Originally Posted by
Beachgrad05
No, the Obama administration did not start the free phone thing. Much like the Affordable Care Act is NOT actually ObamaCare. Sigh.
http://www.snopes.com/fact-check/phone-home/
- "The Lifeline program originated in 1984, during the administration of Ronald Reagan; it was expanded in 1996, during the administration of Bill Clinton; and its first cellular provider service (SafeLink Wireless) was launched by TracFone in 2008, during the administration of George W. Bush. All of these milestones were passed prior to the advent of the Obama administration."
Also: "The Lifeline program is not directly subsidized by taxpayer monies. It is paid for out of the federal Universal Service Fund (
USF) through a fee assessed against telecommunications service providers, who may or may not pass those costs along to their customers"
Maybe get the facts? Here is the site:
http://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/...communications
I stand corrected!
Thanks Beachgrad05 for stating the facts and providing the links to back them up.
I don't feel so guilty now knowing that my fellow tax paying cyclists are not responsible for the free smartphone in my pocket. The term "Obama Phone" is what most of the homeless I've come in contact with call their phones. I used to tell people that Jerry Brown gave it to me as his last act as governor, but the term "Obama Phone" has a nice ring to it, don't you think?