SPENDING OFF THE HOOK: FREE PHONES COSTING TAXPAYERS $2.1 BILLION PER YEAR

[Geee]

Breitbart:

You're probably familiar with the food stamp program which grew from $35 billion in 2008 to $75 billion last year. But did you know that getting food stamps also makes you eligible for a free government cell phone?

A program called Lifeline provides free phones and free monthly minutes to anyone on food stamps, WIC, Medicaid, Head Start, and several other government programs. And just like food stamps, Lifeline (aka "phone stamps") has been growing by leaps and bounds since 2008, at significant cost to taxpayers.

Lifeline was started in the mid-'80s to reduce the cost of phone service to rural and needy customers. The program's costs are covered by a tax included on every monthly phone bill called the Universal Service Charge. The program eventually grew to include discounted cell service but took off in 2009, partly because TracFone announced a new program whereby eligible individuals could get a free phone and free monthly minutes. As a result, participation in the program (and costs) skyrocketed:

Program participation was stable from 2005 to 2008, from 6.9 million to 7.1 million participants, but increased to 8.6 million in 2009. Likewise, support payments were relatively stable from 2005 to 2008, from $802 million to $823 million annually, before increasing to approximately $1 billion in 2009.

[pollyannaish]

This ticks me off.

 

We struggle every month to put food on the table, pay our water/heating/electricity/phone bills. The only reason we have internet is because I use it for work. We've dropped our cable. We miss prescriptions for weeks sometimes because even though we have insurance we have to wait to pay copays.

 

And one of the things that makes these things so hard to afford is the "universal taxes" that give it to other people for free. In fact, our water/sewer bill last month was $111 dollars. of that, $48 was taxes. Our phone bill was $200. Of that $38 was taxes. Our cable bill was (not now) $129 and of that, $36 was taxes. Taxes on fuel are just as bad. Its insane!

 

At some point, they've got to COUNT this stuff as part of the taxes in this country when they talk about how "low" tax rates are. Income tax rates may be...but it is death by a thousands cuts and we are STILL going in the whole everywhere.

[Valin]

SPENDING OFF THE HOOK: FREE PHONES COSTING TAXPAYERS $2.1 BILLION PER YEAR

 

Could some kind soul please explain to me how something FREE can cost 2.1 Billion dollars? Please small words no more than two syllables...cause I'm not that bright.

 

When I was in school (granted this was a while ago) Free meant Adverb: Without cost or payment: "ladies were admitted free".

To say the least I am just a little....confused.

[Geee]

This ticks me off.

 

We struggle every month to put food on the table, pay our water/heating/electricity/phone bills. The only reason we have internet is because I use it for work. We've dropped our cable. We miss prescriptions for weeks sometimes because even though we have insurance we have to wait to pay copays.

 

And one of the things that makes these things so hard to afford is the "universal taxes" that give it to other people for free. In fact, our water/sewer bill last month was $111 dollars. of that, $48 was taxes. Our phone bill was $200. Of that $38 was taxes. Our cable bill was (not now) $129 and of that, $36 was taxes. Taxes on fuel are just as bad. Its insane!

 

At some point, they've got to COUNT this stuff as part of the taxes in this country when they talk about how "low" tax rates are. Income tax rates may be...but it is death by a thousands cuts and we are STILL going in the whole everywhere.

 

I don't know if it still is, but sales tax used to be deductible from your income tax. You had a certain percent of your income that you could deduct and any unusual large purchases were separate. I had an uncle that would save every receipt from any purchase all year to prove that his sales tax deductions were over twice what they 'allowed'! -and he would deduct that!! If all the 'death by a thousand cuts' were deducted from our federal-some of us would pay zilch!

[Geee]

SPENDING OFF THE HOOK: FREE PHONES COSTING TAXPAYERS $2.1 BILLION PER YEAR

 

Could some kind soul please explain to me how something FREE can cost 2.1 Billion dollars? Please small words no more than two syllables...cause I'm not that bright.

 

When I was in school (granted this was a while ago) Free meant Adverb: Without cost or payment: "ladies were admitted free".

To say the least I am just a little....confused.

 

Free to THEM, cost US 2.1 billion!!! We just cut our cell phone plan to save money, cause we are US not THEM

[pollyannaish]

This ticks me off.

 

We struggle every month to put food on the table, pay our water/heating/electricity/phone bills. The only reason we have internet is because I use it for work. We've dropped our cable. We miss prescriptions for weeks sometimes because even though we have insurance we have to wait to pay copays.

 

And one of the things that makes these things so hard to afford is the "universal taxes" that give it to other people for free. In fact, our water/sewer bill last month was $111 dollars. of that, $48 was taxes. Our phone bill was $200. Of that $38 was taxes. Our cable bill was (not now) $129 and of that, $36 was taxes. Taxes on fuel are just as bad. Its insane!

 

At some point, they've got to COUNT this stuff as part of the taxes in this country when they talk about how "low" tax rates are. Income tax rates may be...but it is death by a thousands cuts and we are STILL going in the whole everywhere.

 

I don't know if it still is, but sales tax used to be deductible from your income tax. You had a certain percent of your income that you could deduct and any unusual large purchases were separate. I had an uncle that would save every receipt from any purchase all year to prove that his sales tax deductions were over twice what they 'allowed'! -and he would deduct that!! If all the 'death by a thousand cuts' were deducted from our federal-some of us would pay zilch!

 

Yes, it was put back in under that evil, tax cutting Bush administration. We used to save receipts and it would be far more than the IRS provided number, but our purchasing has gotten so bare bones these last few years that it doesn't exceed it.

 

I know life is not fair...but it needs to be less random. What is rich anyway?

[pollyannaish]

SPENDING OFF THE HOOK: FREE PHONES COSTING TAXPAYERS $2.1 BILLION PER YEAR

 

Could some kind soul please explain to me how something FREE can cost 2.1 Billion dollars? Please small words no more than two syllables...cause I'm not that bright.

 

When I was in school (granted this was a while ago) Free meant Adverb: Without cost or payment: "ladies were admitted free".

To say the least I am just a little....confused.

 

Two words: ITS NOT.

 

Did that help?

[cudjo]

I saw a gal at the grocery store that had 3 cells in her purse, know this because she got 3 calls while in line and answered a different phone each time, and she paid with food stamps, guess if 1 is good 3 is even better

[Geee]

I saw a gal at the grocery store that had 3 cells in her purse, know this because she got 3 calls while in line and answered a different phone each time, and she paid with food stamps, guess if 1 is good 3 is even better

 

Maybe you call a different # depending on what the drug of choice is that you want to buy

[cudjo]

I'm battling with t-mobile right now over $40 in extra charges for some kind of down loads that I did not do, made them check back and they agree I have never had any downloads for charges, all of these charges were made at about 3:00 am I know I am not on my phone at that hour

[cudjo]

I saw a gal at the grocery store that had 3 cells in her purse, know this because she got 3 calls while in line and answered a different phone each time, and she paid with food stamps, guess if 1 is good 3 is even better

 

Maybe you call a different # depending on what the drug of choice is that you want to buy

 

 

probably paying for their drugs with our tax dollars, as Judge Judy says this is a wonderful country when people don't work and have everything they want

[Valin]

SPENDING OFF THE HOOK: FREE PHONES COSTING TAXPAYERS $2.1 BILLION PER YEAR

 

Could some kind soul please explain to me how something FREE can cost 2.1 Billion dollars? Please small words no more than two syllables...cause I'm not that bright.

 

When I was in school (granted this was a while ago) Free meant Adverb: Without cost or payment: "ladies were admitted free".

To say the least I am just a little....confused.

 

Two words: ITS NOT.

 

Did that help?

 

A little bit. At least it gives me a place to start

[RidesAPaleHorse]

And if all y'alls gits tired o' waitin' fo' yo' free fone, all y'alls kin do it the Ch'cago way!

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/06/13/surveillance-pictures-released-in-mob-attack-on-cta-red-line/

[Geee]

I heard a commercial on talk radio Milwaukee today advertising these free phones and free phone service if you qualify. I would have paid no attention if I hadn't read this this morning. So, my friends, we are paying for the phones, the service, and ads to say 'come and get it'

[nickydog]