Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear us complaining about this outrageous abuse?
Today we ran the story of Michelle Obama serving risotto at the soup kitchen down the street from the White House. She was surrounded by poor people frantically snapping photos with their cell phones.
If you’re anything like us you wondered, how can the poor afford cell phones? The monthly bills on these things can eat you alive.
Free Cell Phones from Safelink Wireless
We were tipped off to the Safelink Wireless website. But please be warned that if you visit this site you are likely to walk away pissed off. Here’s what it says:
“SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month for income-eligible customers.”
“Lifeline Assistance is part of a program that was created by the government to provide discounted or free telephone service to income-eligible consumers. To help bring you this important benefit, SafeLink Wireless is proud to offer Lifeline Service. Through our Lifeline Service you will receive FREE cellular service, a FREE cell phone, and FREE Minutes every month! SafeLink Wireless Service does not cost anything – there are no contracts, no recurring fees and no monthly charges.”
“Any Minutes you do not use will roll-over. Features such as caller ID, call waiting and voicemail are all also included with your service. If you need additional Minutes, you can buy TracFone Airtime Cards at any TracFone retailer Walmart, Walgreens, Family Dollar, etc). SafeLink Airtime Cards will be available soon.”
“Your exact benefits, including the number of free Minutes you will receive, depend on the state you live in.”
Free cell phone from Safelink Wireless: how to qualify
“The process to qualify for Lifeline Service depends on the State you live in. In general, you may qualify if…
- You already participate in other State or Federal assistance program such as Federal Public Housing Assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid. OR
- Your total household income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines set by your State and/or the Federal Government. AND
- No one in your household currently receives Lifeline Service through another phone carrier.
- You have a valid United States Postal Address. In order for us to ship you your free phone you must live at a residence that can receive mail from the US Post Office. Sorry, but P.O. Boxes cannot be accepted.
In addition to meeting the guidelines above you will also be required to provide proof of your participation in an assistance program, or proof of your income level.
Un-freakin-believable. Outrageous. Shocking.
The way we read it, this Safelink Wireless program gives you a free cell phone, free monthly service, and free minutes. You qualify even if you make 35% more than the designated “poverty” level or if you’re already getting additional freebies from the government. And we see nothing that indicates you have to be a legal resident of the United States to qualify.
The site is also available in Spanish, leading to the not-too-unreasonable conclusion that a significant percentage of the free cell phones applicants conceivably could be, may be, might be undocumented aliens.
And, for God’s sake, we don’t even want to know how many of those filling out a Safelink application are currently stiffing a bank on a mortgage they never really qualified for in the first place.
We think we’re going to have strokes. Would someone please call 911 on their free cell phone?
Update: Posted a new article, Wireless welfare: Free-cell-phones-for-the-poor scam expands.You can go make some comments over there now too!
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All of you who complain about helping out hate less fortunate should move to a country where people don’t care about each other! “For the People, By the people!” Thats the way we live here! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!!
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John,you can help out all you want ,but don’t force me to give where I don’t want to.I do not work to support those who choose not to.If it is a legitimate case then the government should assist,but way to many people today are getting handouts.
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Robert –
The people served by this program, in fact most everyone in poverty works. In fact, the main reason people who are phoneless need a phone is to get a job. If only you could talk to people who are being helped by this service like I do every day. They’re inspiring and hard working people.
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In the America I grew up in ,we were offered a choice whether we wanted to give or not. Now in the new America there is no choice. Washington has forced their tax’s on us and we have no word in the deceison, without my knowledge or permission I am being forced to pay another tax. The whole argument is with the lack of respect they treat us cash cows with. Here in Cali we pay one of the highest amounts in taxation in the nation.
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When I heard about Safelink I was glad to learn more about it. My mother who is widow and retired has very low income and struggles every month. She has never complained about not ever having something (not around us that I am aware). So we looked into it further and decided to sign her up for one-it was simple and easy to understand. I understand about people under handing the government, but what goes around comes around. In the meantime this has been a great help for the people who really need assistance.
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Yes, I thank my parents profusely for moving us kids out of California waaaay back in ‘75…they could see the handwriting on the wall. Very depressing to go back and visit family & friends. About a year or so ago, I read that illegals cost California $500 BILLION a year in terms of education, incarceration and healthcare. Bet they could use that dough now.
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Lollipop, I don’t have a problem with helping people in need, but I refuse to help people that are milking the system. There is a large group of Americans that are currently on Federal assistance programs that are able body Americans, but instead of getting out there and making it, they choose to sit back and collect a check and benefit from people who are paying taxes. I have family members that collect checks and are content with government handouts, these are able body Americans, but don’t want to better themselves or their children. We have illegal immigrants that are benefiting from the system, but don’t pay into the system. That money could be used for Americans like your mom and sis, but our lawmakers choose to continue to give to them. Did you know an illegal immigrant can go to college for free? Did you know these same immigrants come over here to birth their children because they know they can walk into a hospital and receive care, How is that right, but your mom and sis can’t healthcare. There is something wrong with that. We can fixe the system, but taxing my health insurance isn’t the answer. Our Congress wants to tax my insurance at 40% how is that right? Lets fix medicare, tort reform, and stop illegals from receiving free healthcare. You know with this new healthcare legislation medicare will be cut, to help pay healthcare reform.
As for our soldiers I would rather them come home injured than to not come home at all. A lot of the disable soldiers you see, during Vietnam wouldn’t have made back at all. These soldiers are getting great medical care, you should check out the Fisher House website. The Fisher House is in San Antonio right in front of BAMC.
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Whipper,
You say there are a lot of able body americans on federal assistance. This is true. In case you haven’t noticed we are in a deep jobs recession. The corporations got their bail-out and Wall Street is booming. Big money once again not only managed to cyphon off billions of tax dollars, but did so while simultaniously convincing people like you to direct your anger at the people who are already struggling. They are quite adept at tricking people like you. For intelligent people like me it is frustrating to try, with no success to make people like you understand that the very people who are running the pipe up your backside are the ones giving you your arguments.
Consider this, when Clinton was in office we had a job explosion. There was at one point a labor shortage. Employers were in some instances offering signing bonuses for entry level positions. In addition to this Clinton introduced the “workfare” program which is still in place. This meant that many people who were on food stamps and cash assistance would have to work for their benefits. These two factors conspired to reduce the welfare roles to the lowest point in 30 years. Funny how all these free loaders you refer to disappeared when jobs were abailable. Wonder where they all went? To work, that’s where. What’s more, the government under Clinton ran a budget surplus and had the opportunity to start paying down the national debt. Unfortunately Bush and the Republicans decided this money could be used to make up budget shortfalls that resulted in the tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% of Americans. Welfare for millionaires if you will.
The health care bill now being proposed (if not mutilated by the Republicans acting on behalf of the insurance companies) will strengthen medicare and expand the coverage to working age people. This means that a higher percent of participants will be able to pay premiums making the system more solvent.
Tort reform will reduce about one percent of the medical care waste in our current system. In addition it will encourage companies to produce and distribute products it knows to be unsafe. When you create caps for negligence or malpractice suits you are by extension giving the bean counters the information they need to run cost/benefit analysis’. Ford did this with the Explorer. They knew for years that it had a low speed roll-over problem. They crunched the numbers and decided that it was cheaper to let Americans be killed and maimed than to do a recall.
Malpractice is not as big of a problem as you have been led to beleive. Insurance companies are the ones rasing the malpractice insurance rates through the roof becuase they want to create this false situation. If they convince enough people that malpractice is a problem then they will get caps, and can rake in more money. Again, you have been taken for a ride by the big money boys.
You keep saying the government is going to tax your health insurance 40%. Wrong. Either you have been lied to or you are lying yourself. There is a proposed tax on “cadillac” plans, but trust me, if you have one of those plans you can afford the tax, and it’s no where near 40%.
The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) has already crunched the numbers and the health care bill saves money. This is not a partisan group. They are accountants nothing more. The Republicans are free to take it to an outside accounting firm but don’t. Instead they pull out this “pulling the plug on grandma” crap.
You keep getting all your information from the greediest most corrupt sources, and you are gonna be made a fool of in public forums like this.
You should go back, get real information and reconsider your positions, and views on society becuase you are sadly mis-informed. As an individual that’s not so bad. But when we have milllions of you tuning into fox to get lied to it weakens our nation. Your ingnorance is hurting America. Take responsibility and be an informed citizen before you engage in the political process.
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Yes people that are in very bad situations laid-off or can’t find work even though they look for it everyday and are turned away due to qualifications or the illegal immigrant next to him will take 3 dollars less on the hour and have to turn for our government for help should be able to get it, and what everyone don’t seem to understand is that there are people out there that really need this phone, and like i stated before there are also ones that don’t and won’t even bother looking for work because they just don’t want to work, or ones that lie and say they are disabled taking away from the ones that really are, these are the people that shouldn’t be given the phones and need to be weeded out, just like that guy that claimed he had a back injury and couldn’t work and they caught him carry roofing tile on his shoulder up a ladder, and he had to pay all that money back, this is where our system is wrong. This is where they should be spending money to look for people like this instead of researching stupid bears who the hell cares what the bear does or how it hibernates it is stuff like this that our country spends millions on every year that people should really be complaining about, if we would stop doing stupid stuff like this we could hire people that want to work to look for the ones that don’t and are milking it, or claim disability when they are not disabled.
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Perfectly stated Jon. But it is dad that ignorant people are killing our country.
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Thank you so much for sharing what you know about the gov’t. programs. I’m a stay at home mom continuing to raise, now five minor children, all in school now, and in the fall, I can go back with state and federal grants! I so appreciate your compassion and understanding, and please, run for office. It’s people like you who make the difference in our country. If all of you could get together in one place…! “The best way for evil men to reign is for good men to do nothing.” I’m sure I messed up that quote, but please be encouraged to continue all your efforts. I hope the naysayers don’t get to you!
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5 x $4k tax CREDIT = $20k/yr
Grants later in life = who knows
The evil of non-working people stealing from those who do = priceless.
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so people like me, an 18 year old who’s been homeless for months because of my abusive sister shouldn’t get anything right?
i should be on the streets in the winter with no food or any possible way to get into contact with anyone else, hmmm?
i thank God every night for living in an area where i have a placeto sleep and food and people who care about me at night.
it’s lucky we have a government who takes care of us when we’re down.
and for everybody’s information, i had a job but it’s pretty hard to keep if you can’t get to work, have no place to shower and no way to call out.
just thought you should know.
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Well Kels how did you get on the internet to write that heart breaking comment, not. Why should anyone feel sorry for you?
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right on! I lost big time in the stock market, Mutuals investments which are our big bank corps. We bailed them out. I lost my job and living below my means. I have bank creditors hounding my ass for unpaid debt. What gives here. I am totally in agreement with your comment.
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I agree millions are out there milking the system i happen to know of a few people myself that could work if they wanted, and our Government instead of spending millions a year in research of bears should be using that money to weed out the ones that are milking the system or use it to get out all of the illegal immigrants , I’m sick of all these companies hiring illegal immigrants so they don’t have to give jobs to Americans that need them just so they can put billions more in their pockets because they will work for little to nothing just to stay in this country, when we should be looking more out for our own and stop going to other countries to try to help the violence over there or their poor situations when we need help right here at home, and all these countries that we are so eagerly to help wouldn’t piss on us if we was on fire. But as for the cell phones yes a lot of people don’t need them, but like i said i also know people that do, now my sister needs one cause she does try to more than she probably should she still tries to get out and have a walk and don’t like for someone to be with her all the time, but if she to start feeling bad or feeling like she could faint she has to be able to call home, as well as my father who is 63 lost both legs from a work accident he stepped on a wire that went through his boot into his foot which in turn set off a infection that he could not fight and it spread throughout his body and into the other leg and both had to be removed, now workers comp paid for the handles and everything in his van so that he can continue to drive something that helps him feel more independent and that most men have to do(its like if they lose that or their sex appeal they don’t feel like a man..lol) but if he was to get out and the tire blow or engine stop how is a man in a wheel chair with no legs going to change a tire or anything else??? And when you get one of these phones you can’t have a home phone and get help with that to ,you have to pick between one or the other that you want the help with so it pretty much evens out as with a home phone as far as monthly payments because they only allow like 75 mins a month on the cell phone which should be used for emergencies only really,or they will help pay the same amount on a home phone monthly but of course you can use it all the time. So my dad pays for his own house phone and gets the cell phone for when he is out in case he breaks down or something.
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Its the 1% that are milking the system! The rich milk us everyday and its idots like whipper that have allowed it to happen! And remember, this Nation was built by immigrants! My Father got his Citizenship after fighting on the front lines of Da Nang! My grandparents fought in WWII long before the Americans got involved as members of the RAF protecting the world from Hitler! Came to Sates in 63 and got a job with United where they retired! And I know a lot of Mexicans that are “illegal” but WORK HARD and PAY TAXES and get nothing in return because they are not “Legal”! And truth be told they are more American than most of you! People of this country today forget that this nation was built by the Blood Sweat and Tears of HARD WORKING immigrants! They wanna believe that just because they are born here that they are entitled to claim to be a ” REAL AMERICAN!” while they do nothing to help this country grow and prosper! Sittin on their butts complaining! F#@K OFF! What have you done to deserve to be an AMERICAN! Most of the illegals that come over are in search of a better way of life just like our forefathers did! So why are they not entitled to the same pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness?? Its the spoiled generations in this country that are allowing the US to fall behind the rest of the world! If we want to remain a world LEADER then we need to act like it! Just cause we live in this great country does not mean we are better than the rest of the world! And if someone was born in a country were they do not have the same means to provide a good life for their family then why not allow them to come here and work hard! You wanna complain about Gov. handouts, but they dont want to support HARD working immigrants. And let us not forget that here in California where I live was all Mexican land at one point and America took it! Like we deserved it more, and then wanna bitch about letting them come and work the land when lazy freakin “Americans” would never be caught dead workin the fields! Why, “Cause they are above that!” Whatever! You go pick freakin lettuce all day to feed your family and then listen to everyone bitch how some “illegal” helped put food on the table for “Real Americans” and see how you feel!
And by the way, I’m white in case ya couldn’t tell! Not that I am always proud of it!
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WHIPPER, (or is it A** Wiper)
NOW I KNOW YOU ARE A F*&*ING MORON!
And I quote
“As for our soldiers I would rather them come home injured than to not come home at all. A lot of the disable soldiers you see, during Vietnam wouldn’t have made back at all. These soldiers are getting great medical care, you should check out the Fisher House website. The Fisher House is in San Antonio right in front of BAMC.”
You call yourself a soldier???How can you even make a statement like that? Do you have any clue what IED’s are doin to our boys in the middle east? Do you even know any disabled Vietnam Vets?? Why dont you ask them what they think about the care they receive!
I bet you you never served in War time! At least not anywhere near the real action! But you are a freakin republican, so I guess its stupid is as stupid does! Like Bush sending our troops in to WAR and REFUSING to raise the budget for Veteran Affairs! You make me sick! Wanna really make yourself useful to our country?? Go throw yourself on an IED and save a soldier who deserves it!
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John Mitchell you are a A** Clown, so let me get this right you would rather ou soldiers not come home? Our soldiers are returning home with injuries and disablilites that some of the soldiers in Vietnam died from. You know like losing a leg, and femur injuries, the soldiers are surving these attacks now, so yes I would rather them come home injured than not to come home at all. John have you ever sacrificed for this country by the sounds of it you haven’t. You are such a moron, that any soldier that has served since 9/11 is serving during a time of war, I got out in 2005. Shut up, go to your room and color.
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What do you care about IED attacks, have you been to Iraq or Afghanistan? My guess is not, you are to busy complaining about not have healthcare. Get you lazy a** up and join the fight John. You make me sick, you bash Bush fine go ahead, but you current President thinks that Vets haven’t sacrifed enough. The day you bring your a** to Afghanistan is the day I will applaude you.
John you are a idiot, how can one be Illegal and pay taxes at the same time, except for when they buy a gallon of milk, as for paying payroll tax, social security, medicare tax, and FICA, I don’t think so.
And I know a lot of Mexicans that are “illegal” but WORK HARD and PAY TAXES and get nothing in return because they are not “Legal”!
You made that stupid comment.
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Idiot! Lots of illegals have jobs where taxes are takin out!
And some of us are not capable of military duty for reasons beyond our control, but I have served this country many times by volunteering my time and services.
You joined the military to get you out of the ghetto, not cause you are a proud American!
To be an AMERICAN you have to believe in our core beliefs!
WHICH YOU DO NOT!
Like I said, come back to me when you have actually experienced life enough to know what you are talking about!
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What ever reason I joined the Army is none of your damn business, just know that I was fighting in Afghanistan in 2001 while you a** was watching it on tv, oh my bad you where volunteering in the community. As of 2009 I have spent 1100 days in Iraq, ensuring people like yourself live free, and can talk sh*t over the internet.
What job does an illegal have where they pay fica, and medicare? You idiot!!!!
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You joined the military to advance your own career. You’ve already referred to the military as a “job” and have recommended it to others as a source of employment.
You see there are two types of people who join the military. Those who answer the call at war time and feel that it’s their duty to defend the nation, and those who join to advance their personal goals, if a war happens to break out they will still do their part.
You are likely the latter. You have no compassion or sense of civic duty when it comes to even kicking in your share of taxes and we’re expected to beleive that you risk your life for your neighbors? Not likely. You joined the military for your own personal gain. If you happened to actually see combat of some form it was only coincidental.
Also, not every one wears their heart out on their sleeve. You don’t know what other people do for the community so don’t be so quick to act as if you do.
Someone is actually volunteering to work soup kitchens and such, do you think it’s conservatives? every thing revolves around money with people like you. So if you keep bringing up community service around liberals you’re going to get embarassed.
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I doubt I would ever get embarrassed by you. You are damn right if someone wants to better themselves the military is a great place to start but what would you know about that. So sit back shut up and Americans like myself will protect you as all ways.
Don’t worry about why I joined the service, but we know you didn’t, we know you have done nothing for this country except b*tch about conservatives like myself. You are worse than liberal, you are the worst type of American there is. What would you be doing if you wheren’t out pretending to actually care about America. You want to claim you think you know me, go right ahead, what you know about taking care of the man to the right and left of you, what would you know about that?
What would you know about wearing your heart on your sleeve, all you have ever done is sit in America and watch tv while our service men and women where out sacrificing. Liberals like yourself think you are fighting for common Americans by arguing they should get free healthcare, give me a break. Is that what you think civic duty is?
I have already kicked in, I pay my taxes 32% fed and 6% state taxes, what a jacka**. What the hell do you mean I don’t want to kick in my share of taxes, what the hell are you smoking, lay off the crack. As for my civic duty, I did one better I showed my patriotic duty, more than I can say for you.
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Whipper, joining the military to escape the ghetto does not make you a patriot! You need to embrace our values first! Otherwise your just another poor boy escaping poverty on the tax payers dime!
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First off, I have health care. Secondly, I have done more for the fight than most, and you don’t deserve a round of applause for joining the military when you did it as your only option to get you out of poverty. Maybe you should have worked harder in school and tried for West Point, then maybe! You also have no clue the extensive background my family has in serving the people. Military or otrher wise! Dating back to the 1300’s when my Family, Sir William Wallace helped free Scotland from English control to my Father who VOLUNTEERED at 17 to fight with 113th Arty in Da Nang (and he wasn’t even a citizen yet!), my Uncle who served on Hamburger Hill to my cousin who has done 4 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. So excuse me if my medical conditions prevented me from joining the military, even though I tried! I have done my share of service though in ways you will probably never do! Whens the last time you actually helped an injured Vet learn to walk again? Made sure a soldiers kid was takin care of at Christmas? Feed the homeless? Spent your Christmas morning handing out clothes and blankets to the needy with your kid! Cause ya see that is what being an AMERICAN is all about! COMPASSION! Helping your fellow man!
And on top of all that, I worked for several companies doing work for the military, so their my military involvement for your As*!
And you say our current President thinks our soldiers haven’t suffered enough?? Where the hell you get that info? Glenn Beck? Dick Chenney? Name one time where Bush stood on the tarmac as dead soldiers were brought home? Not to mention he is the idiot who sent our Troops to the wrong freakin place to begin with! The additional troops that have been sent by Obama are to ensure the protection and success of our troops already there!
And obviously your are way to outta touch to know that just cause they are illegal does not mean the can not get a job! There are Mexicans who have lived here for generations illegally and have jobs that pay taxes, own homes and contribute to there community.!
But people like you tend to think that just because they are here without proper authorization that automatically they are scum! You as a black man should know what discrimination feels like! But yet you feel that way! SHAME ON YOU!!
I mean, if you really wanted to I guess that under that logic one could argue that descendants of slaves are here illegally too! Bet that ruffles your feathers though!
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I seriously doubt I will ever have to ask you for a fu**ing thing. I am positive I won’t be at the unemployment line anytime soon. As for my insurance I have used it several times for serious medical conditions, and they have never turned me down, so shut up and go color all ready. As for giving a sh*t about this country tell me how have you ever sacrificed this nation, please inform me! I seriously doubt you have ever done anything for America, except complain about how the rich are getting richer.
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Oh you’ll need my help sooner or later. You’re far too stupid to make it on your own for long.
I know you have used your insurance for several serious things already. Whatever fits lier.
As for what I have done for my country, I’ll say this. I take the time to know the issues, get to the truth and make intelligent and informed decisions. What’s more, I have compasion for my neighbors who are also Americans. And in addition to all of this I correct and educate dupes like you online (which should qualify me for a federal grant or something).
I did not however, run around and do push-ups for six months of my life and spend the rest of it acting as if I won the congressional medal of honor.
You chose service in the military as a means to an end. Fine, I have no problem with that. I however had a little more on the ball and a wider range of options and military service would have been a poor career decision.
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I like I told you before I have a great Insurance plan and yes it would fall in the “cadillac” category, and because of that I should pay 40% tax on it, F*ck you, you moronic child. That is argument against people like yourself, because I can afford a good plan I should be taxed for it, basically I should be punished. Oh that really makes me wanna go right out and help the unfortunate. The tax is 40% on “Cadillac” plans
Found this little news article from CBS News, I made sure I went to a liberal news source it. If you don’t want to read the whole article, at the bottom it says “Yet after three years, according to labor unions, the most popular FEHBP plan, a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard plan, would be subject to the Senate Democrats’ proposed 40 percent tax on high-premium insurance plans. The tax on so-called “Cadillac” plans is a key provision in the Senate bill that is expected to be a large revenue raiser. ”
A group of unions released a report (PDF) today showing that the so-called “Cadillac” tax on higher-cost health insurance plans would, after three years, begin to hit the most popular health care plan within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) — ultimately impacting 48 percent of all federal employees and nearly 3.8 million people.
So once again Einstein, you are wrong along with the rest of liberal.
“I never really thought that our Chevy of a plan for federal employee health benefits would be a Cadillac plan,” John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), said on a conference call today.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said the health benefits tax goes back on President Obama’s promise not to tax the middle class.
“The Senate has gone into territory that most certainly will affect the middle class,” he said.
Instead of offering a publicly-run insurance plan, or “public option,” as part of their health care overhaul, Democrats in the Senate are now considering a plan to establish national private health insurance options, which would be administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) — the same bureaucratic office that administers the FEHBP.
Congressmen would be able to tell their constituents “you’re going to get exactly what we have, and that every federal employee has, you can buy into it,” Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) said Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Yet after three years, according to labor unions, the most popular FEHBP plan, a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard plan, would be subject to the Senate Democrats’ proposed 40 percent tax on high-premium insurance plans. The tax on so-called “Cadillac” plans is a key provision in the Senate bill that is expected to be a large revenue raiser.
Starting in 2013, the tax would hit health care plans that exceed $23,000 for a family and $8,500 for an individual. These thresholds would increase annually at the rate of general inflation plus one percentage point — roughly 3 percent a year. Meanwhile, the union report points out, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard plan has increased at an average annual rate of around 9 percent over the last 11 years. At this rate, according to the report, the version of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan that includes vision and dental coverage would be subject to the tax starting in 2015.
What ever insurance plan I have is really none of your f**cking business, how much money I make is none of your f**cking business. From what I can tell you are basically a coward, and should be thanking me for all the freedoms you dirtbag.
Its because of the Military I make 6 figures, and can argue with cowards like yourself. I figured you have never and will never ever sacrifice a damn thing for this country. I bet you think by fighting for people to get healthcare you are sacrificing. You have no Idea how many medals I have, I know how many you have. I joined the Army so cowards like yourself could keep your 1st Amendment Rights, so you can say that we made a poor choice for joining.
Smoking is a choice, if you want to smoke pay the tax, but don’t ask me to flip the bill if you get cancer.
As for free cellphones why don’t we use that money towards healthcare/ I don’t care if it is only costing us a few million, that is a few million that could go towards healthcare. But no pretty much this cellphone idea is a way for Dems to get more votes from us po black folk, and other minorities.
You make stupid ass comments and I quote “I did not however, run around and do push-ups for six months of my life and spend the rest of it acting as if I won the congressional medal of honor”. You are just plan stupid, its not even worth my time arguing with you.
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Which way is it. First you say you did 9 years in the military then you’re a career military man. You should get health insurance through the VA (government run and consistantly rated by the veterans as being better than any other plan public or private) but you purchase a cadillac plan with all of your six figure military pay.
This is nothing new. Almost every online debate I’ve ever had with conservatives turns into some fantastic “straw man” argument in which they use themselves as the straw man.
“Well, I started with nothing and was able to raise fifteen children, put myself and my wife through medical school, then when my wife had cancer I took a second job to cover the 375 thousand dollar medical bill, and blah, blah, blah.”
Phoney bro. Fake. Online conservatives do it all the time. So now I suppose you’ve actually won the Congressional Medal of Honor huh? wouldn’t surprise me.
As for all the “coward” language you’re throwing around I’ll say this, you’re a flame warrior. Really no different than a road rager. You’re safe at home on your PC (or probably a Mac becuase the majority of idiots buy those) and can say what you feel. Just like someone behind the wheel of a two ton car feels incredibly tough. However, when you jump out of your car at a red light, these tough guys start rolling up windows and locking doors. That’s who you are. Your tough and brave as long as no one can get after your soft ass.
You’d say yes sir, and no sir if you were talking to me in person. Count on it. I’ve spent a lifetime exposing tough talking dough boys like you.
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He’s right though isnt he??
You did your AIT and hid in the background while real soldiers protected you!
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The slack hand impoverishes, but the hand of the diligent enriches.
– Proverbs 10:4
The diligent hand will govern, but the slothful will be enslaved.
– Proverbs 12:24
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I could really care less what the Bible says. You quoted a line you thought was from the Bible by mistake. I corrected you. End of discussion.
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Would all the employees of Safelink or their affiliates commenting here please raise your hands?
Thank you.
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Just out of curiosity, how do you raise your hand on the internet?
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You idiot I never said I made the career out of the military, I did 9 1/2 years. Get it straight, you are making a fool out of yourself. Exposing me, don’t think so. I don’t have insurance through the VA, but from what I can tell the VA would be a “cadillac” plan. You are a phony my friend, you want to say you are standing up and fighting for the little man, and down with companies. I bet your wear t-shirts with Che face on the front. STOP DRINKING THE F**KING KOOLIADE BRO!
I thought I wasn’t paying 40% tax on my “cadillac” plan, you where wrong again. Stop making a fool of yourself in front of the entire internet community.
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No I don’t wear Che T-shirts. Mine say “save the Polar Bears… Shoot a conservative” or “The best thing about conservatives is that they don’t live that long”.
And no you’re not paying 40% tax on your health care plan. You’re not paying any taxes. If you’re going to order the premium plan, pay a tax on it. Your tying up medical resources for accupuncture so you should pay something right?
Stop using my lines. Beck doesn’t mind you repeating him so tell us about Obama using on-star to spy on us or something.
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You sure that Whipper isnt Beck?? I’m not!
Sure glad there are guys like you on here too! The IDIOTS of the nation obviously hang out on this site too though!
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you guys have nothing better to do than bitch about america huh?
this site is goin d@wn in 15 hours unless ihatethemedia has anti worm/trojan hybrid software, which noone has think y2k….
yours truly, Th3 L@ughInG mAn p.s. h@h@h@
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Here’s a true story for you.
My nephew and his wife were married with two daughters. Their combined income was roughly 70K a year net. Their marriage was on the skids and they decided to divorce in late 2006. Shortly after the divorce the real estate office in which she worked (and made a little more than half of their income) closed it’s doors and she was put out of work. A short while later he was fired from his IT job because his employer didn’t want to pay un-employment.
Soon afterward she had to file bankruptcy and move out of the home they had purchased when married. She could find no work in real estate and had to take a job making $8 an hour working part time as a secretary at a cemetary. He on the other hand worked two part time jobs one as a laborer on a roofing crew and one as a waiter. Neither one of which paid enough for him to meet his living expenses.
In late 2007 he was forced to file for food assistance benefits so that he could feed his daughters (joint custody, they were with him half the time). After about five months the cemetary let her go and she was once again out of work. It was now her turn to file for food and medical assistance for her daughters.
In early 2008 he landed a job making about 45K a year and is now putting his life back together. She is still struggling but has decided to take advantage of Pell Grants and Stafford loans to further her education (while she made good money as a real estate agent she never actually acquired a college degree. She worked her way to the top). Once the housing market collapsed, she had no marketable skills.
She still receives assistance for herself and has one of these phones. (That’s how I ran across this web site, I was trying to find information for her).
In total my nephew was on food stamps for about three months.
How easy would it be for any of these hard line conservatives to come in at these people’s lowest point and make all of the accusations they make.
1. She’s a whore because she’s not married and has two daughters.
2. He’s a dead beat because he has two daughters and feeds them with food stamps.
3. They shouldn’t have bought a house they couldn’t afford.
4. If she wouldn’t have taken on more than she could pay, she wouldn’t have had to file bankruptcy.
See, if you don’t know the whole story you can be completely wrong about who ends up on welfare or for what reasons. These are two educated, hard working, intelligent Americans who caught some tough breaks and for a short period in their lives they needed the government assistance they have paid into for most of their lives. She is not a whore. She is a hard working dedicated mother who had these children when she was both employed and married to an empoyed husband. He is a former Army Ranger and holds an IT degree and has authored many articles on P.C. and internet security. There is no doubt they will fully recover and move on in time. My nephew is all but caught up now without ever having had to file bankruptcy, she needs a little more time.
But the truth is, they needed government assistance at least this time in their lives.
Judge them if you want, but you are judging them un-fairly and you could find yourself in their position someday.
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Liberals are great, here’s one for you. Liberals luv us po black folk, so much that they fight to ensure po black kids get food stamps, but won’t give same kids school vouchers to attend a better school and end the cycle of poverty.
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Now this pissed me off,
Quoted from Whipper:
Liberals are great, here’s one for you. Liberals luv us po black folk, so much that they fight to ensure po black kids get food stamps, but won’t give same kids school vouchers to attend a better school and end the cycle of poverty.
With spelling correction:
Liberals are great, here’s one for you. Liberals love poor black folks, so much that they fight to ensure poor black kids get food stamps. However, they won’t give the same kids school vouchers to attend a better school and end the cycle of poverty.
That is total BS! This is gonna get really racial really fast so pardon me if I offend you, but it strikes me the wrong way because the blacks that infest the public school system in my area were GIVEN a perfectly good public school. It has air conditioning, modern computers and very well educated teachers that try their damndest to make the best of the rotten eggs their getting these days. Its the integrity of the scum bag motherf***ers that attend the school, who’s only concern is to try and not pay attention, be as unteachable as possible and make the general atmosphere one of gangs, drugs, and, violence. Were not living in Africa, but yet the blacks here brought the tradition of “find em, f**k em, forget em” with them when we brought those nasty f**ks over. I bet our ancestors would have dropped that idea if they could see America today. It is not the teachers fault or under funding, its the blacks and now the “converted” whites that occupy the same school I went to when I was growing up. They trash EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH! Those fu**er’s could tear up a GD ball bearing made from solid diamond if you let them. But oh no it’s the governments fault, it’s the whites fault. No, take a good hard look at Africa, the continent. You know that thing called a land mass that sits up close to Europe and is surrounded by water on the rest of its sides. Just in case some of you didn’t make it out of kindergarten. Look at that dump, its not by some force of nature, or white people invading, no its because the blacks that live there are still stuck in the GD prehistoric ages, and even those slack jaw yokles sit around and look for a hand out. Give me a break, they can build up society just like the rest of the world and make farms, mines, etc. They don’t, by choice, just like the blacks in the states don’t want to work, or pay attention in school.
I see all these blacks in my area getting a free ride to go to college, and you know what they do with that college funding if they get cash? Pay only enough to attend and use the rest on silly trivial and superficial shit like Rims and Car Stereo’s. If I had a fucking time machine I would go back in time and eradicate the entire GD black species before they ever got to the ridiculous population levels that they are at now. And the kids just keep on poppin out. Filty ****** ******s
Unbelievable! The Gall, the Audacity of some of the people of this world, I don’t owe any of you a god damn thing, so don’t even bother trying to get it. I’m glad I don’t have a tax paying job, because it turns my stomach to help those that can but won’t help themselves.
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Britton It’s not BS, I think you missed my point. My point is Liberals would rather give out food stamps and keep people on welfare than to help them get a better education. I don’t like lazy people anymore than you do. I work 24/7 because thats what I am supposed to do as a resposible and able body adult. i pay taxes just to watch it buy cellphones. I don’t want anything from you or anybody else. One other thing there are just as many poor rural white children as there are poor black children. As for the way I wrote the comment, I wrote it that way because Liberals want minorities to stay in there place, stay uneducated, and continue to recieve federal assisstance like cellphones, and welfare. Its all for votes.
As for you iradicating the black species, thats where you lost me. That was a racist a** comment, and BS! I see just as many white people spitting out kids as, the mexicans and blacks, so please include them in your comment.
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Reading you statement you are a racist, enough said.
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I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. If you don’t like our nation full of militant, white hating blacks, don’t blame them. Their ancestors were brought over as slaves and they were mistreated for quite a while after slavery ended.
Don’t get me wrong. I have no love for white hating black people myself. But understand, if roles were reversed we’d hate them.
The real and original creators of this major and unending social problem in the United States is the wealthy.
Regular white people did not own slaves. Wealthy business owners who did not want to pay labor bought and brought slaves here. Their descendants are still with us today. They are the ones hiring illegal aliens for reduced wages, or shipping jobs to China or Korea or Mexico where the pay is almost slave labor.
I agree with every thing you say. Let’s just make sure we remember to blame the people who created this situation to begin with. Those same types are now running the insurance companies.
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Don’t act you understand the plight of black men and women.
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Dont act like you do either! In the era in which you were raised you were granted every opportunity that I was! In fact even more! Companies today are forced or given incentives to hire non-whites just to make blacks feel better about equal opportunity! BS! That only denies my EO! THIS IS 2009 stop using being Black as an excuse!
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I don’t know about where you live but Toledo (where I live) just built all new public schools. I’m not kidding. The city of Toledo has built at least 20 or 30 new schools. All new text books, and all new equipment and materials.
What more do you want? I’m a liberal but I’m also a realist. If the disadvantaged can’t learn in new schools with new text books and computers what more can you do? I’m all for giving people a hand up, but at some point you gotta do your part.
Vouchers are not the solution to the problems plagueing the black community and we both know it. Irresponsibility is your number one problem. Parents (mainly black parents) do not make the effort or do not posess the skills to discipline and raise their children in a proper environment. I have been in many poor white areas and while they don’t have nice cars and beautiful homes, and they don’t have much money, gang violence and drug sales are not prevalent.
Vouchers will not help. It has been shown time and again that black people instead of moving away from the social ills that destroy their communities and schools usually bring those ills with them to a new community. This is at once both politically incorrect, and true. For example there are two high schools in Toledo that were predominantly white up until the late 80’s. The city closed Devilbiss High (almost entirely black) and split the students between two nearby white high schools Start High and Whitmer High. Overnight gang violence and drugs and all the ills that plagued Devilbiss sprang up at Start and Whitmer (both of which were considered two of the better high schools in Toledo). Now, most people would rather not send their kids to either of those two schools.
If black people would actually address and resolve the problems they create for themselves, there are plenty of mechanisms in place for every thing else come together.
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Like I told you before don’t act like you know anything about the problems in the black community.
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Everyone knows the problems with the black community and it’s not the smoke you black people keep trying to blow.
On one hand you say: we need school vouchers, and then when someone questions the practicality of those vouchers you say: don’t pretend to know the problems of the black community. Which is it? you offer one hand to accept help and keep the other clenched in a militant fist.
And do you think the entire nation doesn’t see the problems in the black community? After all you’re not exactly a shy and quiet folk now are you?
That brings up another social ill black people have. If you want to be accepted as equal by the rest of society, then why is it that at every opportunity you try to set yourselves apart from the rest of society? You make yourselves as alien as possible and then wonder why you encounter all these culture clashes. You don’t even make an effort to speak the language. “Who dat wiff he dough” translation: “Who’s with him though?”
Also, you have a culture of embracing every ill aspect of society. Not only do you (as a group) embrace it, you glorify it. Whether it’s pimping hoes, or dealing drugs, or gang participation, or the degredation up to and including the slavery of women you have an entire music (if rap can be defined as such) which glorifies this behavior. You think people don’t see this? You think this is some well kept secret? Everyone knows what black people are into becuase you constantly go out of your way to make sure you are heard.
No one in America has to pretend to know what’s going on in the black community.
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I grew up in and around Oakland, CA. I was one of 3 white kids in my JR High. I am far from racist! But I see truth! And the truth is that if you put 100 blacks in the same place there will be trouble!
The morals and values in the black communities are lacking and have led to a majority of the social issues this country has. With your “Baby Momma” instead of your “Wife” and your passion for street crime. If you really want to make a difference you should join an all black blog site and preach your gospel! Blacks have every opportunity in the World now, look at our President! Its all about changing social behavior and taking advantage of what this GREAT NATION has to offer!
Like I said, I am not racist, but I am prejudice! Unfortunately the facts speak for themselves when it comes to social behavior! Look at all the worst areas in the U.S. and they are black communities. Sorry, but its true!
So if you wanna jump up b**ch about this country, yo should look at your ancestral line! And don’t give me this BS about slavery! The Moors (you know who they are right? Blacks)came into Europe and enslaved them for nearly 800 years! You don’t here them blaming Africans for all their problems still! MOVE ON! Its not about race, its about social responsibility!
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WASHINGTON – Think Medicare is a great deal? Better ask grandma first. Senate Democrats are talking about allowing aging baby boomers into the program, but it’s far from free.
Seniors now on Medicare pay an average of $4,400 a year of their own money for supplemental insurance, premiums, prescription copays, and deductibles for inpatient care and doctor visits.
That’s even after taxpayers pick up most of the cost of covering the elderly. Under one scenario Democrats are considering, people age 55 to 64 would have to pay full freight to join Medicare. Private insurance plans could well be a better deal for them.
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Not true. I am on Medicare. Pay nothing. Pay a small co-pay for most prescriptions. Nothing else. And I am a Grandma.
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Marilyn the artice states that seniors pay $4400 in supplemental insurance, that means addtional insurance. It doesn’t say you pay anything for medicare. It also states that tax payers pick up the tab, and Democrats are considering, people age 55 to 64 would have to pay full freight to join Medicare. Private insurance plans could well be a better deal for them.
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Still, I pay nothing.
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Marilyn I know you don’t pay anything, thats not what the article says. Once again for the seniors in the audience the article says that seniors pay $4400 in supplemental insurance, that means addtional insurance, from one of the insurance companies like Humana.
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My 93 YO grandmother moved here from Germany 10 years ago. Hasn’t worked a day in the US. Hasn’t paid any taxes (other than sales tax), and is fully covered by Medicare. Scooter, dentures, neurologists (Parkinson’s), hearing aids, prescriptions … all paid for by our government. Isn’t it grand? NOT.
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Wow. You’re a wonderful grandson.
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Marilyn from ohio, yes you did pay if you or your husband work you payed in for it every pay check, don’t let these people who don’t understand make you think different. I’m not wishing hurt on any but they make wake up one morning with problems worst than yours, don’t worry about it if your get help, thats why it is there get it if you can.
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My mother is on medicare and never has a problem. She sees any specialist that the doctor she’s had for over 30 years sends her to and pays $2.50 to fill any prescription. Her premiums for Paramount Elite are about $65.00 a month. Doctor visits are $10.00. All medical expenses combined cost my mother less than $1,000.00 a year. That’s no where near what you are claiming.
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That’s what I was trying to say. But I don’t have to pay any supplemental insurance. Don’t need it.
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I wasnt claiming anything, I got the news article from AP.
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Man you guys are killing my email box!
Fun reading though, keep up the freak show!
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Jon you are right having car insruance ins’t in the Constitution, but then again I don’t have to own a car either, as for paying child support in the Constituion, last time I checked a responsible parent was supposed to support their child.
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Yes a responsible parent does pay for their child. But the ones who don’t will have their wages garnished and have their tax returns taken for delinquency.
Not in the constitution, but fair and just is it not?
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By this comment, I take it you think its ok for a parent not to pay child support. I think a parent should have the wages ganished for not supporting their child.
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Where did he say that?? “but fair and just ” is what he said! PUT DOWN THE PIPE!!
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I have all the respect for Veterans. That why I don’t think Vets should have to kick in anymore taxes towards cellphones, healthcare, or any other social program. When is enough, enough.
I would never ask you or anyone else for a round of applause. I would never ask you, the government, or my fellow Americans for anything, that I can’t do myself. I don’t think I should have to pay for others Healthcare, or any other services handout by the Government. I pay 32% in Fed taxes and 6% state, how much more do you want?
You and that other Jon picked a fight with me over cellphones and healthcare. Both of you want American to continue to flip the bill for Social Programs, other American and myself have given enough, how much more do we have to give, I guess you would be happy if I give you a leg or a arm. Maybe then you and the other Liberals will stop asking me and others to kick stop kicking in.
I have never used my skin color as a excuse for anything. When I graduated from Ranger School, I did that not Affirmative Action. I don’t use the race card, my name isn’t Jesse.
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My point is this and only this. I put in just as much if not more than you do. I you do not hear me complaining. Here in the USA we help our fellow man, no matter their plight! It is part of our core values! If ya wanna get pissed about something, get pissed at the ones who are realy causing this mess we are in! THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTES, BIG BUSINESS and CROOKED POLITICIANS! And I don’t care what party they belong too!
You are wasting to much energy being pissed at poor people when the problem lies with the rich. If their was a more even disbursement of profits to the workers, we would eliminate most of the issues you complain about! Instead you let them pull the wool over your eyes while they are pulling the rug out from underneath us all!
Why are you not this pissed off over the fact that banks gave out bad loans and them sold them back to us thru our 401k’s?? Knowing the end result!!
I mean really man! I think you can make better arguments than a a tax you barely notice!
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Excellent post.
Here’s a military analogy for Whipper… It’s like if you were stuck in a fox hole in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by the enemy, getting shelled and about to have your position overrun, and the guy next to you just will not shut up about the mosquitos.
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Do you think I barely notice writing a check for over 10K, when I pay my taxes. No no, I notice that right off the bat.
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I am not even arguing with you anymore, you are pretty much a coward.
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Yep I escaped the ghetto on the tax payers dime, not your dime of course, just to pay them back ten folds. Why didn’t you the join the service again, oh yeah because of health issues, thanks for lighting my wallet, to pay for your med bills. Know you want even more of my money, well you can have it once you pry it from my cold dead hands.
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I have been payin taxes since before you realized the ghetto sucked! So ya it was my dime! And if you would of read what I said all the way you would have read that I have health care, bought and paid for!
But I must say, that sentence you wrote says it all! You would rather die for your dollar than help your fellow man. Typical of a black man. Sad, but true!
What next, ya shoot me for my Nikes or jack me for my rims?
Its only money man! And you cant take it with you when you die!!
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I am not mad at poor people, I am mad at social programs. I can’t even refinance, because I have actual paid my mortgage on time, and I am not delinquent, but some people not all but some got into homes they could not afford from the gate, but they can refinance. Thats just one of the reason people like myself are mad, at all of these social programs. When does the government say enough with the social programs. The state of Massachusetts was giving away cars to the poor, here is the article if you don’t believe me
Gov. Deval Patrick’s free wheels for welfare recipients program is revving up despite the stalled economy, as the keys to donated cars loaded with state-funded insurance, repairs and even AAA membership are handed out to get them to work.
But the program – fueled by a funding boost despite the state’s fiscal crash – allows those who end up back on welfare to keep the cars anyway.
My gripe isn’t with you it’s with our government, programs like this is basically away for them to get votes. The politician can stand up in front of the poor and “say see, what I did for you” now vote for me, I will get you even more the next time, all at the expense of the US tax payer.
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Wait….so your issue is you bought a home you cant afford and are mad because you cant refi because of a 20 year old program to give people phone service??
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Whipper you are very negative, as well as hateful person. You have a temper and can not even voice your own opinion without you calling someone a name, or using foul language. Those who think they are on top and think they are better then the person sitting next to them, will one day find themselves in their shoes. Don’t ever think you are better than next person. You do not know people situations, you do not them personally, and darn sure is not going to help them better themselves, so what is the big fuss about? You are a soilder, yeah you over there fighting for your country which is a good thing. But guess what, how you think the US and the citizens would feel or react to you getting killed in combact? Your just another dead soilder for all they care. The same way how you feel about the needy, is the same way how the people and the government is looking at you another soilder over there fighting and if he comes home alive most likely he or she is going to be mentally unstabled and physcotic and most vunerable to get on drugs and become an alcholic. I see your kind all the time. They come home and think the world revolves around them because they served our country and shouldn’t have to work anymore, people should respect them. They be drugged up, drunk, and have to go to rehab and counseling. They getting the same benefits just like everyone else. Get some help.
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Don’t blame the people, blame the Government.
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Mya read some of the other comments that where directed towards me, before you judge me. As you will see, I wasn’t the first to start the name calling. I know two wrongs don’t make a right but, but I refuse to belittled.
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Well you don’t have to read my comments to begin with. Second the 1st amendment grants me right to voice my opinion whether you like it or not.
I don’t hardly think the world revolves around me at all. I have some things to be as you say hateful about. I pay 32% to the fed, I don’t see you pumping your fist about that, actually it’s 35%, but what is 3 measly percent. I pay 35% just to see my money wasted on social programs like cash for clunkers, but that is OK with you. You don’t have a clue about how I feel about the needy, I haven’t made one comment stating that I despise the poor or needy, check my post. what I have written is that I don’t think myself and other Americans should pay for other people healthcare. You want to find fault in me, find fault in your Congress, and Congressmen like Charles Rangel, he can’t pay his taxes, so do you think he is gonna pay for Americans to have Healthcare out of his pocket, don’t think so.
I will say this one more time, I haven’t asked for a damn thing from my country, or the American Tax payer. I don’t even want you to say thank you, I could care less what any American thinks of me. At the end of the day all I want is my Liberties, and they are slowly being stripped away.
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No one is offering a thank you. Every one does their part. True, some more than others. But don’t act like you’re the only person in the world who has to kick-in.
And no, your liberties are not being taken away. We have had doom sayers since society began. How about watching a little MSNBC in between your Beck sessions. I can assure you it will be enlightening. You see instead of just saying things and sticking pictures on a chalk board, the people at MSNBC actually bring the evidence to support their claim (or refute Beck’s as is most often the case). If all you watch is Fox you are going to have a very dismal view of the future.
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Isn’t Maddow on MSNBC, I think I will stay with Beck.
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No John I can afford both my house payments, but why not take advantage of low interest rates DUH!!!
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I grew up in Richmond Ca, and don’t blame a person for anything. IF you want a better life get out there and make something of yourself, this is America, you can be what ever you want to, but I don’t feel the need to pay for it.
I don’t care for affirmative action I despise it, I don’t care for social programs either.
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i got a safelink phone and i dont even need it, i got it so that i could sell it.if you was so smart you would do the same and not bash the goverment for finally giving something away for free.how stupid does that sound i’m mad at the goverment because they are giving me something for free.and i filled out my fafsa form.haha
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you’re a f@*#in idiot.
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I bet with that attitude and that mouth, finding a job must be especially hard. Ah, but it’s everyone else’s fault. Please continue to cry me a river.
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Have a Merry Christmas Okay. Happy New Year.
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I love how some people refer to the Safelink program as “an Obama phone.”
WTF?
The program’s been in effect for 25 years and finally recognizes the reality of cell phones as a viable option for communication.
And the phones themselves are cheap, low-end devices, but the right wing echo chamber rails against this because of the perception that cell phones are somehow “luxuries.”
Crazy.
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I got mine because I by no fault of my own became permently disabled and ended up with a small monthly state disability check and only survive on those benifits like public housing and government healthcare. a phone does come in handy in this day and age and unlike the landline version of lifeline where your required to get a $50 a month phone line for about $15 per month discount you get the safelink phone and minuites free and just pay for what you use above. I know a few seniors and some other disabled people in a group that im involved with that also have safelinks as social security checks dont buy us a VIP lifestyle..
HOWEVER… as I said Im in public housing so I live with a great deal of system milkers who just refuse work even eable bodied and ALL have cell phone plans and high end handsets, one even has 4 plans and boasts of $300-500 monthly bills including downloads. they even get their kids on plans with texting, internet, cameras and downloads on the latest in pocket fashion accessory phones to go with name brand clothes and shoes, one 9 year old kid called my safelink phone junk and pulled out a I-phone, so I know for fact none of them would be at all happy with a featureless basic phone just for the sake of a hours call time as the phone itself would drop their street cred down the toilet.
It begs me to wonder how some people get free rent but pay 3-500 on a phone and drive a caddy with special pimp rims and custom paint or in the case of another poorhouse neighbour who drives a late model SUV or even another one with 4 cars all for 1 person all with no visable means of support but im sure the safelink does not look hot enough to sit on the custom leather seats and since it does not come with a camera so they can make the car or in the case of one poorhouse neighbor’s big flatcreen tv and high end internet enabled video gaming systems for its wallpaper it will not fly for their high end tastes
so as far as I know only the retired and disabled people use the phone but maybe we should just give up on social security and do what they do to afford such a luxury lifestyle and expensive tastes..
but as far as the phone goes I dont think anyone has to worry about the system users taking advantage of this one unless they start giving I-phones out
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OH MY GOD. You have got to be kidding me. This is a joke. Let me tell you all something. You can say what the f@$! you want to. I live in poverty. I have all my life. Its’ not my fault. There just aren’t any jobs. I don’t milk the system. The government phones are good for people that don’t have the means to get one. They are very good in case of emergencies. Until you have lived in poverty you don’t understand. You don’t know how hard it is to tell your own child that you don’t have enough money to buy them a cheeseburger. I just got my Associates Degree and I did get grants from the government. I don’t give a damn what any of you say about poor people. I am a minority. All the racial comments were just not necessary. I though we were past all the racism. It disgusts me to know that there are people out there like that. How can you turn a discussion about a phone into something so racist? I think you all should get a life. Until you have lived in my shoes or someone else who lived in poverty, you can’t say shit about them. You’re all a bunch of jerks that don’t deserve the breath you just took.
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“Until you have lived in poverty you don’t understand….You don’t know how hard it is to tell your own child…”
Stop right there… Read that, and tell me what’s wrong with that sentence. Then you can resume…
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Theres nothing wrong with that sentence. You piece of shit. People like you make me sick. You think you got everything. You ain’t got nothing. I’m proud of how I live. If you don’t agree with what the government is doing with these phones, stay off the website. Simple as that. You must want one of the phones and can’t get one. That what it is? I won’t give you the pleasure of arguing with you. You’re not worth it. I’m going to sleep good tonight. What about you? I keep my head held high. You’re no better than I am. You breathe the same air and bleed the same color blood. You need the same organs as I to stay alive. Have a nice night okay. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you get everything you ever wanted. Have a blessed one.
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Wow… so much conflict. This folks, is called class warfare. This is what this country is coming to. Those that have, and those that don’t – and boy are they pissed. Disgusted, I wish you well, but with your attitude and language, you’ve done nothing to prove your point. I don’t feel I’m better than most, but you, I’ve got you beat with both hands tied behind my back. You’re full of piss and vinegar. If only you took some of that “poor me” energy and actually put it into PRODUCTIVE output, you might just join those that have.
No as far as the “you ain’t got nothing”… Yea, I have grammar and spelling skills. Obviously, you don’t.
And lastly, me staying off the websites doesn’t somehow stop these programs. Your logic is a little flawed, but then again, maybe that explains your current position. Merry Christmas to you too…
BTW, my point to your sentence was “Poor me, I’m in poverty… BUT I HAVE CHILDREN”. Still don’t see the conflict? Of course not. Breed away.
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Fedup, liberals will never get the point. The impoverished don’t understand that social programs are nothing more than modern day slavery.
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That reminds me of a quote I read the other day…
“Gold is the currency of Kings, silver is the currency of Gentlemen, barter is the currency of peasants, and debt is the currency of slaves.”
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I personally like the program and use it myself. i’m a disabled vet , and trying to seek SSI assitance thru the govt. which is a real task !
Anyway to get to the heart of the subject , I called into ’support’ because my 68 mins didn’t show up on for the month. It seems ’support’ for these phones are being farmed out overseas ! ( I should have asked where he was and will call back for verification of my acusation )
i’d be lost without service provided by Safelink but will be dissapointed if support is farrmed out oversea.
I know the govt. is deeply in debt and anything to provide a service like this is greatly appreciated but many of the unemployed here would love a job like ’support’ . I’m sure the cost is a lot less expensive using a foriegn country but this seems just another reason of explaining the high unemployment rate here.
PS I sure hope they don’t track me down and cut my cellphone service for this post ! I’ll verify later of if some one already knows , plz let us know if ’support’ is overseas , ty
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Funny stuff. When my job wasn’t enough to pay my phone bill I got a part time job. I support my stay at home wife and 3 kids without any sort of assistance. We have no internet,cable or video games simply because necessities dictate my spending habits.I know from personal experience that a lot of the POS who get hand outs have nice TV’s with cable, internet access and expensive cars. Our gov’t is just rewarding bad behavior. I’m sorry but if your poor enough to take a hand out maybe you should cancel the satellite and give your kid supplemental education so they will be better off.
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Touche, Borrego, Touche.
My wife comes from a family so poor – deliberately poor – I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of where she is today considering her roots.
Her dad got married in the Seminary. Despite having no real income (potential or otherwise), he [i]chose[/i] to get his new wife pregnant. Not once, but FOUR times. At times, they had so little money, he literally had to catch fish in the river behind his single-wide dumpy trailer to feed his kids. The trailer was ‘lent to him” from other church members. They also dropped off food at the door to support him.
The bathroom in the mobile home had no floor… roaches crawled everywhere inside the walls. My wife was traumatized. Dad was happy being poor, living on the hand outs of his parishioners – calling it’s God’s way of keeping him wanting. Whatever.
Fortunately, he did instill in all of his children the need for education. My wife used that inspiration to move through High School with straight A’s, and qualified for the Bright Futures Scholarship. That paid for about 70% of tuition and room and board. As her boyfriend, I picked up the rest. Together we got her through undergrad debt free. My income was low… $14k to $30K for the first 4 years of our marriage.
Then with her persistence she tried to get into medical school. Failed, tried again. Faild, Tried again. The third time was teh charm. We took out $50k in loans (eligible due to fantastic credit scores because we were living well within our means. It wasn’t easy, but it was doable.
At the end of med school, as a Medical Doctor, I was SOOO proud of her (and still am). There she started her ER residency training. She’s now in a field where she loves to be. After next year, she’ll be offered a job with any local hosptial. For Level 1 Trauma, that would start at $285k/yr. Thats 16 shifts, 8 hours long each, each month. So she could work 16 shifts straight through, and get 14 days off – every single month. With a few extra shifts, it’s not unheard of to exceed $400k per year.
So why did I ramble on about this? Because, we started poor. The poorest of the poor. My fist cell phone had 15 minutes of talk time per month and I made it work. I was living within my means.
With determination, inspiration and integrity, any one of us here – old, young, black or white, poor or rich, can achieve this dream. We did it. And neither of us had a hand out from our family or our government.
Do not give up on your potential. Too often we get distracted by these issues, and we aim our anger towards each other, rather than the problem – which is this cancer amongst us.
The social programs reward bad behavior. I’m sure in theory offer some benefit – but at what expense.
God I’m rambling. My Ambien kicked in too fast. Goodnight all.
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Social programs are nothing more than modern slavery. The politicians now that if they continue to hand out food stamps, cell phones, cars, welfare, and other government assistance that the impoverished will continue to vote for them.
This is what Obama wants, he wants Americans to have to come to the Government for everything. No individual thinking, or effort. These liberals want a social utopia, where individual thought is a thing of the past. Health care is just the first step, next is cap n trade , or better yet cap n tax. If cap n trade passes people think they are struggling now wait until when every time you turn on a light switch you are taxed.
How in the hell is the government going to mandate a person have health care? If a person can’t afford it now, how will they afford the fines?
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Obama isn’t handing anything out to people. Geez. That program existed long before he came into office. Do some research before spouting a bunch of right-wing garbage out of your hateful mouth.
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Those of you who are either ignorant or misinformed, reading is fundemental. These phones are not provided by the government and in fact this was a hold over from the Reagan Administration. But then I suppose that was a fact that got lost on this site!
There is no “Obama phone” or other newly created federal program to provide free cell phones. As you may know, this is a myth that is now circulating on the Web via email and blog sites. It has been thoroughly debunked by independent groups. (See for example: FactCheck.org at http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/the-obama-phone/, which notes: “Low-income households have been eligible for discounted telephone service for more than a decade. But the program is funded by telecom companies, not by taxes, and the president has nothing to do with it.”
The federal “Lifeline” program was created during the Reagan Administration. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced under Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC’s Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at just, reasonable, and affordable rates. Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers’ monthly charges for basic telephone service.
Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline — a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Lifeline service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, three-way calling, call waiting, caller ID and access to 911.
SafeLink phones are not paid for by taxpayers or the federal government. TracFone Wireless pays for the phones and also the cost of promoting its SafeLink program to make sure that eligible consumers know about the program.
SafeLink Wireless is making the vision of universal access to telecommunications services for all Americans a reality. As of October 2009, SafeLink has over 2 million customers and is available in 19 states – Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin – and the District of Columbia. Today, there are over 1,700 companies in the United States currently providing discounted telephone service. But, thanks to its extensive outreach promoting SafeLink, TracFone Wireless is one of the largest providers of Lifeline services in the United States, second only to AT&T.
Only certain Americans are eligible for SafeLink. Eligibility guidelines vary by state but in general individuals qualify if they participate in a public assistance program such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), National Free School Lunch, Federal Housing/Section 8 Assistance, or if they do not receive any of these public assistance programs, they may also qualify based on total household gross monthly income. Customers can learn more or apply by calling 1-800-SAFELINK or visiting http://www.SafeLink.com
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These free phones are not top of the line latest model phones like blacberry’s and iphones. They are cheap ass phones that don’t do anything but make phone calls. No camera, no internet access, no text messaging. And all they give you is 71 minutes a month. This program is not even paid for by the government and it says that right on their website. It is provided by Tracphone and all the phones are refurbished phones
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My daughter in law told me about this phone to be used for emergencies. I am a disabled widow on very low soc sec, own my own 78 mobile home and have a car that is an ‘88 caddy (was my mom’s and i got it when she passed). Seldom leaves the driveway, (gas [prices out of this world) but i still have to pay insurance on it. i do have Medicare and Medicaid and have to pay some co pays ; also do get a little bit on bridge card which helps. Having this phone could really be a blessing to me. It would help me not to be so nervous about trying to go to the doctor by myself. I JUST WISH THAT SPRINT WOULD GIVE SOME DISCOUNT TO THE ELDERLY, DISABLED, LOW INCOME FOLKS. aLSO, WOULDNT IT BE GREAT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE CONSUMERS BILL? i KEEP MY HEAT AT 65 (AND FREEZE) AND MY BILL THIS MONTH IS OVER 250 DOLLARS. So, i sit and wonder….how can i pay my lot rent (over 300), consumers, (270), and my phone/internet/cable when my soc sec is just over 600 (no raise this year either), plus pay my car insurance, house insurance, and non-food things like tp, toothpaste, etc? Yes, i do have internet and cable.(so far)for the tv and laptop my son got me a few years ago before he was laid off..that is what i do in lieu of entertainment, plus reading LIBRARY BOOKS and knitting. No, i dont go running out for fast food or to movies, etc. Actually, i feel very blessed. I really love our country….warts and all. Regarding racial stuff, it is pretty easy for me to enjoy friendships with “people of color” since i have grown up “mixing in” with all kinds of people who have accepted and loved me. Being part Native American helps and being related to some “minorities” who have been such blessings makes it normal for me. It saddens me to see people on here so angry, but i know that with our economy like it is now, people are angry (and underneath that is fear), wondering what will happen to our country. In some ways, the problems our country is facing now have “leveled the playing field”…..(eg.), people who used to work in shops and made lots of money and looked down at others in the grocery line with food stamps…….are now losing their homes and having to reach out for assistance. WHEN THE GOV’T WANTS TO CUT EXPENSES, ONE THING I WONDER IS WHY THEY NEVER CUT FROM THE TOP….ONLY FROM THE BOTTOM? mAYBE IT IS BECAUSE THOSE ON THE BOTTOM HAVE NO WAY TO FIGHT BACK?
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Problems with Safelink Wireless . Its own by Tracfone wireless Inc
9700 NW 112th Ave Miami FL 33178. Phone 303-640-2000
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This country was founded under one simple premise. If you wanted to eat, you had to work. No Lords or Dukes or Kings or Princes. You worked and provided for yourself. What happened? I personally know people who can’t afford and don’t have a cell phone. 20 years ago there was no such thing, now poor people can’t live without one? Nonsense.
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whipper and anyone who agrees with whipper
IS AN IMMATURE LOSER SITTING ON HIS MISERABLE @SS ALL DAY BEING A NOBODY & DOING NOTHING.
HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE USA OR THE PEOPLE , OR ABOUT BUILDING OUR COUNTRY BACK UP EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE.
TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY UP, THE PEOPLE NEED TO BUILD UP AS WELL TOGETHER, UNITED. EVERYONE MATTERS NOT ONLY THE RICH WHO MOSTLY JUST SIT BACK & REAP THE REWARDS OF OTHER PEOPLE’S LABOR, EVERYONE.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT “MILK” THE SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM HAS LITTLE TO NOTHING TO MILK.
THANK GOD WE DO HAVE A GOVERNMENT WHO AT LEAST DOES TRY TO HELP THE POOR OR THOSE WHO ARE A LITTLE LESS FORTUNATE, LOOK AT ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY HAITI WHERE THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS ALL MONEY AND RESOUCES FOR THEMSELFS, WHO DONT GIVE A PENNY OR A DAMN ABOUT THEIR PEOPLE WHO DIE IN POVERTY WHEN ALL THEY REALLY NEED IS SIMPLE FOOD,WATER,SHELTER & BASIC MEDICAL NEEDS.
THANK GOD FOR EVERYONE WHO SERVE AND HAS SERVED, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE MILITARY, NO MATTER WHAT THATS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO & I AMONG MANY OTHERS COMMEND EVERYONE OF THEM.
THE REAL LIFE IN EVERY ASPECT ALL AROUND THE WORLD IS GOING ON AND HERE YOU ARE B..CHING ABOUT A LITTLE MEDIOCRE GOVERNMENT CELLPHONE , I BET IF IT WERE UP TO YOU NO ONE WOUID GET ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AT ALL, WELL THANK GOD ITS NOT UP TO YOU, YOUR SELFISH WAYS AND OPINIONS DO NOT MATTER, YOU JUST REALLY WANT ATTENTION BUT YOU NEED TO USE ALL YOUR LOST EFFORT TO GO DO SOMETHING WORTHY AND USEFULL WITH YOURSELF.
GO SEARCH FOR THE “MEANING OF LIFE” OR SOMETHING.
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Amber I refuse to even reply back to your left wing luanacy. The bottom line for me and many others is we refuse to pay for other people’s cell phones, health care, and other social programs. So go and color now.
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i think that its stuid that the gov’t can track us on our cell-phones they should go to jail
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People need to mind there own business for the fact YOU must have to cry about anything that don`t bring in money for you..YOU know the rich idiots that can go out and do what you want to and not worry about it well I`m on disability and I can`t get a cell phone and needed one in case I need help.. I did go to the web page and they sent me a FREE PHONE it`s not a scam and for your info I pay my bills yes some people don`t but you need to get the info right before you go of running you mouth about other people It says in the bible we don`t judge people only he can judge us so if you don`t like it keep you 2 cent`s out of it like a the little spoiled brat you are I so sick of the rich trying to get richer on piss on the ones that don`t have a lot and it`s people like you can`t don`t want to help anyone but you`r self SO let me tell you one thing GOD is real and HE helps the ones that need it so you and you`r rich bud`s need to read the bible and learn somethings about love,helping and forgiving. So why don`t you Just start a CRY BABY school for the rich and you so you all can be IN the same boat to HELL.. Maybe you can find GOD and let him in you life and he will forgive you for judgment you have made on other people…..
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I was a welfare worker for years. Yes, the poor love expensive electronic toys. Nevertheless, subsidized phone service has existed as a government program for years.
People on food stamps, other programs, and under a certain income level have been eligible for partially subsidized landline phones for years. If you give the poor certain liberties, like an old fashioned SW Bell phone with long distance, they will run up all kinds of long distance bills.
The phone companies really liked that. Then the phone companies could cut them off and extort large fees and deposits to restore service. It must have been quite profitable for them. Oh sure, if the poor are dumb enough to fall for that, let them. I agree with that partially.
Tracfones now be utilizes the same program, but at 100% subsidy, no taxes, and 68 to 80 free minutes per month. A recipient may have more minutes, but must prepay for them, and it is therefore not a sinkhole trap.
Ensuring that the poor get their 68 to 80 minutes gives them some security in making nonemergency phone calls, like to their doctors.
From personal experience, let me assure you that all of the classic landline companies rip off the poor on the subsidized phones. Tracfone is not doing that kind of ripoff game. They are provding a flat free service with the option to buy more.
I don’t need any lectures about being on Soc Sec disbility, public housing, and getting a small amount of food stamps now. I support the military, yet my health was not good enough for the military, and I did not get government aid to pay for my bachelor’s degree.
I’ve been going through sheer heck with getting a subsidized landline. I fired AT&T, who I could normally get a subsidized decent phone with for about $25 month. When my assistance stops, I always have heck reinstating it. AT&T would then refigure the past months service and send me on bill for about $70 the month after it stopped with no real explanation.
My second landline company gave me a subsidized phone, then my features of call waiting and call holding suddenly disappeared without warning. Company 2 claimed they told me in the beginning that the speical features were only valid for 1 month. This was not clear when I signed up. I also never received an info brochure. Complaining to my state utility board got me nowhere.
So I went to landline Company No. 3 who offered me 45 free days services plus taxes, of course. I did not get my low income discount for 60 days, even though they told me I did not have to do anything extra to get it when I signed up. More surprise bills!
So I was about ready to stick with my computer’s MagicJack and a cheap Net10 cell phone.
Then I found another company to give me free landline service for 30 days, then set up my low income line. I’m still with them.
Meanwhile, I got a much cheaper VOIP line to go with my Magicjack and seldom-used cellphone. Also, I’ve discoved much cheaper ways to call on the night. I have cable internet. Takes a while to investigate the cheapies. Google Voice is part of what I’m doing, but it’s rather complicated.
Now, Tracfone Safelink has come to my state, and I’m going to port my landline number to it and fire the landline companies.
I see that Tracfone is providing a no-nonsense basic service, and it includes caller ID on its cheapest phones, with the option of prepaying for more. And no surprise bills!
The landline companies have been exploiting the poor for years! I like what Tracfone is doing!
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There might be a lot of taxpayers out there that don’t want to pay for the poor out of their own pockets but did you ppl ever consider the fact that those people and their children would starve to death or die of something as minor as the flu because they dont have any healthcare or money. You people should want to help the needy! What if you were the one with three kids(all under four yrs old) by the time you were twenty yrs old? Wouldnt you want help? you cannot work, go to school and me a fulltime mommy, there is just no way! If I were a millionair, I would go to stores and buy stuff specifically for the needy and homeless. Blankets, coats, food, water, etc… These people need help. A lot of those “users and abusers” are veterans that were injured in combat and cannot work anymore and single parents and rape victims that ended up pregnant while they were homeless and starved throughout the entire pregnancy and they are malnourished and mistreated. These are the people that need the money from the taxpayers so do NOT complain about paying taxes! If you were in these peoples situation, you would want help too! And a lot of these ppl can’t get jobs just because they made a bad choice in life and got arrested for something stupid like stealing a pen from Walmart or something. HOW WOULD YOU PPL LIKE IT IF YOU WERE THE ONES THAT WERE RAPED IN THE ALLY THAT YOU WERE JUST TRYING TO GET SOME SHUT EYE IN?!?! It is not fair to have to pay for other families food and supplies but, you ppl should want to help them. the are only human and they are stuck on this earth just like you. Thes people end up killing themselves all of the time because they cant get out of the system. the dont want your money, they need it. SO STOP YOU WHINING YOU GREEDY BASTARDS! btw, i am the single mom of three and my kids are all under four years old. i dont believe in abortion so i had all three of them. yes it ruined my life but im not a murderer. yes i get money from the government, yes i dropped out of school, call me a loser and a quitter and whatever else you want but in the end were all the same. we are all organisms that must servive by helping eachother. i have dedicated my life to my kids and im happy to do so. i cant get a job because i cant afford a car, if i dont have a car, i cant work nights or go to night school and if i didnt get money from the government, i wouldnt even be able to buy diapers for my 1 month old… w/o the government imy kids wouldve starved to death. SO BACK OFF PPL! u dont mess w/ the poor. they dont care what happens to them. if they have already hit rock bottom then they have nowhere else to go but up… so dont talk about them the way you are saying that theyre scamming and using the government. they are doing what they have to for their families and what they can to survive.
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Don’t be ignorant. Go read the website. The program wasn’t even started by Obama. REAGAN started it more than a decade ago. They just recently allowed TracFone to have a contract to provide the phones. Your tax dollars aren’t going to ANYTHING. The company is footing the bill.
Maybe you should be more concerned about your tax dollars going to pad the pockets of AIG executives, and not be so angry that people who can barely afford to keep food on the table for their children will now be able to have a mobile phone to keep themselves and their kids safe.
I hope that all of the people who are complaining about this program never fall on hard times, because it’s not pretty sitting on the other side of the fence all of a sudden.
Grow up. And help other people, you selfish, selfish individuals.
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I am tired of hearing the sob stories, people have been getting by without cell phones and cars for years. There is no need for the Government to provide these services for people.
All you liberals can call me selfish and what ever other names you can think of, the bottom line is, in America you can be what ever you what to be, there are hundreds of opportunities to make it without Government programs.
No go and cry me a river about how you lost your job, and bush is to blame after a year of Obama being in Office.
I never once said this program was started by Obama, I really don’t care who started it.
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To whom it may concern,
You know reading your comment really hurts my heart and gives me even less hope and faith in people than I already have. It sounds like to me that you make too much money (with your spouses’ income included) to qualify for anything program that may help you…. I dont know your situation, but you seem like you are very bitter about something!!!!! This program has helped me in so many ways, you could imagine how many times I have had an emergency and not had a phone. I have worked hard my whole life, instilled a hard working ethic in my children, and I am now disabled. I dont make enough money to even feed myself. Your gonna bitch about a pissy little program, that I assure you the Government does not put much into it. Tracphone makes money on the extra minutes that people purchase on top of the free minutes. Someone is making money on this or they would never do it. Check your facts before you accuse the unfortunate of mooching. Why dont you worry about how we can fix this nation after ten years of the Republicans running it into the ground, and rewarding the fortuate. You my dear friend are clueless!! Have a blessed day!
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“Why dont you worry about how we can fix this nation after ten years of the Republicans running it into the ground, and rewarding the fortuate.”
Uh, that’s exactly what we’re doing.
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thank you all thats taking the time out to help the needed ones….may God bless you all…..
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First of all… you guys are wrong about Safelink. This is not a government funded program. Please read this information stated on the Safelink website…
The federal “Lifeline” program was created during the Reagan Administration. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced under Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC’s Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at just, reasonable, and affordable rates. Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers’ monthly charges for basic telephone service.
Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline — a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Lifeline service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, three-way calling, call waiting, caller ID and access to 911.
SafeLink phones are not paid for by taxpayers or the federal government. TracFone Wireless pays for the phones and also the cost of promoting its SafeLink program to make sure that eligible consumers know about the program.
Full link: https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/benefits.aspx
You learn the facts before you post about them.
Start a program to help people with minimal experience get jobs. That would solve a huge problem right there.
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HireMePlease:
Read your own post. “Lifeline is a federal program …” That means taxpayers pay for it.
” SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund …” the Universal Service Fund is another tax on your phone bill. If you don’t think it is, call your telephone company and tell them you don’t want to pay for it … that you don’t want the service, and see what they have to say about that.
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The TV commercials start off with “Safelink, a government sponsored program…”
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I don’t care who started the program. All you folks that think that our tax dollars aren’t paying for this you are wrong. Any social program is paid for by tax payers, what do you think safe link is doing this out of the kindness of their hearts, no they are receiving tax dollars, to make this affordable.
When did having a cell phone get you a job? People have been making it in this country without cellphones for years, just because it’s 2010 doesn’t give anyone the right to a cell phone.
I don’t like social programs, it makes modern day slaves out of people.
Why do Liberals feel the need to take from one group or people to give to another group of people. Well you can’t have my money, or my home.
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Whipper
I have read many of your comments, especially regarding military service. I served over 30 years, including Vietnam, Desert Storm/Desert Shield because I love this great country. I happen to be a liberal who believes in defending our nation while having compassion for those less fortunate; I think that is also how Jesus lived and the Bible says we should follow him.
Don’t be a hater; yes there are some who abuse the system but there truly are many more who really need help. I have no problem paying taxes because it ensures our nation stays strong in all areas not just defense. This ntion is only as strong as all of its parts are made whole so each can contribute his or her max ability.
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You are right Retired Liberal, I hate social programs, so I guess that does makes me a hater. The great thing about America is everyone has choices, but some choose to have kids they can’t afford, and then look towards the Government for support, well here is an idea don’t have kids you can’t afford, what a concept. I don’t believe in social programs, you can be what ever you want in America, just don’t use me and othesr as your piggy bank to do it. Many Americans become successful without social programs to help them.
As for paying taxes you sound like Biden when he said paying taxes is patriotic, what a stupid statement. Well if that is the case tell Rangel, Giethner, and Stark to pay their taxes.
Social Programs=modern day slavery
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ok everyone needs to stop hatin.
I am a 21 year old single parent who cannot afford a phone.
I AM working and i AM paying taxes and have been all these years
of working. I get a medical card for my son, so therefore i qualify
for one of these phones. You can’t say that YOU are paying for this and the people who are getting the phones aren’t because i am a taxpayer as well.
Why does it matter to you anyways? Just something to argue about i guess.
And I agree with whoever said you should move to a diff country where nobody cares about each other.
What if i was in an accident in the middle of nowhere and something happened to my 2 year old son and i had no phone?
You would rather him suffer and not be able to get to a hospital
then for me to have a phone thats coming out of MY taxpaying dollars?
Thats horribly sad.
You should just be happy that you make enough money to where
you don’t need one of these phones, because others aren’t so lucky.
There is nothing wrong with the government trying to help ppl for once.
And for me being a taxpayer, i think i deserve something like this for the safety of my son.
You can’t say that if you were in my shoes and were only working part time
raising a toddler who you worry about constantly,
that you would turn down a free phone.
I’m sad that people like you exist in this world.
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No, I’d rather that no one have kids when they can’t afford a phone or medical care for their kids.
I’d love to see your W2 vs. your 1040. I’m sure if you have a child who is being subsidized by the government, your annual income is so low, you don’t pay any taxes at all (other than sales tax). In fact, I’d bet that with the child tax credits and other hand outs, you actually MAKE money from the tax system.
Personal decisions. At some point you decided to get pregnant – or had an ‘accident’, despite your inability to pay. These are DECISIONS. You now have difficult consequences because of your decisions – and you expect the rest of us to take care of you and your child. And those who don’t want to are evil, right? Lovely outlook on life. Glad I can help.
To quote you: I’m sad people like you exist in this world, too.
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“Don’t Worry Be Happy” Don’t get your blood pressure up you might have a heart attack or a stroke. WORRY ABOUT GETTING YOUR LIFE IN ORDER BEFORE THE END OF THIS SYSTEM OF THING END, AMARGEDDON IS COMING AS IN THE BIBLE HARMAGEDDON. IF YOU DON’T LISTEN TO SOMEONE RIGHTIOUS KEEP LISTENING TO SATAN THE DEVIL. SATAN MEANS LIER DEVIL MEANS SLANDER. YOU KNOW THE MOTO CAN’T NOBODY TELL ME WHAT TO DO OH YEA YOU EITHER LISTEN TO GOD OR SATAN NOW THINK ABOUT IT. AND AS FAR AS RACE WE ALL BELONGS TO GOD WE ALL CAME FROM ADAM AND EVE READ YOUR BIBLE IN THE BEGINING AND ANOTHER THING READ THE PART ABOUT THE COLOR OF JESUS SKIN AND HOW COURSE HIS HAIR IS. WE ALL ARE THE SAME GO AHEAD CUT YOURSELF SEE IF YOU DON’T BLEED. A PERSON LIKE YOU HATE SELF. NOW WHO IS THE INGNORANT ONE. YES FREE LOADING IS BAD GOD WILL ADVENGE BECAUSE HE SEE AND HEAR EVERYTHING AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PURE WHITE OR PURE BLACK WE ARE ALL MIX FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF TIME WHEN MASTER WAS RAPING SLAVE GIRLS WHEN WHITE WOMEN WAS HAVING SEX GET CAUGHTBY MASTER SHE HOLLA RAPE. SO LET’S BE HAPPY AND LIVE BECAUSE WE HAVEN’T SEEN NOTHING YEY BECAUSE GOD IS MAD WITH HOW EVERYTHING TURNED OUT ADAM AND EVE MESS UP BIG TIME JESUS SAVE US ALL THAT BREATH SO QUIT HATING GOD IS GOING TO PROVE TO SATAN THAT HE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SERVE HIM THAT IS NOT BLIND. NOW WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT. NOW WHO IS THE DUMB ONE BRITTON.
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Is this article serious firstly the cell phones are free, so in saying that one should conclude that they are not camera phones. Secondly, in Ohio you are given less than 90 minutes per month, yeah those poor people are living the life. Thirdly, I may be mistaken but are you suggesting that because the website is also in spanish that illegal aliens are somehow acquiring these cell phones. Come on now have you never looked on the back of a bag of popcorn or accidentally read the back of a manual to some furniture piece or some child toy. Because guess what? its in spanish. I think you should have left that out. Your argument is weak and somewhat prejudice towards low- class families who actually need this FREE cell phone, and do you really believe that those who actually need this cell phone are stiffing bank mortgages. Cone on now the people who need these cell phones don’t have mortgages. They pay rent or are rece9ving some sort of government housing assistance and you probably already know that but for the sake of this obvious weak argument you just wanted to through all types of wild claims in to this piece. You should have actually interviewed someone who actually had a Safelink cell phone and maybe than your argument would have came off better.
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i only read a few comments, so maybe someone else pointed this out: i have this phone. i’m disabled, not lazy, and i have a four-year old son. we are safer because of this phone and my ability to summon help, if need be. at the same time, however, i think you should review your article. like you, before i was disabled, i was a journalist, and i believe in responsible, accurate reporting. evidently, that is where you (the writer) and i divide: as i said, i have this phone; it’s one of two models they offer. they are very basic. they don’t take pictures, so i’d be facinated to learn from you (the writer) how these lazy people summoned up enough energy to figure out how to rig up a camera through these particular phones to photograph mrs. obama when the camera just doesn’t exist. you’re very clever and i wish it were true that it took pictures because i’d love to put my son’s photo on mine, when i’m not feeling so very lazy, or maybe just not in the hospital.
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I am so tired of reading the sob stories, go and tell your story to Obama maybe he will help you out, the same way he has helped out the country, he has done so much for our nation up to this point.
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I am currently enrolled in the Safelink program. I am a US citizen, and I am white. They sent me a cheap Tracfone that can’t even get text messages properly, and has NO camera features. It’s not even a flip phone. It is the most basic of phones. Free minutes? I get 68 ‘units’ a month. That equals to a little over a hour of talk time, as each unit resembles one minute of talk time. If I want more, I either have to cough up $20 for an actual Tracfone card, or hope that a retailer has Safelink cards in stock for $10.
As for income? My husband makes less than $1300 a month. And we have no vehicle. We live in Ohio, so yes, we’re walking in the cold and the snow to get these phone cards, as well as all of our basic daily needs such as food and household items. (And 99% of the time, our 4 yr old son is out there with us, as we have no child care.) Our county did away with the wee bus line it had, so we have NO public transportation option.
Next time, before you judge something, I would advise looking into it completely.
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To all you slow liberals out there, the Dems run the House and the Senate, so stop blaming the GOP for your problems. How about blaming yourself for your situation. What is your dear President doing for you now, man you gotta love change.
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Boo freakin hoo. Geez, you would think the government handed out palm pilots to the homeless with unlimited minutes. Before you start throwing out accusations and try to rally America against all the quote unquote “free loaders”, you might wanna get your facts straight.
1. NOBODY is getting free cell phones equipped with cameras. At all.
2. Apparently nobody has dared to check out the unemployment lines lately. Right now, one out of ten Americans is unemployed. And, I will attest to the fact that there arent a whole lot of jobs out there at the moment. Even the local McDonalds or Burger King has a full crew.
3. The government only allows 68 minutes a month for free on these phones. Thats only a little over an hour. So, you, whoever you are, could only order approximately ten pizzas to stuff your extremely uninformed mouth with before you were outta time sister.
4. Not everyone who is poor is a scumbag. Your throwing your little hissy fit over something that doesnt even affect you. No, really, it doesnt. Your taxes arent paying for it. Oh, my. Did you know that? Im guessing not.
The point here is to get the facts before you wanna run off on little tangents and make people who would literally give thier left leg to work again feel like crap. Im only 26, and of course, a single mom. Ive spent hundreds of hours editing my resume. Looking online for work. Looking in the newspaper I cant afford. Walking, (because I live in upstate New York and dont have the ten bucks to put in my gas tank), to the library for internet access because I cant pull the thirty bucks together every month for it. I cry almost daily because my beautiful daughter and I have to share a one bedroon apartment, and her friends ask why. I feel like a failure as a mother. I have my associates in business and in restaurant management. Im no slacker and certainly not milking the system. The only assistance I receive is that SafeLink phone (which incidently I only use as a number for employment). I dont get my rent paid. I dont receive day care. I live on $222.00 a week.
So, whats your problem?
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Britton you’re full of it. People have a right all people if they want a cell phone.
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Their ‘right’ for a cell phone stops when they don’t pay for it themselves… Troll.
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ReachOut Wireless is much better than any other wireless provide.
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Ok… according to my husband’s pay we are at poverty level. (Way below actually) HOWEVER, I am taking courses online to better my education to get a good job so we can make more money. I don’t need *free* unnecessary hand outs! Yes, I have to be on food stamps and have to have Medicade for my two kids; but I am doing everything possible to get off of this stuff! Giving people a free cell phones and UNNESSESSARY things just makes it easier for them to continue to live off of the government and everyone else! It’s NOT free! The hard working Americans end up paying for it and that is SO WRONG!! Until my husband was laid off, he made $94,000 a year. We had to get rid of alot but what good is it for us to play the blame game and live off of others forever. People need to start picking themselves back up and doing what they can for their own families. Most people think that working at a fast food place is below them… yet living off the government/others isn’t…?? If you need real help, get it; but do everything you can to pick yourself back up and get off of it. Life is life and EVERYTHING comes with a price. Cell phones are a luxury… NOT a need!
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You are seriously mistaken about the government/taxpayer cell phones!
LIFELINE/SAFELINK FACT SHEET
There is no “Obama phone” or other newly created federal program to provide free cell phones. As you may know, this is a myth that is now circulating on the Web via email and blog sites. It has been thoroughly debunked by independent groups. (See for example: FactCheck.org at http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/the-obama-phone/, which notes: “Low-income households have been eligible for discounted telephone service for more than a decade. But the program is funded by telecom companies, not by taxes, and the president has nothing to do with it.”
The federal “Lifeline” program was created during the Reagan Administration. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced under Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC’s Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers. Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers’ monthly charges for basic telephone service.
Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline — a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Lifeline service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. SafeLink phones are NOT paid for by taxpayers or the federal government! TracFone Wireless pays for the phones and also the cost of promoting its SafeLink program to make sure that eligible consumers know about the program.
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