Get your government paid cell phone right here!!!

[Terri]

Am I the only one here who didn't know taxpayers were paying for cellphones for welfare recipients?

SAFELINK WIRELESS® service is U.S. government supported program for Income eligible households provided by TracFone Wireless, Inc. In order to participate in the SAFELINK WIRELESS® service, persons must meet certain eligibility requirements set by each State where the service is to be provided. These requirements are based on a person’s participation in a state or Federal support programs or by meeting the Income Poverty Guidelines as defined by the U.S. Government. SAFELINK WIRELESS® service is limited to one person per household.

Lifeline Benefits
Lifeline Assistance is part of a program that was created by the government to provide discounted or free telephone service to income-eligible consumers. To help bring you this important benefit, SafeLink Wireless is proud to offer Lifeline Service. Through our Lifeline Service you will receive FREE cellular service, a FREE cell phone, and FREE Minutes every month! SafeLink Wireless Service does not cost anything – there are no contracts, no recurring fees and no monthly charges.

Any Minutes you do not use will roll-over. Features such as caller ID, call waiting and voicemail are all also included with your service. If you need additional Minutes, you can buy TracFone Airtime Cards at any TracFone retailer Walmart, Walgreens, Family Dollar, etc). SafeLink Airtime Cards will be available soon.

Your exact benefits, including the number of free Minutes you will receive, depend on the state you live in.

How to Qualify
The process to qualify for Lifeline Service depends on the State you live in. In general, you may qualify if...

You already participate in other State or Federal assistance program such as Federal Public Housing Assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid.
OR

Your total household income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines set by your State and/or the Federal Government.
AND

No one in your household currently receives Lifeline Service through another phone carrier.
You have a valid United States Postal Address. In order for us to ship you your free phone you must live at a residence that can receive mail from the US Post Office. Sorry, but P.O. Boxes cannot be accepted.

Here's the website of the carrier (https://www.safelinkwireless .com/EnrollmentPublic/about_us.aspx) I've quoted from.

One of these days I'm just going to :melt: :tearhair: and explode. :fire:

[FiOS Dan]

TracFone Wireless believes that cell phone ownership is a right and an important tool for individual success in today's world. (italics mine)OMG not another "right"! Someone please pass the airsick bag.

:rolleyes:

[Ray-Ray]

For goodness sake Terri!

This is done all in the need for SAFETY. We have to protect the poor from themsleves. Don't you know how much trouble they can get into with a run away phone bill? How about it if they need a legal-aid lawyer in a jiffy? or the address of the nearest Planned Parenthood....or need to call the cops if McDonalds forgot the toy in the happy meal?

Terri, Terri, Terri.....what are you thinking

[Texanna]

I knew there was a program for a home phone service that is very limited (calls to a few numbers, no long distance), but I didn't know anything about cell phones. Humm. Kinda makes me want to quit working and let my Daddy Sam take care of me.

[RW]

OK, I'm NOT for any free service paid by the gubbmint.

OK, so I've applied for and will receive help now. No, not the cell service, of course.

I am ashamed and embarrassed. I'll rise again.

But think a bit....

68 minutes ain't much. That's the limit in FL. And it can only be used for certain reasons. Calls except to "emergency services," are blocked.

When Guy was literally an hour or less from dying last year, (according to the ER physician and then the medics who came in to check on him) if all I had was 68 minutes to get the medics there, and I didn't know cpr, his time woulda run out before any help arrived, like the medics.

It was 57 minutes from 911 to actual medical help.

I had to call 911 "what is your emergency?" I described.

THEN it was,

"OK, here's another number to call to get medical help." The POLICE were called, not a criminal problem, but medical. Police didn't show, they didn't have to, they simply had to be called. Don't ask me why! Have no idea, protocol or sumpin...

Then the call to the medics, but FIRST the fire department, of all places, 9 blocks away. THEN, I had to call Emergency Medical Services, I had to know the address of Guy's house. Caller ID apparently wasn't enuff. Again, I don't know why.

His son can barely speak, he stutters. We had to find a pen and piece of paper for him to write down the home address, (the pen wouldn't write on my or Son's arm, or clothes that's how wild it was!)and the number I was given for Emergency Medical Services. I can't keep numbers in my head, especially in an emergency! Emergency Medical Services are NOT in the book, ya gotta go thru 911.

NO, I just knew how to get there, NOT the address. I prolly shoulda just stepped outside and looked at the mailbox, 50 feet down the driveway, but I was doing sumpin else, like panicking. And checking a pulse and respiration.

Think, how many of your friends that you know their exact address right off the top of yer head? hmmm? You know how to GET there, but the exact address? And it's an EMERGENCY to boot?

Then put into the mix a terrified child, who can't speak, a man pouring blood from major orifices and seems to have heart failure? NO pulse, no respiration? I USED to be an EMT, even delivered a baby in the back of an ambulance, mannnyy years ago, and still....everything was chaotic...

Then the 911 op called back, had to keep me on the phone..."stay on the phone, Ma'am, make sure there is a clear pathway and all pets are locked in a room or locked outside...tell me what you are doing, what is happening..."

I was doing cpr while the phone was attached to my ear from my shoulder, pound pound pound, breathe breathe breathe (putting the phone down when I breathed into him) and so on, while the operator was wanting to know what was going on! You do NOT want to know what my language was like, to that female op. I was a sailor stationed with the Marines, use yer imagination...

My community is medium, and easily navigated, but what about a BIG city, with traffic, and problems going up stairs or in elevators?

Nearly an hour, People, for help for Guy.

The medics worked on him, and then to the hospital. He was in ICU 5 days.

I didn't save his life, I am NOT a hero and don't play one on tv, but what if some one who had NO clue, knows nothing about cpr, was freaking out, worse than Son or I, trying to get help, the op on the other end trying to find out what the heck was going on, maybe it's a CHILD, or an old person and the cell phone craps out? What if that is you or someone you love.

Then what?

I don't know the solution, I don't, but 68 minutes, a phone and don't tell me the cell phone service provider doesn't pay sumpin, and gets a tax write off. I don't think it's JUST US who pays, but I suspect, few dollars come out of our pocket and the wireless providers do something. And it's a good thing.

If there were 300 minutes and a Razor phone, or a BlackBerry, and ya could call someone other than emergency services, t'would be different. But looks to me to really be a "Lifeline," and it's not just tax payers paying.... and if the person receiving has a landline or another cell phone..NO!

Just my two cents....

[Charie]

RW, that is a weird 911 "service". Here if you dial 911 you tell them what the emergency is and they send the proper first responder, whether it be EMTs, fire dept. or police.

The phones for welfare recipients bill here was pushed because "people need to call about jobs and to hear from prospective employers". That was one of the major talking points.

To tell you the truth, I don't even know if that passed or not. I can't keep up anymore.

[Terri]

It is always best not to take political discussions personally. No one on this forum ever singles anyone out because they are having hard times. Instead we hope things will get better, we make suggestions, we pray, we do not point fingers.

It's also important to note that there are different reasons for people needing assistance. There are those who are disabled and will always need help and should get help. There are those who are having temporary problems that they will work through with some help. Not everyone is on government assistance for life, although under Obama that may well change.

In the case of cellphones I believe they are paid for by a fee added to every paying customer's bill.

No, 68 minutes and a cheap phone isn't much but it adds up fast when you multiply it by the number of people eligible for it.

Yes, I want people to be able to call 911 when they need help, call to make an appointment for a job interview, etc.

I don't want babies to go hungry, be cold or live in the streets either.

I want everyone to have excellent health care, dental care, lots of food, clothes, heat, electricity, everything.

But, here's the point....there really are no free programs. The end user may not pay but someone does.

There are almost as many people in this country not paying taxes as there are those who are paying taxes. Obama is adding people to free programs much faster than has ever happened before in this country.

People have no clue how many fees like this they are paying on phone bills, electricity bill, heating bills, etc., to help pay the costs for those who cannot pay.

We're almost at the halfway point now. How many taxes, fees, etc., can the working man pay for free programs before it doesn't pay him to keep working?

What happens when the taxpayers can't pay for all these things anymore no matter how much people need them?

[Ray-Ray]

RW, My comment was meant to be funny, but I forget that sometimes good people get stuck in a low place and have to accept help from unwanted sources, like the government. To those fine folks, my joke was not funny and I apologize to you. My comments were dircted to the klingers that use welfare as a way of life and pass that heritage down to their youngins.

That 911 call sounded horrendous and it sorta sounds like you were a hero to me...just sayin'.

[RW]

Thanks, no hero, I just know a bit more than the average person, everyone should try to learn cpr.

YES, it IS a weird system, and I've complained!

I don't think WE the people should be paying for anyone's cell service. I believe in charity from those who can give. The wireless companies are doing well, always have. Tis good to give. And it's why I believe in corporate tax breaks for charitable giving. And/or faith based giving. WE are the government. WE owe nothing but opportunity for the pursuit of happiness.

[ReneeCA.]

Could this be just another way for the government to spy on us through phone conversations?

Should all utilities be paid for by our taxes for the good and safety of the public?

We will soon have medical bills paid by us taxpayers as a given right.

Once this happens, we will have the government know every aspect of our life. Due to privacy laws no one else will but the government will have to know these things for our own safety.

See where this is going?

I don't know about you but I am very uncomfortable with Big Brother knowing and allowing or not a situation without their consent.

Wake up people! This is very dangerous territoryand we are losing our rights at a very quick pace!