Stern interviews Obama supporters.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

The program isn't funded by Federal tax dollars, its funded by fees.
-spence

that's a distinction without a difference...it's a tax, a redistributive tax, call it a "fee", but tell us what we get for the "fee" that we're paying...

[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

that's a distinction without a difference...it's a tax, a redistributive tax, call it a "fee", but tell us what we get for the "fee" that we're paying...

It was a deal worked with the telecom providers. Lower regulation and work to improve infrastructure to increase competition.

Certainly the objective of Lifeline is to help disadvantaged and disabled people who can't afford phone service stay connected.

But Lifeline only represents less than 20% of the full program, the rest going to rural areas, schools etc...and only reason some of that goes to cell phones is that they're now often cheaper than land lines.

The FCC under Obama is reforming the plan to achieve 200M savings in 2012 and 3B in savings over three years.

I don't have an issue with the program as long as it's monitored for abuse. But the characterization that these are "Obama phones" or this has somehow created a Federal tax liability or government entitlement are just patently false.

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

It was a deal worked with the telecom providers. Lower regulation and work to improve infrastructure to increase competition.

Certainly the objective of Lifeline is to help disadvantaged and disabled people who can't afford phone service stay connected.

But Lifeline only represents less than 20% of the full program, the rest going to rural areas, schools etc...and only reason some of that goes to cell phones is that they're now often cheaper than land lines.

The FCC under Obama is reforming the plan to achieve 200M savings in 2012 and 3B in savings over three years.

I don't have an issue with the program as long as it's monitored for abuse. But the characterization that these are "Obama phones" or this has somehow created a Federal tax liability or government entitlement are just patently false.

-spence

this is pretty funny, you should be on Letterman

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

But the characterization that these are "Obama phones" or this has somehow created a Federal tax liability or government entitlement are just patently false.

-spence

this is just precious I can't imagine where anyone ever got the idea that these were "Obama Phones"


"Visit ObamaPhone.net and here's what you see (I suspect they'll make changes soon, if they haven't already, so I took a screenshot):


When you click the link at ObamaPhone.net to apply for a free cell phone, you're redirected to...wait for ....it...FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net. That's right. The same website that decried the "false rumor" and "incorrect term" of The Obama Phone Program has another website, surely desired to attract search engine traffic, that advertises The Obama Phone Program.

Nice.

UPDATE: The website has already been changed! Visit Obamaphone.net now, and you'll get something like a blog with no pictures of Obama, as though they're in the process of dismantling the site."


also from Obamaphone.net

Currently, the government is thinking of providing free wireless internet service to the people under this program instead of old-fashioned land phones. It’ll be a great effort if government includes this service in Lifeline program.

WOW! Obama HighSpeed Internet too!!..this is awesome!!!