In New York City go to your local welfare or food-stamp office and very likely someone will be hanging around outside hawking free Obamaphones. You couldn’t make up the twists and turns in this story, but the bottom line is another screw-job for taxpayers.
SAFELINK WIRELESS is a cell phone provider for income eligible households (one of many) in the Lifeline Program. Note it says “income eligible”, however an FCC audit noted that 41% of the free phone recipients had not proved eligibility. Tracfone is another free phone provider and it is owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Lim whose company receives approximately $500 Million a year in FCC subsidies paid for by US taxpayers.
The Lifeline Program offers free phones and 250 minutes/mo
The cost in 2008 when wireless phones were added to the program (paid by you & me) was $822 Million. Last year the price tag was $2.2 Billion/year!
Look at your phone bills!!
On my Verizon Wireless bill I pay a federal surcharge called the Federal Universal Service Fund of $1.30/month. The State of Hawaii equivalent on my Verizon bill is another $1.80/mo. My land line through Oceanic Cable charges $1.26/mo for the federal surcharge for a total of $4.36/month to subsidize free phones & high speed internet (including monthly service charges) to somebody else -who likely does not deserve or need it.
As Melchior mentioned, the federal govt does not belong in the cell phone business and the cell phone companies do not belong in the welfare business. This is but another example of cronyism and income redistribution coming out of Washington DC that costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year!
Aloha, Mikie ~just a blogger (fightin’ like a girl)
Posted by paualready 
I can't stand it anymore! What is becoming of our country, our basic liberties? 
GetOffYourButts.com 