Isn't this special

As usual an interesting thread turns into a "my dick is bigger than your dick" contest with the same old people playing. *Yawn*

...and even provide her health insurance. Originally Posted by Rudyard K

mostpeople aren't wonderful and considerate and mindful.

Better Bliss?

I can just hear the bitching and moaning when the housekeeper / nanny / low wage servant can't call to tell you he / she isn't able to come wipe your kids' asses all day.

Elementary Clue #1 - Nickle and Dimed (Ehrenreich) Originally Posted by ..

Smart ass remark aside that's just it...my housekeeper (& just about the entire low income/working poor class) has a phone. Her daughter has one with an unlimited text plan. I see homeless people in Woodruff Park with phones all the time. Bottomline: people prioritize connectedness! On a budget, meager as it may be? Go to WalMart or the local Stop & Rob and get a Tracphone! It isn't cost prohibitive. Why create another program that creates a sense of entitlement? Imagine the cost of adminsitering the program, sorting thru all those gov't programs Ansley listed to figure out who is eligible and who isn't and ensure the integrity of the program is maintained? What waste.

Or we could always take the Tudor Approach to most everything: Nationalize it and give everyone a new phone with unlimited minutes

As usual an interesting thread turns into a "my dick is bigger than your dick" contest with the same old people playing. *Yawn* Originally Posted by Bliss

Oh Miss Bliss...don't be so modest. A personal one off example of good under a program that includes much, much more. Not exactly concensus building.

...my housekeeper (& just about the entire low income/working poor class) has a phone. Originally Posted by atlcomedy

That's the key point.

Not too many years ago, tens of millions of poor Americans had no phone service at all. It was understandable that people wanted to expand service to them, especially for emergency use.

Now almost no one goes without.

But some folks seem to think a new entitlement program ought to be created for just about everything they can think of.

Or we could always take the Tudor Approach to most everything: Nationalize it and give everyone a new phone with unlimited minutes Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Sounds like Nirvana. Glad you suggested it, and glad you gave me the credit.

I don't think cell phones were common when Reagan was in office. If I remember correctly, what ones were around back then were the size of a shoebox and were hard wired into your car. Originally Posted by pjorourke

In 1987 we got a Panasonic Portable phone. It was probably 12" x 9" x 3". Three watts of raw analog power. Bell Atlantic (now Verizon). We bought a second Panasonic in 1989. We were sort of early adopters. I seem to remember the charges being .75¢ a minute peak and .38¢ off-peak. We went to digital about ten years later and a lot smaller phones.

Then why did you even bring up Reagan or anything political?:wavetow el2:

....& it is gov't, it's just that no direct tax dollars are being used to finance it....this is a "carve out" that the telecoms agree to do on their own to show they are responsible corporate citizens and keep the FCC (gov't) off their backs... Originally Posted by atlcomedy

And it would be my guess that they get to write that carve out off on their taxes. First of all, regional phones are available for $25.00 per month with unlimited calling. And secondly, not everyone is entitled to the same things that their neighbors have. Bliss’ example is one of a charity function not an entitlement program function. (..), talking about who’s been to the hood and who has domestics and other such non-related topics isn’t going to change this simple fact! I want a Maserati but I can’t afford one.

And yes, my [want of a] Maserati is the same as a phone in my world – see how that sense of entitlement works. It goes like this………….. I see something that I really, really want. Everyone else has it / them. Why can’t I. Oh, I can’t afford it. Well I’ll charge it. Woops, not enough limit on my card. Well, I’ll buy it on credit. Damn, you mean I actually have to have a job to finance something or get credit. Well don’t that beat all…………….

Anybody want to talk with someone who has responded to a Lifeline call? - okay I am right here. in the 30 years of being in my Profession I have made more than a couple of Lifeline responses. I can not remember any response that was frivolus or an abuse of the 911 system. Unfortunately there is a need for the system. I have qorked in some areas that require the people to reset there Lifeline at prdetermined intervals. If not done it activates an automatic welfare check response. Many good ideas with the best of intentions have been hijacked and bastardized in the effort to take advantage. If the original goal has been lost or confused in a system itneeds to be adjusted and rebooted to work properly and re evaluated periodically.

My mom has and uses her Lifeline. They have all been "lift assists" rather than a life threatening situation. We now have care at night which looks like it will be going to 24 hour care. I doubt there will be a need for LL now.

Now he is Reinhold Niebuhr Originally Posted by pjorourke

La peste de l'homme, c'est l'opinion de sçavoir. Voilà pourquoy l'ignorance nous est tant recommandée par nostre religion comme piece propre à la creance et à l'obeissance. (William James Sidis)

Or we could always take the Tudor Approach to most everything: Nationalize it and give everyone a new phone with unlimited minutes Originally Posted by atlcomedy

yeah, nationalized free speech.