Wow, you can totally tell when Drudge links to a news story. Take this one, which details a Colorado plan to give free cellphones to low income people. Similar programs, using landline telephones, have existed for some time, paid for by a federal tax on telephones. So it’s not like this is new money we’re talking about, you know, being used to help people. But check out these comments, alluding to the destruction of the American way of life, whatever that is—crippling credit card debt? ashelymadison.com?
The day will come that the Goverment will try to make us pay as much in tax as we make. No wonder people are willing to go on goverment assistance, its the only way to fly.
Why don’t we just give them all free cable TV…and a free Tivo, so that they won’t ever have to worry about missing an episode of Oprah.
This is why we are broke! Since when is a cell phone a necessity of life? Is cable, satellite service? What is next? Time for a tax revolt-the producers are getting sick of pulling the cart for the non-producers of the country. Time for a tax revolt.
And so on. It’s a bit of an overreaction, yes, especially when there’s no new money involved. It’s an existing tax.
But back to the program. Recipients would get 83 free minutes per month&more than enough to receive phone calls from prospective employers. It uses a Motorola phone, presumably a low, low end one. Remember: it’s about helping the less fortunate find a job, just spend all day cruising the iPhone App Store.
I’m a 50+ y.o. cheap, Gran Torino, white mo-fo.
Good can come from this.
- job notification
- coordinating medical (TB) appointments
Go for it!
Are you serious?
“It’s a bit of an overreaction…”
This might be a tech blog but lets take a step back and look at the political side of this. Why would I earn my own way when the government is willing to get things for me? When people start realizing that, suddenly, there aren’t enough people earning their own way left to cover the government plans and the whole system crashes. This, boys and girls, is why communism doesn’t work.
Old money or new money, it still isn’t right.
Really dude? Its 83 minutes.
I think it is a great idea, not just for job notification (a land line should really be enough for that) but also for emergencies.
yeah dude, really, because we are in enormous debt, so anywhere we can save money is good, regardless of whether it’s ‘new’ or ‘old’ money. It can be better spent somewhere else… dude. I’m a TA for my university and I can barely make enough to pay for my own phone bill and rent. I should just quit and get a free phone.
I think its a decent idea, assuming the rest of us aren’t paying ADDED taxes to fund it.
It’s a great program, until you think about the state job cuts we’ve been through, the funds pulled from state schools, the cost to register my vehicle just went up to pay for road improvements, and the other financial problems that have been crippling this state. I think the folks in Denver should get a grip on the priorities before we increase our handouts.
perfectly said.
perhaps you need to read that story a few more times, learn what the issue is and how lifeline service operates.
those phones are not paid out of your taxes.
wireless industry does it on its own(for their own tax benefits).
Drudge is less credible than supermarket tabloids. So are the people who read it and take it as the gospel.
https://www.safelinkwireless.com provide free “LifeLine” cellphones in Connecticut, D. of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin