The Truth About The Obama Phone

[DonViejo]

By Judd Legum on Sep 27, 2012 at 4:43 pm

On Thursday, the Drudge Report splashed a video of an undentified woman who claims to have recieved a free “Obama Phone.”

The video has captured the attention of the right online, who see it as proof that Obama supporters are dependent on government. On his show today, Rush Limbaugh weighed in:

So these are the people that don’t like Romney because of what he said about 47%? No, these are the 47%!… She knows. She knows how to get this free Obama phone. She knows everything about it. She may not know who George Washington is or Abraham Lincoln, but she knows how to get an Obama phone.

Thousands of conservatives are on Twitter, telling jokes about the #ObamaPhone.
There is one problem with the Obama Phone: It doesn’t exist.

Since 2009, there has been an urban myth that Obama created a program to provide free phones to low-income Americans at taxpayer expense. There is, in fact, a government program that will provide low-income people with a free or low cost cell phone. It was started in 2008 under George W. Bush.

The idea of providing low-income individuals with subsidized phone service was originated in the Reagan administration following the break-up of AT&T in 1984. (It was expanded and formalized by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.) The program is paid for by telecommunications companies through an independent non-profit, not through tax revenue.

See more:
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/09/27/924011/the-truth-about-the-obama-phone/

[Sekhmets Daughter]

1. Just another sign of desperation

[notadmblnd]

2. is that the phone that only allows a person to call 911?

I seem to recall after my baby sister's divorce, she had a phone like that for a while. He girls were still small back then. The phone was only for emergencies.

[LeftofObama]

3. I got one through Assurance Wireless.

One day I got an application in the mail. It said if you are on disability or low income that you can get 250 free minutes/month. I was skeptical at first, but I went ahead and mailed in the application. Sure enough, they sent my phone and allowed me to keep my same phone number. I get 250 free minutes a month (I don't use anywhere near that many) and all I have to do is make one phone call every 60 days to keep it active.

[notadmblnd]

4. No, I guess it's not. I remember her getting hers from the Dept of Human Services (caseworker)

[Shanti Mama]

5. Thanks for this info.

Really helps when countering republicans who cite this kind of thing.

[alp227]

6. Helps? I can only hear them saying "What, the facts mean I can't tease dumb poor [...] now??"

[jbnow]

7. So it's a bush phone. Here is the page showing

qualifications by state
How to Qualify for Assurance Wireless, a Lifeline Assistance program

What a great program!
It is now 250 Free minutes and 250 Free texts.
It is just one per household but what a difference that can make. The income eligibility for the phones (or programs you must be on to qualify) means there is often not room for any phone in your budget without being deprived of a necessity.

I hope those not on programs (where workers are to inform you of program) know about this. I know many surviving on unemployment or had it run out could really benefit. Finding work without a phone? Or just the isolation for some could be very hard, let alone access in emergencies.

Really a good program to learn about.
So thanks rush, may some be helped because you are an asshole.

[Arkana]

8. I have an Obama phone.

George Soros calls me on it whenever he needs a nice young Christian man converted to homosexuality and devil worship.

Or when he needs me to abort some black babies.

[Patiod]

9. ***snort***

Ok, I just lost my Gatorade (I'm sorry - my "G Series Thirst Quencher&quot .

Too funny.

I just came across a rebuttal on Alternet, and reposted it to the idiots who have been posting racist stuff on FB about this.
http://www.alternet.org/election-2012/ring-wing-goes-crazy-over-obama-phones-which-are-actually-reagan-phones