Nearly One Million Low-Income Tennessee Households to Benefit from Free, Government-S

[Guest thorn]

I said earlier "There are plenty of other things that 30 bucks a month could have went to,but it went to her in her time of need. Explain the bad in that?"

Can you answer that?

The bad, is the fact that the government is a piss poor manager of money; they have no incentive and that $30 had to come from somewhere - do you think it came from the government?

The good, I guess the fact that it helped you and your mom when it was needed.

Although the fact is, it's not about you and your mom. Mine was a single mother of two worked her ass off, never took anything that she didn't work for - in fact she had it taken away from her. I'd assume that her money went to someone that that government thought deserved or needed more than us...

I honestly do not get your points or arguments.

[Guest Linoge]

WTH?

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/nearly-one-million-low-income-tennessee/story.aspx?guid=%7B58EE3F15-B3D7-499D-9F22-6AEE9B0EB959%7D&dist=hppr

Well, so maybe this state is not quite as bad as my old one (good old People's Republic of Kalifornistan), but this has to rank somewhere near the top of my Stupid-o-Meter.

I am not entirely sure which is worse in my eyes... the fact that people, for some odd, illogical, irrational reason, think they deserve a cell phone, or the fact that so many people do not seem to understand the concept that the government does not pay for anything - we do.

Of course, considering the fact that I have been an honest, hard-working American since my high school days, I have gotten kind of used to the government stealing away my money and directing it to... other folk, for no other reason than that their hands are out. Hm. Maybe I should just give up the pretense and live on the government dole... it is turning out to be a relatively nice place.

[mhm2a]

The country is falling apart beneath our feet....

[Guest Honest AK]

Well, so maybe this state is not quite as bad as my old one (good old People's Republic of Kalifornistan), but this has to rank somewhere near the top of my Stupid-o-Meter.

I am not entirely sure which is worse in my eyes... the fact that people, for some odd, illogical, irrational reason, think they deserve a cell phone, or the fact that so many people do not seem to understand the concept that the government does not pay for anything - we do.

Of course, considering the fact that I have been an honest, hard-working American since my high school days, I have gotten kind of used to the government stealing away my money and directing it to... other folk, for no other reason than that their hands are out. Hm. Maybe I should just give up the pretense and live on the government dole... it is turning out to be a relatively nice place.

You're starting to get an idea of just how corrupt and incompetent the politicians in this state are. Every now and then they come up with something really stupid to try and prove to the rest of the country just how "progressive" they can be. I really do think crap like this is an effort, however misguided, to debunk the hillbilly stereotype the state has.

BTW, I lived in Mar Vista (near Venice Beach) for a couple of years. Crazy place...

[greenego]

What ever happened to the idea that you purchase things that you can afford? If someone can't pay for a cell phone do they need it? I have had people that hire others that they have had people quit their jobs because big brother was going to cut their food stamps. The comment was "I am not going to pay for my food"! Now I guess they will say the same about their cell phone. So much for self reliance.

[molonlabetn]

The country is falling apart beneath our feet....

Don't worry, the American people won't fall down with it... this noose around our necks will hold us up when there's nothing left to stand on.

[NuTcAsE]

Don't worry, the American people won't fall down with it... this noose around our necks will hold us up when there's nothing left to stand on.

+1

[fizik]

What ever happened to the idea that you purchase things that you can afford? If someone can't pay for a cell phone do they need it? I have had people that hire others that they have had people quit their jobs because big brother was going to cut their food stamps. The comment was "I am not going to pay for my food"! Now I guess they will say the same about their cell phone. So much for self reliance.

This kind of person should go back and read some Thoreau. Apparently they dropped out of school before it was taught. Even the essay On Self Reliance is only a few pages, it's not like I'm suggesting a whole book or something. That sense of entitlement just kills me. And it's not just the people on government handouts. It's also the wealthy families with kids who depend on their parents for everything (my own brother is a great example, as much as I hate to say it). It's all an "I deserve it." attitude. It's unbelievable how tolerant society is of such nonsense.

[Guest Loki]

I want the government to pay for my membership dues here.

And while they're at it, can they bail me out of this gas guzzling SUV that the salesperson forced me to buy, and now I can't afford no more?

[analog_kidd]

Geez, what did everyone do 15 years ago before cellphones got so popular? If you really need to make an urgent call, pull over to a pay-phone. And like someone else said, an old cellphone that does not have service will still place a 911 call. How hard is it to find someone with an old cellphone in their junk drawer that would give it away? I've probably got four of them.

[Guest Honest AK]

I wonder how many people they could put through a trade school with the money they are spending on this cell phone program.

[Guest jackdog]

I wonder how many would show up to the trade school.

[Guest Phantom6]

...the fact that so many people do not seem to understand the concept that the government does not pay for anything - we do.

You use "we" in an what seems to be an all inclusive manner here but "we" doesn't include THEY which are those that live on the govt. cheese and will be the ones calling their dealers, pimps and free clinics rather than using the cell phones to follow up on job applications.

While there is no doubt that there are folks that out of medical necessity would need and benifit from this service it seems not to be based on real need but rather on income level. Besides that, the gubment operates nothing that is not a breeding ground for corruption and runs as it was intended to run with even the best intentions.

[strickj]

I wonder how many people they could put through a trade school with the money they are spending on this cell phone program.

Well considering that I'm paying about .13 cents a minute for my Verizon plan including text/pix messages,and tax,their 60 minutes a month would only cost 7.80 dollars a month per recipient.Dont see that paying for much else

[G27]

Well considering that I'm paying about .13 cents a minute for my Verizon plan including text/pix messages,and tax,their 60 minutes a month would only cost 7.80 dollars a month per recipient.Dont see that paying for much else

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that our government did something extremely out-of-character and scored these 800k phones (with plans) for only $10/each annually - that's $8,000,000 dollars to spend on educating these folks instead of giving them handouts.

Now you can probably multiply that figure x10 to be realistic as you spend about $93/year on your service (though that doesn't include the phone) - $80,000,000.

Yah, couldn't do any good with $80M, might as well piss it away in handouts...

[Angus]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.wasn't there a few schools in this state that still didn't have a budget untill after the schedualed start of the school year. Don't parent have to purchase books and other supplies that used to be supplied by the schools....hell...didn't the schools actually have regular class rooms, and not " portables "?

I cannot believe this crap.

[Guest Linoge]

You use "we" in an what seems to be an all inclusive manner here but "we" doesn't include THEY which are those that live on the govt. cheese and will be the ones calling their dealers, pimps and free clinics rather than using the cell phones to follow up on job applications.

Fair enough... I probably should have said something along the lines of, "we, the few, the proud, the tax-payers".

[fizik]

Well considering that I'm paying about .13 cents a minute for my Verizon plan including text/pix messages,and tax,their 60 minutes a month would only cost 7.80 dollars a month per recipient.Dont see that paying for much else

except that's verizon, this is tracfone. look at my fost on page 1 for the numbers. i spent several years in the cell industry and still do a bit of consulting. the big guys would cut a mucch better deal on a million lines than tracfone, a pay per minute service, that runs ~$0.50/min and up.

[Guest Honest AK]

I wonder how many would show up to the trade school.

I don't care how many show up. It's still a better idea than giving out stupid Tracfones.

They could just make it part of a Lazy Tennessean Care Package. "Look maw! I got my foodstamp card and my Tenncare card and my Tennphone all at once....Jackpot!"

[Guest Honest AK]

Well considering that I'm paying about .13 cents a minute for my Verizon plan including text/pix messages,and tax,their 60 minutes a month would only cost 7.80 dollars a month per recipient.Dont see that paying for much else

You don't really think they bothered to negotiate a competitive rate do you? I'm sure one or more politicians are either getting paid or they're having some big favors done for them in return for using a garbage service provider like Tracfone.

If they are going to be handing out Tennphones, they should be like the ones those guys in Night at the Roxbury got from their parents. Those big old school walkie talkie lookin' things.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Honest AK

[greenego]

We have entered into a state of mine in this country that if someone has something, everyone "deserves" it. If they can't afford, the government "should" provide it. Then it gets to the point where I can get this for free if I only make so much a year. You take away a persons incentive to better them self by getting a second job or more education in order to afford the things other people have. Why bother? The "government" will give it to me and its FREE. No one has to pay for it. Right! We teach this crap in our schools. Where will it all end?

[Guest Loki]

Where will it all end?

Ask Rome. And the USSR. They'll tell you where out of control government and a society of state dependants ends.

[robin48]

Let me add to that with an analogy.

You're a gun owning American.

That makes you far right extremist,paranoid gun toting psycho set out for villeinage justice.

They're low income.

That makes them young blacks,living in the projects riding on dubs while refusing to work.

Was your wife like that?

One, I believe you mean vigilante justice, and two someone still has to pay for this. Welfare feeds people, clothes people and now our taxes provide cell phones. My dollar is about as stretched as it can be without having to provide yet another service to folks that for the most part believe it is owed them. That my friend is a load of liberal crap.