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This is a great idea! Why? Because in the long run it saves Uncle Sam tons of money!
Many poor do not have Internet Access by getting it to them it allows:
- Search for jobs. Many poor do not even know where to find jobs because they can't get online. Searching for jobs used to involve reading the classified or traveling to the job location offices. Many poor cannot afford to look for jobs on a daily basis. This makes it so easy. For the cost of Internet (at what? $10 a month wholesale?) the government get some of these people to work and off of government assistance. Do math people! This saves a ton of money right there.
- Online education improves job prospect. Many poor cannot even afford the time/cost of commuting back and forth to colleges. This makes it easy for them to improve their job qualification and thus off of government assistance sooner rather than later.
- Social. Internet gives the poor opportunity to socialize via the net with normal everyday citizens instead of hanging around street corners where old pal Li' Scarface is soliciting them to work the streets.
- Get Help. It used to be that if the kids want to get Dad off his drug addiction or Mom with her alcoholism, they don't even know where to turn to. This saves money.
- Schooling. Instead of going to the libraries, poor kids can do their research online. You think reducing the load that libraries had to handle isn't saving money? Go to a library in a very poor neighborhood and I can tell you it is very crowded, all the computers are occupied, and there is a couple of guards or even three. Guess what, all those things cost money too.
When you factor in ALL the things that could be prevented/achieved - more employed, more education, less family problems, better access to information - all this things combined to save a LOT of money in the long run.
But of course, conservatives don't see that because... well what do you expect?
And yes, there will be those who play games or watch porn. Fine. Whatever. All we need is for enough people to do good with it to make it worthwhile.
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I strongly suspect, because Google provided no help, that the internet providers have a strong hand in this.
Some are giving it away. Some said it was coming out of the tax my phone service to provide phone service to rural areas and then add on free cell phone giveaway. We all know who lobbied long and hard for that benefit.
Education is the key to our success and continuing success. Great way to bring education to the inner city. There are thousands/millions of kids that have never touched a computer.
With education the phrase. "How will they know where to go if they don't know the way"
pretty well sums it up. Lot's smarter to get them education than send them to prison. They deserve it anyway. They are Americans also.
Someone doesn't know that, even in school districts in which students are given "free" ipads, it's been shown that the vast majority of them are using the devices for non-academic purposes.
Someone doesn't know that, even in school districts in which students are given "free" ipads, it's been shown that the vast majority of them are using the devices for non-academic purposes.
Of course they are. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would be able to foresee the obvious outcome.
I don't know how to help you if you don't realize the internet is the greatest source of information ever to exist.
Do you complain about your tax dollars going to public schools and libraries too?
Allow me to complain about "the poor" getting internet access at no charge to them thanks to the largesse of the American taxpayer, while "the poor" buy flat-screen TVs, 250-buck sneakers, and top-of-the-line cell phones.
I can provide some insight as to what might happen with that. An entire middle school in my county was given laptops to take home. They ended up broken, lost, stolen or sold. This was a low income/underprivileged student body. The program lasted one year. It was a bad deal. Has this proved successful where you are?
It's been tried at least twice in local school districts here.
The first one is one of the best school districts in the state. The district paid approx. 2.5 million to purchase 2,940 laptops. The parents rented them for $150 a year - if you had more than 1 kid in the school, there was a sliding scale with no family paying more than $400/year. Except for a couple that were damaged, there were no issues.
The second one is not a good school district. That district paid 4.2 million for 2,200 laptops. They were free to each kid. Almost immediately, dozens were reported stolen. (With one being tracked by GPS to Mexico - and ironically, one sold on craigslist to someone who lived in the better district.) Within a year, the district finally cracked down and the laptops that remained are no longer available for home use and must remain in the school.
Take from those stories, both true, what you will.
Someone doesn't know that, even in school districts in which students are given "free" ipads, it's been shown that the vast majority of them are using the devices for non-academic purposes.
LOL. probably. But what if they only use it for academic purposes 10% of the time? Its a win. I really don't care the rest of the time.
Hey when I was in high school know what I used 90% of my library for? Non-academic purposes.
Whats the cost of this? Well it depends. Google fiber will give 6 years of free internet service if you pay the $300 install fee for example. Thats what? about $4 a month or so? Whoopee.
BTW even the original article says some aren't free. These people aren't getting the $75/month ultra high speed fiber connects. They are getting the basics required to participate in todays society.
LOL. probably. But what if they only use it for academic purposes 10% of the time? Its a win. I really don't care the rest of the time.
Hey when I was in high school know what I used 90% of my library for? Non-academic purposes.
Whats the cost of this? Well it depends. Google fiber will give 6 years of free internet service if you pay the $300 install fee for example. Thats what? about $4 a month or so? Whoopee.
BTW even the original article says some aren't free. These people aren't getting the $75/month ultra high speed fiber connects. They are getting the basics required to participate in todays society.
Who knew the government job is to provide what is needed to participate in today's society.
Next up will be a free car, not an ultra fast bmw mind you, but a sensible Ford Fusion provided by the tax payer so everyone is able to participate. After that will be free cable, not the premium channels though, cause that would be excessive. You cannot expect the poor to lift themselves up by their boot straps and get a job and integrate into the work force if they are not caught up on the water cooler talk about The Bachelor at the office.
My wallet is getting mighty light with your hand in it all the time.
Who knew the government job is to provide what is needed to participate in today's society.
Next up will be a free car, not an ultra fast bmw mind you, but a sensible Ford Fusion provided by the tax payer so everyone is able to participate. After that will be free cable, not the premium channels though, cause that would be excessive. You cannot expect the poor to lift themselves up by their boot straps and get a job and integrate into the work force if they are not caught up on the water cooler talk about The Bachelor at the office.
My wallet is getting mighty light with your hand in it all the time.
Yes, instead lets make it HARDER for people to get off welfare, or get ahead. Yup, great plan.
No one is suggesting free cable, or a free car, just you. Instead people are suggesting, hey lets do this as the cost is lower then the benefits.
But no, you say. Lets punish the poor, lets make sure they stay down there!
Yup, great plan.
Maybe next we can just make all school have to be paid for by parents, because gosh darn it, its not like these poor people will ever use it!
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