"Obamaphones" and the Nanny State... (death, independent, lobbyists)
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Let me preface this by saying I do not care for Obama. Not a fan. He's bought sold and OWNED by special and/or private interest groups (defense contractors, heads of global banks and energy concerns, multinational CEOs, lobbyists, etc.) just like every other high-level politician from BOTH of the two major parties.
I detest the Democrats as well as the Republicans. Neither party (just like American politics in general) is anything like it was even 30-40 years ago.
I don't consider myself either "liberal" or "conservative" really. I suppose you could say that I am a social liberal (in that I believe adults in an allegedly free society should BE free to do pretty much whatever they want without a lot of government interference as long as they are not harming or impinging on the rights of others.) This means I don't believe in things like pot prohibition, I do believe in reproductive rights for private citizens, I believe in the 2nd Amendment, I believe homosexuals (and other minorities) should be treated equally and have access to all the same rights and privileges as any other citizen. I believe in the free expression of thoughts and ideas and am anti-censorship.
I am also a fiscal conservative, which means I am sick to freaking death of the incompetence, irresponsibility and corruption regarding our economy that has become such a substantial, ingrained aspect of both the Dems and Repubs.
But I would like to set a couple of things straight. It seems as if I can't come to this forum without seeing somebody or other whining about the "Obamaphone" and the liberal "nanny state." (Even if they are brought up in threads having nothing to do with either subject.)
I know, I know. there was a viral YouTube video of some ignoramus flipping out over "getting a free phone from Obama!!!" or whatever. Look!--the sky is falling!!
In reality, the "Lifeline Assistance" program was drawn up and implemented by the FCC in 1984 (when Barry Obama was 23 and possibly out smoking and shooting hoops somewhere.)
The specific program relating to cell phones (called SafeLink) was begun in 2008 under Bush, Jr. as an extension of the Lifeline Assistance program as cell phones became more and more prevalent over land lines, required less infrastructure maintenance, etc.
More importantly, this program isn't even funded by federal taxes:
The second part of this (tl/dr) post is more important. Please recall--I do NOT intend this as an endorsement of the Democratic Party nor as a slam to the GOP, but rather as a pointing-out of some really blinded, hyperbolic hypocrisy and BS.
Perhaps the Greatest Lie in American politics is that the Republicans (who are now neo-conservatives, since they jettisoned all true conservatives and abandoned all conservative principles at least four decades ago) are the party of "small government."
It's worse than a joke; it's a bald-faced lie.
This is the party that endorses the invasion of sovereign nations with no justification. That believes in preventing private citizens from engaging in their own reproductive choices. Which has members who fight for the inclusion of creationist nonsense in public school science classes. Which believes in systematic discrimination and the treatment of some minorities as second class citizens with fewer rights (i.e. same sex marriage.) Which has promoted "faith-based initiatives." Which wants to continue with a wasteful and failed prohibition policy in order to prevent private citizens from smoking a plant. Which is typically pro-capital punishment.
(I actually believe in capital punishment under certain circumstances in theory; my main problem with it is I don't believe The State should have that much power--to execute people.)
So, add all that up and what you get it THE Biggest HUGE government, Big Brother, moral watchdog nanny state bunch of people imaginable.
Let's stop lying and putting forth the idea that the republicans are somehow "small government." That's utter horsepucky.
I want phones for the whole family...wife, son, parents. Nothing less than an iPhone or one of them high dollar Android phones will do. Need unlimited text and data too.
In reality, the "Lifeline Assistance" program was drawn up and implemented by the FCC in 1984 (when Barry Obama was 23 and possibly out smoking and shooting hoops somewhere.)
The specific program relating to cell phones (called SafeLink) was begun in 2008 under Bush, Jr. as an extension of the Lifeline Assistance program as cell phones became more and more prevalent over land lines, required less infrastructure maintenance, etc.
More importantly, this program isn't even funded by federal taxes:
What is possibly even more interesting is that for every Universal Service Fund dollar spent on the Lifeline program, two are spent on providing phone service to rural areas. The agrarian types in America's Heartland have their hands deeper in our pockets than the urban poor, and ain't that just a kick in the teeth?
Good post, but these things have been repeated ad nauseum. Good luck.
They've been repeated ad infinitum it seems, but the same blind, hypocritical partisan hacks continue to come on here daily to talk about how Obama--through his "free phones to welfare mamas" plan--is undermining the fabric of society and how the GOP is the party of "small government."
Why do these same posters (and we know who they are) constantly feel the need to come on here and spread lies and nonsensical BS even when they've been presented with facts that clearly refute and negate what they are saying?
Is it just blind hypocrisy and drooling hatred for "the other side?" Are they just that thick-skulled?
What is possibly even more interesting is that for every Universal Service Fund dollar spent on the Lifeline program, two are spent on providing phone service to rural areas. The agrarian types in America's Heartland have their hands deeper in our pockets than the urban poor, and ain't that just a kick in the teeth?
I wasn't aware of that. That IS interesting. Hmmm.
Let me preface this by saying I do not care for Obama. Not a fan. He's bought sold and OWNED by special and/or private interest groups (defense contractors, heads of global banks and energy concerns, multinational CEOs, lobbyists, etc.) just like every other high-level politician from BOTH of the two major parties.
I detest the Democrats as well as the Republicans. Neither party (just like American politics in general) is anything like it was even 30-40 years ago.
I don't consider myself either "liberal" or "conservative" really. I suppose you could say that I am a social liberal (in that I believe adults in an allegedly free society should BE free to do pretty much whatever they want without a lot of government interference as long as they are not harming or impinging on the rights of others.) This means I don't believe in things like pot prohibition, I do believe in reproductive rights for private citizens, I believe in the 2nd Amendment, I believe homosexuals (and other minorities) should be treated equally and have access to all the same rights and privileges as any other citizen. I believe in the free expression of thoughts and ideas and am anti-censorship.
I am also a fiscal conservative, which means I am sick to freaking death of the incompetence, irresponsibility and corruption regarding our economy that has become such a substantial, ingrained aspect of both the Dems and Repubs.
But I would like to set a couple of things straight. It seems as if I can't come to this forum without seeing somebody or other whining about the "Obamaphone" and the liberal "nanny state." (Even if they are brought up in threads having nothing to do with either subject.)
I know, I know. there was a viral YouTube video of some ignoramus flipping out over "getting a free phone from Obama!!!" or whatever. Look!--the sky is falling!!
In reality, the "Lifeline Assistance" program was drawn up and implemented by the FCC in 1984 (when Barry Obama was 23 and possibly out smoking and shooting hoops somewhere.)
The specific program relating to cell phones (called SafeLink) was begun in 2008 under Bush, Jr. as an extension of the Lifeline Assistance program as cell phones became more and more prevalent over land lines, required less infrastructure maintenance, etc.
More importantly, this program isn't even funded by federal taxes:
The second part of this (tl/dr) post is more important. Please recall--I do NOT intend this as an endorsement of the Democratic Party nor as a slam to the GOP, but rather as a pointing-out of some really blinded, hyperbolic hypocrisy and BS.
Perhaps the Greatest Lie in American politics is that the Republicans (who are now neo-conservatives, since they jettisoned all true conservatives and abandoned all conservative principles at least four decades ago) are the party of "small government."
It's worse than a joke; it's a bald-faced lie.
This is the party that endorses the invasion of sovereign nations with no justification. That believes in preventing private citizens from engaging in their own reproductive choices. Which has members who fight for the inclusion of creationist nonsense in public school science classes. Which believes in systematic discrimination and the treatment of some minorities as second class citizens with fewer rights (i.e. same sex marriage.) Which has promoted "faith-based initiatives." Which wants to continue with a wasteful and failed prohibition policy in order to prevent private citizens from smoking a plant. Which is typically pro-capital punishment.
(I actually believe in capital punishment under certain circumstances in theory; my main problem with it is I don't believe The State should have that much power--to execute people.)
So, add all that up and what you get it THE Biggest HUGE government, Big Brother, moral watchdog nanny state bunch of people imaginable.
Let's stop lying and putting forth the idea that the republicans are somehow "small government." That's utter horsepucky.
"The lady doth protest too much."
It would be like a hollywood actor who have made 10's on millions of dollars by the use of a gun complaining that there are too many guns. Oh, wait......
Well, it's a little hard to get a job these days without a phone or a computer. Generally, you can go to the library to use a computer if you don't have a long job application because time on a library computer is usually limited to an hour these days. A phone number wherre you can be called back by a potential employer is a little harder to arrange. And regardless of what everyone says, most employers don't want to hire the homeless. Don't have an address or phone number? That knocks you out of the job competition real fast. So there's a case to be made for Lifeline and Safelink - if you want people to work, that is.
Besides, a lot of the phones are donated by Sprint and other phone companies. Sprint has a buy back program (yeah, it's pennies on the dollar), but those phones in good working condition are donated for Safelink and Lifeline. And as for all those minutes? Well, I just put 6 hours on my phone since December, and they're all gone between calling the hospital, the hospital calling me, calling for appointments, waiting on hold, verifying information, calling in prescriptions, and other things, like calling my mom to let her know I was OK after surgery. You know, little things like that. But I bet if I had a Lifeline phone, a lot of people would think those calls were unnecessary.
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