True or not?????

[$parechange]

NO JOKE
This is unbelievable !!
Just when you think you've heard it all, our illustrious Congress quietly comes up with a new zinger to put their hands in your pockets, and pick them while you aren't watching. Isn't this just wonderful ?

I was standing in line at the checkout counter at Wal Mart and as I looked at the line behind me, I saw a couple of people talking about what looked like identical new cell phones, bragging about the fact that their phones were free and so was the airtime.

The woman in line behind me had heard the same exchange and turned to the young man behind her and asked, 'Is that a new type of cell phone?' The young man replied, 'Yes, this is my new Obama phone. She asked him what an Obama phone was, and he went on to say that, 'Welfare recipients are now eligible to receive what he described as (1) a FREE new cell phone, and (2) approximately 250 FREE minutes of air time every month.'

Needless to say, I was a little skeptical about his answer, so when I got back home, I Googled it, and lo and behold, he was telling the truth. This was what I discovered:

SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month for income-eligible customers. In other words, your tax dollars are being distributed to a wireless phone provider to provide welfare recipients with free cell phones and airtime. I don't know about you, but as for me, enough is enough. We are $14 Trillion in debt, Congress is balking at continuing unemployment payments to those who want to work, and Congress is increasing the dole-out to dead beats.

The ship of State is sinking, and it's sinking fast. The old concept of getting ahead through hard work has flown out the window. It has been replaced by Obama's and Congress' idea of Hope and Change. The country has changed all right, changed to "Why should I work for it, when I can get it for free?"

You can click on the link below to confirm for yourself that the Obama Phone is real.

Just have a barf bag ready.

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enroll ... /Home.aspx

I work every day and pay for my Own Cell Phone and buy My Own minutes.....
HOW ABOUT YOU! Doesn't this just burn you up ??

[katie]

NOT... but they do get phones & minutes....
Whether it’s true or not, this is what I found on the site – says it’s not true that it is paid by taxes and I do know that welfare recipients have been getting this benefit for a long time – before Obama. It was started for “safety” purposes as low income has a high rate of physical spousal abuse. It was meant to only provide women with a “lifeline” in case of an emergency. Obviously things have changed if they’re getting 250 minutes as stated on the site….


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 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 36 states - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 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
Your exact benefits, including the number of free Minutes you will receive, depend on the state you live in.

[Jaybird]

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4917&p=33973&hilit=phones#p33973
Since I am technologically impaired, this may not be te correct link.

[Nervous Wreck]

quotes:
But the program is funded by telecom companies, not by taxes.

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.

As of October 2009, SafeLink has over 2 million customers and is available in 36 states - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 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.

SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month for income-eligible customers. In other words, your tax dollars are being distributed to a wireless phone provider to provide welfare recipients with free cell phones and airtime. I don't know about you, but as for me, enough is enough. We are $14 Trillion in debt, Congress is balking at continuing unemployment payments to those who want to work, and Congress is increasing the dole-out to dead beats.


comment:
In the 'real world', $hit ain't free!!
We are (in some way or form) paying for this BS! Don't kid yourselves!

[imaposer]

quotes:

comment:
In the 'real world', $hit ain't free!!
We are (in some way or form) paying for this BS! Don't kid yourselves!

Yep. Sure are. It's one of those added charges on your phone bills, both home and cell. Ya know, the crap that takes my $69.95/mo plan and turns it in to a $96/mo bill.


But, It's not Obama's doing. This kind of stuff has been going on a lot longer than he's been around.
Did anyone else catch this part of it?-

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......

So, the cell phones are too much, but this stuff is OK? How far back should we go in regards to public handouts?

[E_]

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4917&p=33973&hilit=phones#p33973
Since I am technologically impaired, this may not be te correct link.

LMAO @Spare even Jaybird got you with a link!

Thanks for the link Jaybird. Saved some more research for some.

[Nervous Wreck]

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4917&p=33973&hilit=phones#p33973
Since I am technologically impaired, this may not be te correct link.

LMAO @Spare even Jaybird got you with a link!

Thanks for the link Jaybird. Saved some more research for some.

Sheesh, I wasn't going to do that to poor ole $pare!

[Fall Creek]

I am so F-ING tired of this B/S! These people are to lazy to get a real job but were going to reward them by giving them a cell phone! d@mn! I spoke with a friend the other day who is the HR for a very large manufactoring company. They are looking to hire aprox 200 people, general factory labor. Out of aprox 300 applications, over 50% could not even pass the company required drug test! I am sorry but I don't feel bad for any one of these individuals and I predict there is gonna be some hard times ahead. The money will run out and people are gonna starve because there parents didn't teach them what a hard days work meant. No, they babied them and said oh sweatheart it's not your fault he's a bad teacher or he's a bad coach. Enough, kick them in the a$$ and tell them to suck it up. That's what my dad told me, and if I want something in my life I need to earn it!

Ok rant over sorry for the hijack, Proceed!

[E_]

+1

[Nervous Wreck]

Fall Creek!



That's the way I was brought up too. Guess I'm just to proud!

[$parechange]

Nervous, that is his goal in life. Pick on ole Spare. I just laugh and go on. I don't even give him a FU anymore!

[E_]

No more FUEs? Oh well I can always rely on RE83 to come through for me. lol

[re3too]

BIOYB!

[katie]

I am so F-ING tired of this B/S! These people are to lazy to get a real job but were going to reward them by giving them a cell phone! d@mn! I spoke with a friend the other day who is the HR for a very large manufactoring company. They are looking to hire aprox 200 people, general factory labor. Out of aprox 300 applications, over 50% could not even pass the company required drug test! I am sorry but I don't feel bad for any one of these individuals and I predict there is gonna be some hard times ahead. The money will run out and people are gonna starve because there parents didn't teach them what a hard days work meant. No, they babied them and said oh sweatheart it's not your fault he's a bad teacher or he's a bad coach. Enough, kick them in the a$$ and tell them to suck it up. That's what my dad told me, and if I want something in my life I need to earn it!

Ok rant over sorry for the hijack, Proceed!

Agreed... we definitely have a sad situation here. Heck, in my day, if there was no work where you live, YOU MOVE.... HELLO.... there is no work here.... go find some.... I shake my head daily. I am one of those that feel welfare should be doled out at the community level, not state or federal. Let the community take care of you and if there is a job available and you don't take it - you gets no money. Bring your kids to the soup kitchen to eat. You should be getting food stuff anyway, not a danged federal credit card to buy what you want. I know there are restrictions set, but all of those rules are broken all of the time... Period. I'm just getting cranky in my old age I guess.