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Reason
10-24-2009, 01:15 AM
Free cellphones if you're on welfare...

Note that this has nothing to do with Obama but it's still outrageous that our tax dollars are spent on this.

YouTube - 4409 -- OBAMA PHONE: Obama giving away FREE cellphones...WTF (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEbIrOR6YEQ)
Reason
10-24-2009, 01:19 AM
Found this info on wiki

SafeLink Wireless provides a free cell phone and a limited number of voice minutes (68 incoming/outgoing minutes in CT, MI, NY, NJ & FL) each month for low-income-eligible families (one per family) who do not use Lifeline services offered by any other phone or wireless company. It is funded through the Universal Service Fund that almost every US taxpayer contributes to via their existing land-line and wireless service provider. SafeLink is only operating in a limited number of states.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-3)[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-4) It is similar to the Lifeline and LinkUp government subsidized service for home telephones.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-5)
GunnyFreedom
10-24-2009, 01:22 AM
When does the Obamanation "Bling for Bums" program begin?
hugolp
10-24-2009, 03:26 AM
Obama could get a lot of votes with "Blings for hookers". Cell-phones dont give so many votes.
GunnyFreedom
10-24-2009, 03:47 AM
Obama could get a lot of votes with "Blings for hookers". Cell-phones dont give so many votes.

no no no -- remember this is the Obama administration, so it's ALL about style, so you have to go with the alliteration, like "Cash for Clunkers" "Bling for Bums" or maybe "Handouts for Hookers"
evilfunnystuff
10-24-2009, 03:57 AM
no no no -- remember this is the Obama administration, so it's ALL about style, so you have to go with the alliteration, like "Cash for Clunkers" "Bling for Bums" or maybe "Handouts for Hookers"

maybe jimmies for mommys they could send a years supply of comdoms to all underage mothers :eek:

i shouldnt give them ideas :rolleyes:
revolutionisnow
10-24-2009, 05:27 AM
maybe jimmies for mommys they could send a years supply of comdoms to all underage mothers :eek:

i shouldnt give them ideas :rolleyes:

Trojans for Teens or Condoms for Crackheads
awake
10-24-2009, 05:31 AM
Handouts buy votes and he is loosing support fast. Every welfare scheme is designed to do this.
MelissaWV
10-24-2009, 05:35 AM
Not that I care for any of these programs, but this is just evolution of programs that already existed. IF this is going to exist, I am glad they went to cellphones, which at least allow some control over cost. Landlines were expensive and people would just make all the calls they wanted anyhow.
Natalie
10-24-2009, 07:09 AM
Cell phones are a right, not a privilege.
Rael
10-24-2009, 07:14 AM
Since they cause brain tumors this sounds like a good strategy for reducing the welfare rolls.
andrewh817
10-24-2009, 08:04 AM
Government program called Safelink? Sounds harmless.....
Freedom 4 all
10-24-2009, 08:09 AM
What the fuck does an unemployed person need a cell phone for. It's not like he's on call 24 hours a day like a doctor. Is there some kind of emergency daytime TV that needs to be watched somewhere and he's the only man for the job?
LibForestPaul
10-24-2009, 08:39 AM
you MUST have a postal address. lol. safelink. lol.
guess they can call you when to come to the FEMA camps.
LibForestPaul
10-24-2009, 08:42 AM
I also believe the reporter is intentionally turning this into a race issue. The only question is why? Are those that listen to his show racist, OR, does he want to associate people who are against this program as being racist. Not certain.
constituent
10-24-2009, 08:42 AM
What the fuck does an unemployed person need a cell phone for.

Callbacks?
Arklatex
10-24-2009, 08:47 AM
Cell phones are a right, not a privilege.

Says Motorola!

What you want to bet the government isn't using those damned Nokia's from Finland for this.
MelissaWV
10-24-2009, 11:30 AM
What the fuck does an unemployed person need a cell phone for. It's not like he's on call 24 hours a day like a doctor. Is there some kind of emergency daytime TV that needs to be watched somewhere and he's the only man for the job?

Again, I don't agree with this being a Government program, but if it were a private one it'd be a great idea. How, precisely, do you become employed without a phone and (presumably) no email? You *can* go to the library to check on your email over and over, but most employers eventually want to call you to set up an interview. With libraries cutting back hours, having a *limited number of minutes* on a cellphone with which to do business is a good idea. There are also emergency situations when a phone is rather important. Keep in mind that this is instead of a land line for the vast majority of these folks.
WClint
10-24-2009, 01:14 PM
Wow this is something right out of a third world country. Take the money from the productive workers and redistribute to the poor underclass so that they can keep the political class in power. This encourages the poor to remain poor as they have little or no incentive to actually go work at a minimum wage job
jrkotrla
10-24-2009, 01:18 PM
How, precisely, do you become employed without a phone and (presumably) no email?

I do see that you stated it made sense as a private program, not a public one, so please don't think I'm trying to remake that argument, I agree.

But seriously, I got a trackphone for $10.00 (well, $9.99 + tax) and airtime for another $15. That's $25 for a phone to get calls on. I can't believe that there's not someone these recipients know who will get them a cheapo phone so they can be reached by work.

Not many minutes? no problem, don't chit-chat on that thing. Use it for its intended purpose. Once you have a job, you can get more minutes and chat all you like.
getch36
10-24-2009, 06:58 PM
At first I saw it advertised for MA residents.Now I see they have it in N.H. too.What a ridiculous program........
KCIndy
10-24-2009, 08:58 PM
Bread and circuses, baby... bread and circuses.

Or maybe it's bread and circuits?
:rolleyes:
denison
10-25-2009, 04:28 AM
Trojans for Teens or Condoms for Crackheads

you're having too much fun with this.
jmdrake
10-25-2009, 07:03 AM
Found this info on wiki

SafeLink Wireless provides a free cell phone and a limited number of voice minutes (68 incoming/outgoing minutes in CT, MI, NY, NJ & FL) each month for low-income-eligible families (one per family) who do not use Lifeline services offered by any other phone or wireless company. It is funded through the Universal Service Fund that almost every US taxpayer contributes to via their existing land-line and wireless service provider. SafeLink is only operating in a limited number of states.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-3)[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-4) It is similar to the Lifeline and LinkUp government subsidized service for home telephones.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#cite_note-5)

I've seen this advertised here in TN. They need to make sure everybody gets the new "gps enhance, FBI can spy on you" phones.


See:
YouTube - CELL PHONE (FBI can listen to you when phone is turned off) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G1fNjK9SXg)

Some poor folks might continue using old and/or recycled phones. Also there are some phones that still don't have GPS like the fly phones I got my kids. (They also can't cook their brains because they only work in speaker mode or with the included headsets).

See:
http://www.fireflymobile.com/cust_svc/index.php?action=kb&article=75
jmdrake
10-25-2009, 07:07 AM
I do see that you stated it made sense as a private program, not a public one, so please don't think I'm trying to remake that argument, I agree.

But seriously, I got a trackphone for $10.00 (well, $9.99 + tax) and airtime for another $15. That's $25 for a phone to get calls on. I can't believe that there's not someone these recipients know who will get them a cheapo phone so they can be reached by work.

Not many minutes? no problem, don't chit-chat on that thing. Use it for its intended purpose. Once you have a job, you can get more minutes and chat all you like.

But does your trackphone have built in GPS so the government can locate you when it's time to send you to a FEMA camp? Can the FBI activate it to use it to listen in on you even when its turned off? And did some big donor get a fat contract from the government to sell you a trackphone? If the answer to any of those questions is "no" then your cell phone does not fit the needs of big brother.