGuard Privacy Protect" offered by namecheap.com. However, my understanding is that such services typically function by replacing the owner's identifying information in the whois database with the provider's (e.g. namecheap's) information, not by simply deleting the identifiers from the whois database completely.
So, at the moment, my best guess is that an automated process at whois is shutting down "access" to this information because so many people have tried to look it up that it was flagged as a "high-volume and automated" bot routine. I still have a feeling that whover owns this domain will be ferreted out sooner than later.
Get Enraged and Engaged:
Mooch the Vote 2012!
;-)
UPDATE
On a hunch, I tried looking up the obamaphone.net domain name via namecheap.com. As expected, it first informed me that the domain name was "taken". OK. It then offered a link to whois. Suspecting that linking to whois via another domain name provider (rather than going directly via whois) might bypass whatever automated process I think was shutting us out, I clicked on the link.
First off, whois required me to "unscramble" a captcha box - and, this was funny: the "phrase" I had to unscramble was: "TRuble ing". Troubling? Sure, you bet! LOL.
Then - bingo! Here's the registrant data as displayed:
Initially, I'm not sure it tells us much more about the owner's actual identity. I, however, do find it interesting that the proxy service is located in Scottsdale, AZ.
Get Enraged and Engaged:
Mooch the Vote 2012!
;-)
One of my concretive friends posted this (Obama Phone crap) and I was wondering what tis was all about. Thanks for the clarification
wow I meant to say
One of my Conservative friends posted this (Obama Phone crap) and I was wondering what it was all about. Thanks for the clarification
Bad spelling in the morning
Sorry for the dupe. Newbie user here.
Fox News is very clever at finding the craziest people to ham it up for them in front of a camera. Remember their coverage of the Occupy movement?
FOX "News" has plenty of crazies "hamming it up " daily/nightly/monthly/yearly/decadely(?)......infinity, infinitum. I mean Hannity alone MORE than fills their quota of bat-crap CRAZY.....
"EVERBODY in Cleveland got a Obama phone to keep him in prezdent. He gonna do more" I don't think she was told about Reagan. ACORN told her Obama did it for her. Black or white, This proves the lack of basic knowledge the average Obama voter has. I'm sorry but Jack Kennedy is turning over in his grave right now at the way democrat voters are wondering "what this country can do for me".
inspector12? Clouseau??!
Get Enraged and Engaged:
Mooch the Vote 2012!
;-)
Yeah, I'm sure Jack Kennedy would be telling us all to vote for Romney, right?
I'll put my "basic knowledge" up against yours any day, bub.
Inspector 12...take a Maalox and Xanax cocktail and give it a rest!!
JFK? REALLY??? You are too much, Inspector!
Better go gather your ACORNS for the long, rough winter ahead!!!
Judging by the intelligent responses, point proved. Jack Kennedy would be considered a right winger by todays standards. BTW My pick for president isn't running.
Yes, yes...your itelligence outshines us all. Please enlighten us further....I'll just pick lint from my navel and go watch some FOX "News".
inspector,
"BTW My pick for president isn't running."
You would have wasted you vote anyway. Your nose can't be president.
His candidate was probably Pat "You Filthy Immigrants Stay Off My Lawn" Buchanan.
Too funny. By today's standards, John Boehner isn't even considered a right winger. Oh he tries to talk like it, but we all know the Tea Party doesn't consider him one of them.
Are you denying that there are people out there who really feel like this? You are racist in saying this video is the fault of conservatives. How can you pretend that this type of mindset is not related to Obama's policies. We need serious reform now, or our country is going down the tubes. The sense of entitlement that some people now feel is their right is way past negligent. We have got to find a way the get rid of this waste and give help to the people who really need it, while getting others back into a productive society.
Its Gods WayIt has to be this way, God put him there, raised him up to be just what he is, women + men that are grow-up to be, are in that special category, Gifted, If you think this man being our president is by some mistake, Then we are not reading or understanding our bible, It takes a special man to be head of Gods countries, they are put in as human beings, With choice‘s, his own yes‘s! his own No's., There hearts are strong to deliver great reasoning, Power, Forgiveness, Hope, Truth, We as a people need to understand this, I wonder how many times as the other side calls him these bad names, Does he looks up, ask God why me, I also wonder a lot about that, Why am I here, then as I sit down in the AM, take in and pour out Gods thoughts, I realize for a 2nd, Im here to speak on this issue, many years ago, I wouldnt be detailing Gods thoughts as I do today. I also sit in the mirror, my car, sit alone and wonder when Im attacked on this same site + ask why ? Me. Im not putting me in anyone else's shoes, I just know what I do and how I write, comes from God, Just as our Presidents, everyone of them wonder as I do. But the task at hand isnt a choice.We have to do, We have to endure, We have to suffer, Debate, Reach out. Regardless of our own inner questions, When Its Gods way, we are his people, the fruit of his pasture. We are the roses planted, watered, clippedThen gifted to the world. Yes! Think of yourself as a beautiful rose clipped by God then placed in a vasePut on the table of life, to grow and endure the seasons, think as your leader stands before you , putting into law the rules of the country, Pay close attention to his facial expressions. This is a human man place before the masses as Jesus was placed here to die on the cross for our sins.If we ever quiet down long enough to hear your own whispers, Just as our leaders are guided by whispers,We as common, man are guided the same way. But most of us never allow the peace we need to hear just what God is trying to tell us something. We all have our gifts. Not many of us choose to use them.We waste our lives in situations that are not what God wished for us. When I went into prison.There were ladies who had done some harsh things, but because of the stillness of those cells Society places us in. We finally release that gift. Whatever it might be. I found me in a prison cell.I hope you find you way b4 that. As our presidents do. We are Gods rose, listen as God humms as he tends His crops, And when God wants it, the oppositions can fight as hard as they want, it wont do any good,We are God’s roses, and Life is Gods way…
No offense intended in any way, but one would think God would know the words...
;-)
They stoop to conquer. Desperate. What bothers me the most here is that these far- righties have NO clue that this program even exists. Out of touch, yet again. Worse, they must know that their listeners/viewers will just eat whatever they serve without researching it for themselves. And they're probably right.
I have one of those phones. Im 50, white an southerner. I use mine for when the house phone, which is cable btw, doesnt work, which until recently was not reliable for almost 2 years. I also am an housebound wheelchair using disabled individual as is my mother. we share a house in southern ms. She recently went thru a bad medical episode an needed life saving surgery. Having this phone helps me keep in contact with nurses for her, aides, doctors and even calling for an ambulance when she needs ER care which was the case for several months. I dont care if Trickie Dick Nixon started this program, its a lifesaver, otherwise Id not have had a reliable phone to get the help I needed for my mother when she needed it. Also recently we had another storm thru here named Isaac. This phone also was a lifeline for us to keep in touch as needed since regular phone service is the first to go out during bad storms.
Republicans sure do know a lot about bribery, thanks to their Corporate friends who are experts at it, they even devised a way to make it look legal, ALEC.