Fear Not--Fear Not--For There is indeed Nothing to Fear, but Fear Itself.

It is be afraid--be ye terrified time--NOT ;-))))))))))

Obama's Cell Phone Giveaway to Freeloaders – and You Are Paying for It Every Month

Let me tell you how not to pay for at least one aspect of freedom-scoffing government. Enter insidious purposes of the "Obama Phone" federal cellphone handout program. Millions of government aid takers are now carrying pricey cell phones in their pockets at your expense. And the government is using them to encourage people to apply for food stamps, subsidized housing, welfare checks, and other government goodies, all at the expense of productive taxpayers. These "free" phones are also used as platforms for receiving encouragements to vote – just ask Mitt Romney and the residents of Ohio. Like many government programs cloaked in charity, what's now known as the Obama Phone started as a program to help the poor and needy by subsidizing their phone service. Over a few decades, additional laws, mandates, and large cash infusions have been piled on until the whole thing has metastasized. Here's a brief overview:  1985 – "Lifeline" was established during the deregulations of the 1980s. It subsidized landline phone services to protect low income and rural areas from losing coverage while the all-knowing government was chopping Ma Bell (AT&T) into little pieces. Never mind the historical fact that in 1985 the President of the United States was Ronald W. Reagan.  And never mind what the whole story is >>> Since 1985, the Lifeline program has provided a discount on phone service for qualifying low-income consumers to ensure that all Americans have the opportunities and security that phone service brings, including being able to connect to jobs, family and emergency services. In 2005, Lifeline discounts were made available to qualifying low-income consumers on pre-paid wireless service plans in addition to traditional landline service. Lifeline is part of the Universal Service Fund. The Lifeline program is available to eligible low-income consumers in every state, territory, commonwealth, and on Tribal lands. Consumers with proper proof of eligibility may be qualified to enroll.  To participate in the program, consumers must have an income that is at or below 135% of the federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in a qualifying state, federal or Tribal assistance program. To participate in the program, consumers must either have an income that is at or below 135% of the federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in one of the following assistance programs: And certainly do not take this in consideration>>> 2004 Releases Public Notice. 10/4/04, The Wireline Competition Bureau annouces delayed effective date for revised Form 497 for Low-Income Universal Seerivce Support. (WC Dkt No. 03-109) DA 04-3188 Acrobat | Word 4/29/04, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.This Order expands the federal default eligibility criteria to include an income-based criterion and additional porgrams, adopts certification and verification procedures, and adopts outreach guidelines. The Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seek comment on adopting an eligibility criterion of 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. (WC Dkt No. 03-109) FCC 04-87 Acrobat | Word|Excel Lifeline Study Tables Data. 4/29/04, Dataset used in Appendix K - Lifeline Staff Analysis; Quantifying the effects of adding an income criterion to the Lifeline eligibility criteria. (WC Dkt No. 03-109) FCC 04-87 Excel 2003 Releases Order on Reconsideration and Order. 10/11/01, Addresses petitions for reconsideration of the Twelfth Report and Order, which adopted rules to provide additional targeted support to low-income consumers on tribal lands, and clarifies rules regarding the qualification criteria for enhanced Lifeline and Link-Up service (CC Dkt No. 96-45) FCC 01-J-2 Acrobat | Text 2001 Releases Public Notice. 10/11/01, Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Seeks Comment on Review of Lifeline and Link-Up Service For All Low-Income Consumers. (CC Dkt No. 96-45) FCC 01-J-2 Acrobat | Text Public Notice. 3/27/01, The Commission released a Public Notice concerning the petition of Genesis Communications International, Inc. for Declaratory Ruling Regarding Lifeline Assistance Revenues, Pleading Cycle Established. Comments Due: 04/26/2001. Reply Comments Due: 05/11/2001. (CC Dkt No. 96-45) DA No. 01-757. Text | Word Public Notice. 3/14/01, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has filed a request for expanded universal service support for low-income consumers in the Commonwealth, similar to the measures adopted in the Commission's Tribal Order for low-income subscribers living on tribal lands. Comment Date: April 13, 2001, Reply Comment Date: April 30, 2001 (CC Dkt No. 96-45) DA 01-622 Text |Word Correction to Public Notice 2/14/01, Common Carrier Bureau seeks nomination for board member position representing low-income consumer on Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors. Nominations are due March 16, 2001. Due to a typographical error, the Public Notice was released as DA 01-370, rather than as DA 01-369. This document corrects the DA number to DA 01-369. (Dkt No 96-45, 97-21). DA 01-370 Corrected Public Notice: DA 01-369 Text | Word 2/28/01 Public Notice. 2/14/01, Common Carrier Bureau Seeks Nomination for Board Member Position Representing Low-Income Consumers on Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors. (Dkt No 96-45 and 97-21). DA 01-370 After all, God forbid anyone actually remember that George W. Bush took the oath of Office of President on January 20th of 2001.