Does it come with a laptop, Ipad, Kindle, big screen TV and unlimited streaming? Count me in! /sarcasm off

Pawprint - I know pretty much nothing about it, but I have a relative (mid-30s, able bodied, lazy) who has, according to my understanding from him and his mother, a free cellphone provided by the government (not sure if it's a state or federal thing). So I'm looking to responses here to learn more about them (is there such a thing, are there conditions attached, etc.).

Many (all? some?) states have a program that will provide specialized phones for the blind, deaf, disabled. But that is for the machine only, and not the monthly service bill, and requires a doctor's approval.

I stand corrected: By using Google, I did find a couple of websites offering phones for very low income people who qualify for a Lifeline program.

I've researched lifeline. Just wondering if anyone knows or has hands on experience with the actual phone.

I used to work with a guy that issued "Free" phones as his 2nd job and my friend Cal, he is 72 & has COPD, has one. Cal says he's getting a new one, a newer version, as soon as he gets his butt over there....:0) He really likes his phone. Yes it has a touch screen and internet access. He's never been charged for it's use. He does occasionally drop it....and has broken the screen on one...but they replaced it for him...free. Everyone here complains about their connection. You have to be in direct view of the mountains cell tower to get a great connection...a problem with a mountainous area. Cal often sits in his garage, his "man cave" and the reception is better on his front porch. It looks like a "nice" phone to me!

I frequently assist several low income folks with pet food. They have what they call "Obama phones." I haven't quite worked out if they are subsidized or free.

I had a friend in Florida who had 1 and the only problem he found, he didn't make enough calls a month....He told me, he did indeed get the phone free with all those minutes but needed to make so many long distance calls and a lot of the time, he'd end up calling me in Pa., just to be able to keep the phone...Worth looking into......

http://www.obamaphone.com/what-is-the-obama-phone

I order them for my clients who are in nursing homes all the time. I get them from Assurance Wireless, like Pawprint linked to above. They are just plain old flip phones and they are kind of bulletproof! Totally free, and if you run out of minutes you can still call 911.

I know someone who has one- here they are android touch screen phones, have unlimited calls and unlimited data (the info on the Assurance site is out of date according to the folks who sign people up at tables in front of stores here.) Once a year they mail something that has to be filled out and sent back showing the person still qualifies.

Wow, unlimited calls and unlimited data. That is certainly not necessary for a free phone. I can see limiting what they can use but "unlimited?" Shaking my head on that one.

and "unlimited" texting...

My friends mother has one here in Florida. They sent it to her free. It is a no frills phone. No touch screen, no apps, no email. She can do the texting by typing using the number pad there is no keyboard. She gets so many minutes a month and unlimited texting. I wonder if the phones are refurbished phones that have been donated. Hers doesn't appear to be new and the model must be 5-10 years old.

The only free cellphones should be ones that dial 911....and that's all. Giving people the ability to chat and text all day for free is absurd. Cellphones are not a necessity of life.

They are when people can not afford a home phone and do not have internet or cable tv in which to hook a vonage type phone up too. For the lady I know it is her only way to call for help or keep in contact with family because she can not afford any of the extras in life.

"giving below poverty-line people a way to find a job or be contacted by the job they have. Or to be notified if there's a problem with their children or other family members, or to check on their children. "

I agree. As well, there are frail, isolated seniors, mothers at home with ill or handicapped children. And ordinary, healthy people that have nothing, due to sudden disaster. And those in poverty looking to work. For people in dire circumstances, isolation is just about the worst thing that could happen to them.

I know someone who has one. Hers is a razor phone. The ones they are issuing now may have internet access.

Thanks everyone for piping in. Golfs comment didn't sit well with me either.

The sad but true fact is that many people do take advantage of free government assistance programs such as this, leading many to have the same thoughts as Golf.

I probably thought the same thing until I see my Mom try to live on her little social security check each month. Which made me look far and wide for any program that can help her stretch that check while still having some dignity & the ability to live alone.

I didn't know they had this available for low income people but it does make sense to me. I do know of a place that hands them out to people that are or were in a domestic violent relationship.

It is true that MANY take advantage of government assistance programs. It seems like every time I go to the grocery store,there is some pregnant broad with 5 bad children running around,wic vouchers in one hand,food stamp card in the other, and a smug look on her freeloading face. I once worked with a woman who refused a promotion that would have almost doubled her salary. Her only reason? It would disqualify her from government subsidized housing. She would rather have lived off of others than be able to pay her own way in life. I was aquainted with another who,after a tornado ravaged my city (tuscaloosa,al) went to all the charities that came to help claiming her house had been destroyed in order to get free stuff. She didn't even live in this city,and was not at all affected by the storm. But she got a free tv,blender,and living room suite. Brand new. Here where I live,the city discussed setting up free WiFi for all the people who live on one certain side if town. A part of town full of housing projects, liquor stores,and car washes. It's riddled with crime. The rest of the city was divided. One half said "I want free stuff too!" The other said"this is ridiculous, if people want wifi,they should pay for it." What makes more sense to you? When people start using "assistance" programs as their only source of income, it is,IMO, stealing from people who truly need assistance, like the sick and the elderly,or people affected by sudden disaster or domestic violence. I wish the agencies handing out all this stuff had more resources to weed out the people who are just lazy, faking sick,or are using their ability to breed as a way to generate income. I also wish that more restrictions were placed on people who get assistance. Example,if you are on any sort of program where you get any form of financial help ( food stamps, free phone,section 8,etc) where your children qualify you that assistance, or for more assistance than someone without children to feed, you should be restricted from having more children while you are taking that assistance. It sounds cold, but if you can't feed and house the children you have,you have no business having more. If they do, the parent/parents should be removed from all assistance programs and if they can't take care of their kids without it,they should be taken into state care. That's what should happen. If you are found commiting any type of fraud regarding these programs, you should be barred from receiving any other help for LIFE,not for a measly year or so like it is now. And yes, if you are on food stamps, you should be restricted in what you can buy,and yes you do answer to me and others who are not on food stamps,because we are paying our way and part of yours. When these programs first came out,they were a last resort and people who needed them were not proud of it and worked like crazy to not need them anymore. Now they are a way of life, and people are teaching their kids how to manipulate the system to get all they can get with as little effort as necessary. If these people were weeded out, more resources can be put towards the sick and elderly,and can give them a much better quality of life than they can scraping out a living off the leftovers of societies professional moochers. Call me cold, but elder abuse in these nursing homes that people can barely afford and price gouging on prescriptions and the elderly having to cut their heat off in the winter is more important than some lazy loser getting to text his loser friends for free all day, or some breeder being able to pump her kids full of crappy junk food for free.

And btw, employers don't text people "you got through job!" They don't say, check our website to see if we.chose you for an interview. Schools wont text you if your kid is sick. They call. So yes, free UNLIMITED texting or data is unnecessary and ridiculous.

There is no doubt thay sometimes people need help. There is also no doubt that sometimes people WANT help, and are content living in poverty, as long as someone else is paying their way. Hell, the way it's going ,all they have to do is sit and wait. Pretty soon it will be free wifi,cable,TVs to watch that free cable on,( after all, they deserve the dignity of being able to watch TV like other people too) free gas,heck, free CARS,cause everyone needs a car, thats a RIGHT TO have a car right? When will it end?

Elmer,these programs do not give them the right to live like people who provide for themselves,it gives them the ability to live above their means at the expense of others.

I have a totally disabled child (from birth) and get offers several times a month from Lifeline to get a free phone. I haven't explored the details, just keep throwing them away. I wish they'd quit "harassing" us. Guess I'll need to take a look at the next offer and see if there's a way to call them and get my child's name of their list.Since my child cannot use a regular phone, much less a cell phone, there is no reason for us to get a free phone.

amylou- I wonder what you think the restrictions should be for elderly who rely on social security?

Since you feel that others should have restrictions or jump through hoops, it would only be fair to have the same thing apply to people who, through poor planning, can't even take care of themselves right?

Amylou, you're describing the consequences of deep and long standing socio-economic problems, among other things. I'm not sure why that around the world outburst adds anything to this specific topic. These programs are a gesture of help, nothing more.

What alternative suggestions can you offer to address problems of poverty and the challenges faced by often uneducated and poor folks living in an underclass?

Texas gem,Social security implies that you, or your spouse,through working,have paid into social security and are therefore entitled to draw from it. It is in no way the same as asking for free food, rent and phones for no other reason than being born, and being unwilling(NOT the same as unable) to provide for yourself and the dependants you produce. Any handout that comes at the direct,mandatory expense of other people(taxes) should have restrictions, period. And yes, I am of the belief that one is responsible for one's own wellbeing, unless one is physically unable to be. (How cruel right?) I learned this from my parents, who were not wealthy,had 6 kids and stuck to a strict,no frills budget and now are comfortably retired with virtually no chance of ending up destitute or dependant on their children. So should I apologize for expecting able bodied people to be responsible for themselves? Do you think everybody should be able to go ask the government to support them and their children without question or restrictions?

Elmer, I suggest they educate themselves and remove themselves from that situation,if they wish to remove themselves that is. Some people would rather take advantage of these gestures of help,which are a good idea ,but as I said,too easily exploited by the moochers of the world. My point was that by paying attention to who are getting these handouts,and weeding out the people who simply take advantage,more resources could be put towards people who actually NEED it, like the elderly or disabled. By not doing so,these programs do nothing but take away any incentive people have to get out of poverty. Why work if the government will feed and house you and give you a phone? It seems to be doing more harm than good. The elderly would benefit from a free phone with free minutes,in case of emergency or to keep in touch with family. Why is texting a necessity of life?

What if they don't want to educate themselves? Or, they don't have the ability to do so? What will happen to these "moochers" (and their children) that you want to weed out? That's the point, most people believe the consequences of doing nothing are even worse.

Here's the thing, amylou. The health of a community can be measured by the lives of those on the lowest rung of the ladder. The problems caused by those at the bottom - poverty, hunger, substance abuse, hopelessness,etc, ripple through the entire community. Raising the lives of those at the bottom benefits everyone.

These problems don't go away. I've always supported myself and my family too, but so what? I don't think anyone can morally justify ignoring those who are less well off. It's a spurious argument.

Did you really just ask "what if they don't want to educate themselves?" Did you really just ask that? Well, what if they don't want to work either? What if they don't want to get out of poverty? What if they want other people to take care of them and their children? I guess we should then huh? If we.must use resources on such,the resources available should go to education and job training, if the goal is to raise them up out of poverty,not to providing the every desire of people who don't want to provide it for themselves.,which does nothing but keep them in poverty.Why is it okay to take advantage of people who help because of laziness?

amylou- social security is not, and was never intended to be a retirement pension. Since it is MY dollars being given to those who currently get social security payments, I should get a say in how they spend it right? Those who rely on social security because they didn't plan for their own retirement should have restrictions right?

I believe in self sufficiency as well, I was taught by my own hard working parents but I also recognize the need for safety nets and programs for the impoverished.

If you want to start putting additional restrictions on some members of society who benefit from these programs, why not place restrictions on all members of society including those dependent on social security?

I've got an idea, we'll round 'em up. Anyone who can't produce a paycheck stub gets shot.

Texas,answer my question first. Should everyone who applies for free money from the government be granted that money ( in any form,including rent or food stamps) without restriction or condition? Do you think it's okay for a woman who cannot feed her children to keep producing them,unchecked, to be provided for by you and me? For a drug addict to get high on our dime? He cant get a job, cuz he cant pass a drug test. O well, poor baby,no worries,well keep getting your fix for you. The elderly and disabled who actually DEPEND on ss CANNOT provide for themselves. Able bodied losers on these handouts sometimes just plain don't want to. They are different. These are not stupid people. They are savvy manipulators who have found a way to live for free with minimum effort. I know that,of course, not everyone on these programs is such,but a large number of them are. That's fact. Sorry if I offended anyone by pointing it out.

Elmer,maybe not shoot them,but perhaps we can stop rewarding them after o... maybe 10 years or so on the dole. I must remember I'm talking to someone who thinks that it's okay to expect others to take care of you if you simply don't want to educate yourself to improve your circumstances though.....

The elderly weren't always elderly. Why didn't they plan better and save and work hard and educate themselves on financial matters? Why should they get to mooch of my check?

Do you see how the situation isn't really different?

Are there people who abuse the system? Sure. But should we place unreasonable restrictions on the majority who simply need help, or better yet just cut off entire groups that we deem unworthy?

Who gets to decide? Should we have a jury panel of peers and any person who needs any sort of assistance has to appear and plead their case so we can judge whether they are truly needy?

"Who gets to decide? Should we have a jury panel of peers and any person who needs any sort of assistance has to appear and plead their case so we can judge whether they are truly needy?"

Yes. Yes we should. And unfortunately, it's the majority of people on these programs that take advantage. The elderly were not always so, true. But they cannot provide for themselves now,so they need assistance. That is in no way the same as able bodied people who are able but not willing to work, or just refuse to stop making their situation worse,like having more children that you can't provide for,or purposely avoiding employment, which makes it less likely to be hired due to lack of work history,or taking no initiative to advance yourself in any way. Not the same.

And there are restrictions on ss,based on your age at retirement and other things,so why not put a limit on how many kids you can pop out or how many years you can be unemployed before enough is enough?

There was a huge uproar here when it became a requirement of adults with no children on food stamps to work 20 hours a week,participate in free job training or volunteer 20 hours a week. And I mean,HUGE. Is that really to much to ask? I guess so for the moocher crowd. SMH.

ETA...still waiting on you to answer my question texas...it's a simple yes or no...

I don’t see how this upsets anyone. If you only knew the useless money spent by OUR government in other places and other countries. This is OUR country. And if we have to take care of our sick &
elderly, so be it. Every time another
country experiences a crisis, the US is always the first to step up and spend
money.

Second issue, how are people going to get off this system when
they can’t afford daycare? Sadly, it’s
more affordable for some people to stay home and take care of their children
and live on the system versus working and spending $500 a month in daycare.

And what kind of jobs do you see these people getting if
they get off the system? Do you really
think they qualify for a high paying job?
Doubtful…

You mention druggies and moochers. If we knock them off the system, what should
we do with them? Just let them die, out
on a street? I’m sorry, I just can’t do
that. You may say, clean up their act
and get off drugs, but that’s easier said than done. Sometimes life isn’t easy and they have
addictive personalities.

Next, about people not having more kids. I don’t know how to achieve that one other
than sterilize the women and men, which is illegal.

What I know for sure is that my Mom is 75. She needs the social security to live as she
doesn’t have savings due to a messy divorce, raising 2 kids while being a
single parent, not working a high paying job and over the years, her rainy day
fund was tapped out.

Also the social security check is small, BUT it's too much money for
her to qualify for food assistance or Medicaid so she gets to pay for Medicare
out of social security along with all other living expenses.

Lastly, she worked for 55 years. She has certainly paid her share into the
social security fund.

"Lastly, she worked for 55 years. She has certainly paid her share into the social security fund."

Exactly. She paid her share, she deserves more. Unfortunately, those resources are going to those who don't deserve it,not to the sick and elderly who need it,and in most cases,earned it.

No one is suggesting sterilization for people..I said it should be a requirement for those asking for help feeding the children they couldn't provide for should have to avoid producing more children. That is their responsibility. Is asking people to take responsibility for their future plans to reproduce asking too much? And there are childcare programs for the low income,and trust me,they know how to obtain them. But unfortunately, most require you to work a minimum amount to qualify. And more unfortunately, they would rather sit at home ,produce more kids,and collect other benefits than using the ones that could help advance them.

And I agree that the government wastes atrocious amounts of money on stupid things. That money could and should be used to help those at the beginning of life by providing a good education, and toward the end of life,providing compassionate care. Those in the middle however,need to have SOME responsibility for themselves. They should be held to some standard and be given some expectations to live up to. I don't see why no one seems to have a problem with me saying that. Why is it okay to make ones living off of government assistance indefinitely and without limitations?

And as for qualifying for high paying jobs, I got a job at subway at 15. At 19, I decided that that was not going to provide me with the lifestyle I wanted,and went to an employment agency which got me a temp job in a manufacturing plant. I worked hard and got hired by that company. Got laid off,went to another employment agency. Got a job working for a company contracted to work in the stockroom of anothet plant. When we lost that contract, I submitted my resume to another temp service, which found me my current job. I was hired on full time 8 years ago. And now I make good money,just bought a home,and have a rainy day fund,and a fully funded 401k and Ira at age 31. No kids either,by choice. There are way to many birth control options to use kids as an excuse for poverty nowadays. High school education,no handouts no connections to anyone at these jobs. Hard work, determination,responsibility, dependability and integrity will qualify you to get you what you want. Unless all you want is someone else to take care of all your needs and wants,then all you have to do is cry to the government.

It's pointless to discuss any topic with those whose minds are closed and who don't want to consider other points of view. I hear what you've both said, you're sidestepping the main issues.

Social security benefits are welfare payments. There is no "fund". Benefits are based on earnings, but yesterday's social security taxes paid for bullets and battleships, not investments. Same is true today. Payments in are just another income tax and benefits paid out of federal bank accounts are welfare payments like any other, paid with taxes paid today. There are no "balances" waiting with workers' names on them.

Bye.

Amylou, I agree on all your posts. i couldn't have said things better. I think most here have not seen poverty close up.

The system started out as a helping hand. Public housing, food stamp, free lunch programs etc. But has turned into a system that is exploited.

I used to work in a community center that was on the ground floor of a housing project. Our office assisted lived upstairs. Like Amy has mentioned, this woman saw no need to move. She was second generation and looked at this housing as an entitled benefit. She had no plans for further training to move up support herself completely.

Things are a mess. As Amy stated, years ago, it was an embarrassment to have food stamps. No any more.

I do feel for the elderly. I don't for the young women who continuously have children, sorry no. Okay, you had one unplanned pregnancy, maybe two, but come on, three, four, five? What are they thinking?

If you put in to the social security system, you deserve your benefits. I feel for people who are just above the poverty line and can't get medicaid.

We know someone who has had a child with an illegal alien. Although he contributed to their expenses, they got the son onto the system. The son, now over 18. grew up with many benefits like braces for his teeth. Some hard working people can't afford braces for their children!

I still haven't heard why the free phones have to be "unlimited". Is it all or nothing ? I just paid $70 for my wifi because I went over. ( I know, I could stay off the internet!) I pay $50 for 5gb. I don't have cable TV and just get 3 channels with plain antenna. I am on a fixed income along with many others.....so almost fell off my chair reading about the unlimited free phone. :(

I knew a lady a few years back who said the only way to get an increase by the government was to have more kids. So everytime she got pregnant, she got a raise.

But answer me this. Why do people get upset when poverty level people are using the system to provide for them?

Our prisoners receive better benefits than our poor. 3 meals served up daily, free education, free room & board, cable tv, laundry etc.

I admit there are some people in the system that shouldn't or don't need to be. But I don't wish for them or their children to be homeless and suffer. Because it's the kids who really suffer, in my opinion. They didn't ask to be born into poverty.

Paw print, I don't have any problems with people getting help at all but sometimes it is to what lengths the "system" will go. Like with the phone service.....can you tell I am still reeling from my overpayment? :)

My thought on the phone, is someone can get it for free, good for them because it's my personal opinion that we are all raked over the coals with cellphone bills. I think it's rediculous how much it costs to have a cellphone these days.

As someone who was poor, with two children I know a little about poverty and need. I worked two jobs. sometimes 3, minimum wage. Made too much to qualify for "assistance", was advised to quit my jobs and go on welfare. No thank you, that is not how i wanted my children to be raised. I did it and so can anyone else. I have no sympathy for anyone who will not work for what they need. Our "welfare" system is out of hand, our government is out of hand. We need some big changes in both.

It seems a little unfair that there is a whole government agency dedicated to hunting down working people who may be late paying their taxes, but no such department for weeding out people who use and abuse government assistance programs.

Pawprint,my parents pay verizon 20 dollars a month,unlimited talk, for their cell phones. No government assistance. Just a cheap,no frills prepaid plan. No data. They don't use data. They get on the wifi at home if they want to use the internet. The deals are out there. You just have to do a little research. But I guess free still beats 20 bucks..... but 20 bucks isn't raking them over the coals.

I don't want to see anyone thrown on the street, but amylou does make good and valid points. It's not like there isn't any truth in what she says.

The woman I know does not get unlimited phone. She gets like 250-500 minutes of talk time and unlimited texting. She has no internet on her phone, which means no email or overages on data use. I think people are misunderstanding the type of cell phone these people get. They are literally very very old model cell phones with no web access. If they text they have to use the number pad and keep hitting the number until they get the correct letter. There are no touch screens, no sharing pictures, no email. Just a very basic phone,

Should they have unlimited texting? Maybe not but that is what comes with the service. I do know that the woman I know has issues hearing since she is an older woman and prefers to try and text because she can't hear well when she talks on the phone, so much so she often hands the phone to people around her to talk and listen to the person on the other end for her and relay what they want to her.

I am surprised at how many people here are upset over a very basic phone.

I wonder if the big phone companies actually just donate the minutes or sell them to the program offering the phone for a very reduced cost. For all you know our tax dollars aren't funding this at all. The company very well could be doing it for a government tax break themselves.

While I don't agree with some peoples choices in life. I would never ever judge someone just from looking at them. You have no idea what is going on in their lives. For all you know those people with the fancy cars and clothes could actually be picking something up for someone who can't do it themselves and using their card. Those people could have had those things prior to a job loss or some other life event that caused them to need assistance. You have no way to know what someones particular circumstance is. I try my best to be understanding of others because god forbid I ever in up in that situation for whatever reason. You too could have a catastrophic even or life change that very well could put you in that position. You just never know. No matter how well you think you are protected money wise anything can happen and you could possibly find yourself in a financial bind and need those services. Would you want others to judge you then not knowing why your in that position?

Ok,no one likes to be judged by looks alone. But what is one supposed to think when the woman I mentioned above, pregnant,5 bad kids, wic voucher and food stamp card is talking on her iphone,nails and hair impeccably done,nice clothes, tattoos, jewelry,etc. proceeds to put the food stamp card back into her Michael kors purse,loads her kids and free food into a late model gas guzzling suv,and drives back to her section 8 housing,or to her Medicaid funded doctors appointment to make sure her newest investment is born healthy?This is not an anecdotal account from someone else. I see this crap ALL THE TIME. It's not about helping the less fortunate anymore. It's about the growing entitlement culture in the lower classes,and how they are teaching their kids that it's not only okay, it's owed to them. These people clearly do not care about others peoples judgement, or they wouldn't flaunt it so flamboyantly. News flash,as I said before, people used to be ashamed to need such help, now they don't care what you or anyone else thinks of them, as long as they get theirs. Do you know how many time people have offered to sell me their food stamps for 50 cents on the dollar so they could get cash to go out,while their kids sit at home eating cheetos and some sort of weird blue colored juice for dinner? What am I supposed to think about them? How does one not judge someone like that? You're right, I dont know their individual circumstance, but I'd be willing to bet that 99.99999 percent of those people in nice cars are NOT picking up stuff for other people,who are to poor to go get it themselves. They are more likely people who are making a killing in government benefits, and can therefore waste whatever money they do have on luxuries they do not deserve.

Amy, Mom & I are on a family share plan with Sprint for $140 a month. That's for 2 iPhone 6S plus's. I've always paid her portion sine she can't afford it. $22 bucks is just to insure the phones. $40 bucks is the monthly lease of the phones & the rest is the plan with unlimited talk, text & data. That's what I mean by raked over the coals. Believe me, cellphone companies are not poor.

April, approximately $1 or $2 dollars of everyone's cellphone bill goes to the free Obama phone program. We just see them as federal taxes, but that's where they get the money. So we all pay about $20 bucks a year to fund the free program.

I wouldn't be surprised if the cellphone companies donated all the older used phones they get back could be donated to the free program. And that would be a great tax write off for them.

I would never pay that much for a phone or for a plan. I got a $100 smartphone with Virgin that works just as well as a computer. $35/month for unlimited phone, text and data. (There are also a few additional dollars for taxes).

You can find most answers with a google. Apparently, you can get a free phone and upgrade to a smart phone for very very little money. These are NEW phones. Many companies offer this, because the Feds, meaning those of us who are working,, are paying for them. They do not give used or refurbished because they can charge more for new ones.

There were tents set up outside our Goodwill saying "Get your FREE cell phone here". and they were new phones. They had smart phones and many of the people upgraded.

Good will had discounts for seniors, military and certain colors. In order to receive those discounts you had to have an "app" on your smart phone. That lasted about 2 weeks because many people who shop there are not on assistance and they just stopped shopping.

"It seems a little unfair that there is a whole government agency dedicated to hunting down working people who may be late paying their taxes, but no such department for weeding out people who use and abuse government assistance programs."
Wow, talk about uninformed! Won't even go into this since there's likely no use.

So much ignorance being shown here. Reminds me of an election campaign.

First, let's clear up the ignorance about "Obamaphone". The lifeline system was set up under one of the record number of tax increases implemented in the Reagan years. It was modified over the years and cell phones were added under George W. Bush. If you want to be accurate, you'd call it a BUSHphone. But many people don't care about accuracy. Especially in election years it seems.

Next, the "Obamaphone.com" website referenced is not a government website. It's owned by Hyperbole Media LP (what an appropriate name! LOL) and is associated with ~50 other domains. I highly question the integrity of any information from that site.

I have seen and used several of the (what's named) Lifeline Phones. One was an old style flip phone and the newest was a bar phone. A couple people I know have them. I researched this for another friend but this was a couple years ago now so the information I have is dated. The phones came with a designated number of minutes of talk time. Depending on the company, anywhere from 100-250 minutes per month. At the beginning of the month unused minutes were lost and you'd start anew. If you used up your minutes before the end of the month you could BUY more minutes or wait until the next month. Some had web service but it was not free. The phones I saw and tried had web service on them but only for checking balance and updating the phone. They're prepaid phones. With Assurance, if the phone was lost, stolen or damaged, you could buy another phone but were not provided one for free. Again, rules vary by the provider. The biggest problem I found with them was terrible reception. All the ones I saw and used had Sprint for the carrier and around here, Sprint is terrible. I told my friend she should drop it and take the lifeline credit against her home phone since it would be more than the cost of a cellphone. I bought her a cellphone with a year of service and 800 minutes for under $30. That comes to $2.50 a month. It has web service on it but I haven't figured out how to use it. I use this phone myself and bought one for my sister too. We're not phone addicts or phone snobs. None of us use more than that in a year and if we do, and for that price we can add cheap.

I do have to ask a question for people who are so upset about the phones. How do you feel about a billionaire (who shall remain nameless) using the bankruptcy laws to get out of paying his companies' bills? Any idea how much THAT has cost the taxpayers?

I just did a quick check and I found the following:

"On March 31, 2016, the Commission adopted a comprehensive reform and modernization of the Lifeline program. In the 2016 Lifeline Modernization Order, the Commission included broadband as a support service in the Lifeline program. The Commission also set out minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported services to ensure maximum value for the universal service dollar, and established a National Eligibility Verifier to make independent subscriber eligibility determinations."
The FCC site more info on the phones. They even have a lifeline fraud tipline for those worried that nobody is checking on fraud.