Cliven Bundy vs. Government land management

[HairOfTheDog]

...the fuckin' cell phones are another story though.

If you're referring to "Obama phones", there aren't any. The true subsidized telephone program details may still rub you wrong, but free cell phones aren't being doled out to blacks and welfare recipients by the Obama administration as some claim.

The Lifeline program originated in 1984 because the government was concerned that some disabled and disadvantaged Americans lacked the resources to have land lines (and later, as they became cheaper, cell phones) to access emergency services when needed.

The Lifeline program was initiated during the Reagan administration. 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.

The Lifeline program covers monthly discounts on landline or cell phone service for eligible consumers, not limited to or always inclusive of welfare recipients. It does not pay cellular companies to provide free cell phones to consumers, although some cellular service providers choose to offer that benefit to their Lifeline customers.

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.

I understand if some people have a problem possibly paying higher phone fees to help providers cover the costs of Lifeline landline or SafeLink cell services, but I personally don't. I don't wanna see anybody who needs emergency services being unable to get them because they don't have phone service. I think Reagan got it right (though I'm sure there are some who abuse the program, like any other).

Here's some info about the SafeLink cell phone program: https://www.safelinkwireless.com/safelin...ligibility