Comments for The Entitlement Mentality Run Amok

The Entitlement Mentality Run Amok

2009-10-29T08:38:53Z

The Gummint now believes you *deserve* a cellphone.

[Site name redacted] is a government supported program that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month for income-eligible customers.

Yup. If you earn less than 150% of the gummint-defined poverty line, that means those of us who earn more than that are going to buy you a phone *and* pay for your phone use.

Soooooo, tell me, Congers, just *how* will this stimulate the economy? Exactly *what* benefit will this have -- aside from the obvious one of purchasing *you* a whole bunch of votes?

Any Lib out there who wants to try to justify this boondoggle, go right ahead...

Comment from MICHAEL JONES on 2009-10-31

2009-10-31T05:21:32Z

Again this is just a way that OOOOOBAMA can gain votes next time in the election by giving free phones away to Refus James and backseat Sally Doll who say OOOOBAMA is Goody man gave me a phone see -gonna vote for him next time gotta keep Goody man in office so i get more free stuff yeah!.....oh boy Obama what a clever idea!are you a pimp now?

Comment from Matt W on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T23:30:13Z

Oh and you should know where this scheme started: The People's Socialist Republic of Tennessee

Comment from Matt W on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T23:18:20Z

TOTAL COST: $6 to $10 PER PHONE PER MONTH

I think there are other things you could worry about first.

Comment from BillT on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T17:41:42Z

It was in Florida in 2008 So, how much has the program contributed to Florida's economy?

Comment from BillT on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T17:36:40Z

The guy who sent me the link said it just recently reached his state, and he’s *south* of NJ.

Well , the study mentioned in this article suggests that it might stimulate the economy by 11.1 billion dollars

Did you read the study? It states that 30% of the people who used their cellphones to find a better-paying job – *not* 30% of all cellphone users, just the ones who used it to try to find better jobs – reported they’d been successful. That $11.1 billion figure you cite is based on *every single person* of the 17+ million potential cellphone recipients using it solely to find work *and succeeding* -- which is an absurd assumption.

• The handset is provided by TracFone - at its own expense

The handset costs TracFone peanuts to make, and they write off the cost – they get a tax credit for doing it.

• Users get only one hour per month as free minutes.

That’s still one hour per month that *we* are paying for. Multiply that cost by 17 million, then multiply that by twelve to see what it’ll cost per year.

• If they want more time, they have to buy cards from places like Walmart.. { Just like everybody else with a pay-as-you-go plan}. Presumably, this is where TracFone gets its money back

TracFone doesn’t get any money back because it doesn’t *lose* any. The government buys the phones and the air time, and TracFone throws in a headset and writes the cost off. TracFone makes money even if *nobody* buys any additional time.

It might well improve Public Safety (EVERYONE can now call 911)

Then why not just give police departments cellphones pre-loaded to 9-1-1 to give to people without phones? My town already *has* that program – and *I* voted to fund it out of *my* taxes quite happily.

and it might just get a few thousand unemployed off the budget every month.

Oh? There are 1500 people applying in person for *every single job* that comes open in some areas – a prospective employer isn’t going to cold call someone when he has people he can *see* in front of him.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T16:00:46Z

Matt - in Bill's defense, he lives in Iraq at the moment. But yes, the program is new to *me* who lives at the Castle.

Comment from Matt W on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T15:04:47Z

Has this just reached the Castle area? It was in Florida in 2008

As to the (rhetorical?) question as to how it's going to stimulate the economy. Well , the study mentioned in this article suggests that it might stimulate the economy by 11.1 billion dollars

http://www.cio.com/article/207450/Giving_Cell_Phones_to_Low_Income_Households_Could_Create_11B_in_Jobs_Study_Finds

11.1 Billion dollars would help the economy wouldn't it? Got to be worth a try

Other points:

The handset is provided by TracFone - at its own expense
Users get only one hour per month as free minutes.
If they want more time, they have to buy cards from places like Walmart.. { Just like everybody else with a pay-as-you-go plan}. Presumably, this is where TracFone gets its money back

TracFone likes the scheme and the state and federal governments probably see it as a good thing too. It might well improve Public Safety (EVERYONE can now call 911) and it might just get a few thousand unemployed off the budget every month.

I repeat ... Got to be worth a try

Comment from R Jewell on 2009-10-29

2009-10-29T09:47:35Z

Ever notice that "Universal Connectivity Fee" on your phone bill?

That's your contribution......and has been since the 1930's. What started as a Gov program to pay for land lines for 'Country folk" has morphed into cell phones for food stamp recipients.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/phonebills/UnivServFund.html

Got to have a computer or telephone to get your unemployment or welfare "debit cards" in Indiana now............