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Really? The "Obama phone" nonsense again? Well, when you got nothing I guess you just regurgitate lies...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyph.../#555478ad5d77
This week, after a number of news programs ran stories about free cell phones being distributed to welfare recipients, I received a bunch of inquiries asking whether it was true. Specifically, I was asked whether there were free "Obama phones" being distributed on the taxpayers' nickel.
Here's the scoop:
Yes, there is a law in place to help low-income customers have access to basic telephone service. It's divided into two programs: Link-Up America and Lifeline.
Link-Up assists consumers with the installation costs of phone service. The program pays up to $30 of the cost of installation and up to $200 in the form of a one year, interest-free loan for additional installation costs.
Lifeline provides discounts on basic monthly service at a primary residence for qualified telephone customers. These discounts can be up to $10.00 per month, or more for certain Native Americans. Generally, to qualify, your income must be at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines (these vary by location and size of family but for comparison, rings in at $22,350 for a family of four in the lower 48).
In some instances, coverage may include discounts for cell phone service instead of land lines at primary residences because realistically, cell phone service is less expensive in some areas than traditional service. Eligibility and type of program may vary from state to state - and this is why there is a flurry of confusion about the program being a product of the Obama administration. In Florida, for example, cell phone service was added to the existing program - in 2008, the year that Obama was elected to office. The conclusion from many folks was that it was a new federal program. It was not. It was an expansion of the existing program and implemented on a state by state basis.
The federal program dates back to 1996; it was part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Act did a number of things, including increasing internet access to doctors and patients in rural hospitals (for consults with specialists); subsidizing internet and phone coverage for schools and libraries and providing free or subsidized coverage for families who can't afford it so that they have links to emergency and government services. The Act was not taxpayer funded… exactly. Taxpayers do pay for coverage but not via federal income taxes. Instead, the Act "mandated the creation of the universal service fund (USF) into which all telecommunications providers are required to contribute a percentage of their interstate and international end-user telecommunications revenues." So that little fee on your phone bill labeled USF? That's what you're paying for.
As you can imagine, not every one supports this idea. And yes, there has been abuse - you can read about efforts to curb abuse here (downloads as a pdf).
As a result, there is a bill in place to put an end to the practice. Introduced in November 18, 2011, by Rep. Tim Griffin (R-AR), the Stop Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2011, has three co-sponsors, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL). The text is as follows:
Prohibits a provider of commercial mobile communications service from receiving universal service support under specified provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 for the provision of such service through the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Lifeline program (a program that provides discounts on monthly telephone service to qualifying low-income consumers).
The bill now sits in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. I'm guessing it will sit awhile.
So there you have it. Yes, the program exists. No, it's not an Obama administration program. Yes, taxpayers support it but no, not through federal income taxes.Comment
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Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
^^^^^^
Thank you for raising the white flag. I love the smell of con capitulation.
“Whataboutism” is now the only Hail Mary play the cons have .Comment
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Let’s see....
We have an audio tape where, contrary to his lies, the president has acknowledged the formation of a shell company for the express purpose of paying off his mistresses ....
On the day that the news ....how many column inches on OBAMAPHONES
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Comment
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As I told you months ago Cons , it will get worse for you each dayComment
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Dear mental midget - manafort is involved in two fake trials in different districts. The people given immunity by fraud loser mueller have only been identified in one of the trials. The one podesta is not involved in.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Better every day! 4.2% GDP - AWESOME!!!Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
Obozo said those days are over - typical defeatist loser...Comment
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So then what is your source for Podesta being granted immunity? Let me guess... your ass.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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"Whataboutism" (n) - A term invented by liberals when their hypocrisy comes to light. They typically don't have a response when the realize what they are railing about now, those before then did the same.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Us companies already throwing up red flags and it will only get worse. https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...=.09c90f29d691
"Some of the largest companies in America are reporting this week that they are suffering the sting of the Trump administration’s trade war, sounding alarm in an otherwise prosperous economy.
General Motors said Wednesday that it has lowered its outlook for 2018 earnings in part because of significant increases in the costs of raw material. GM’s stock fell more than 6 percent during early morning trading. Trump imposed tariffs on aluminum and steel — major components of cars — earlier this year.
Harley-Davidson said Tuesday that it is expects its operating margin as a percent of revenue to hit 9 to 10 percent because of the impact of the tariffs, down slightly from last year. And Whirlpool, which was supposed to benefit from Trump-imposed tariffs on foreign-made washing machines earlier this year, reported Tuesday that it did not make its second-quarter earnings estimates as steel prices rose 50 percent."Comment
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Let's expand the numbers.So there you have it. Yes, the program exists. No, it's not an Obama administration program. Yes, taxpayers support it but no, not through federal income taxes.
2007: $823 million
2008: $821 million
2009: $1 billion
2010: $1.13 billion
2011: $1.78 billion
2012: $2.1 billion
People voted for Obama in hope of free sh*t.
“Everybody in Cleveland have got Obamaphone, keep Obama as president, you know? He gave us a phone, he’s going to do more. … You sign up, you on food stamps, you on Social Security, you got no income, you got disability.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
The program was plagued by waste, fraud, and abuse.Comment
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lol youtube as a news sourceComment
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Bob Lutz - former GM vice-chairmen in case you socialists don't know who he is:
that change in guidance was nearly precautionary so that they don’t have to explain it later. In my judgment, we are in the midst of a trade negotiation. There’s nothing finalized, there’s nothing that’s going to stay yet. We’re in the middle of a war with tactical moves here, tactical moves there, offensives here, our resistance lines built up over here. We won’t know anything for another couple of months. What President Trump is trying to do is eradicate decades of trade inequity, where the U.S. has almost no tariffs on certain things and other countries have gigantic tariffs to where we have ongoing, monumental trade deficits, which are just sucking the wealth of our country and it’s time for somebody to put an end to that. President Trump has decided this is the time and by George, I’m with him 100 percent. Now, is that going to cause some problems, some dislocation, some trouble in a system that’s been based on cheap imports of just about everything? And nevermind if we export anything or not. Yeah, yeah, trade deficit doesn’t matter. That’s all not true. It does matter and it’s time to get things in balance. I guarantee you the U.S. will come out of this trade war as a winner, with other countries cutting tariffs on key American commodities. I’ll bet you Europe eliminates the automotive tax. It’s too early to get upset about all of this. We’re in the midst of a negotiation.Comment
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