More on Obamaphones

[TerryMiller]

I've actually got two stories about this issue. Last night on KWTV-9 in OKC, there was a story in which it was mentioned that Oklahoma was the state with the most Obamaphones in the country. Enough so, that the 405 area code is filling up. The local story even interviewed one man who had as many as 20 phones and admitted to selling them to other folks. They get the phones for something like a dollar and the government (think taxpayers) get to pay at least $35 per month per phone. Those with the actual phones usually pay nothing on their phone bill.

KWTV-9 Story on Lifeline Phones in Oklahoma

Then this morning, I saw this Wall Street Journal story.

Millions Improperly Claimed U.S. Phone Subsidies

Thank you, Washington Scumbags, who are promoting this nonsense. And, one of Obama's big donors is behind a lot of this with his company Tracfone. Here is that story from back in October from CNN Money.

Who Gets Rich Off "Free" Government Phones?

 

[kd5rjz]

I know. It's a shame we vote these socialists like Ronald Reagan into office.

 

[HMFIC]

<sigh>

During the Reagan era, emergency lifeline land phones were subsidized for those who were truly needy to be able to have basic access under the auspices of emergency contact.

The program now is far beyond those roots and has certainly been changed during the Obama era which is why we have the problems we have now.

In other words... it's not Reagan's fault. That old line is ... well just exactly that. Old.

 

[RKM]

It can't be Obama's fault. So far everything bad that has happened has been someone else's fault.

Fingerpointing 101

 

[TerryMiller]

I know. It's a shame we vote these socialists like Ronald Reagan into office.

In case you haven't seen this before, this is a link to an OSA thread where it was attempted to shift the blame from Obama and the Democrats to Bush and ultimately Reagan. It was my "small" contribution as to who REALLY took advantage to the leaches having free phones. My contribution is right there at the top of the page in the link below.

OSA Thread on Obama phones and a nice little graph.

Nice try on blaming Reagan.

 

[Old Fart]

I don't care who did it. It needs to stop. Will it? Probably not.

 

[Hobbes]

Here is a link to a thread I created about a current investigation underway over these phones.

http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?162736-quot-Obama-quot-Phone-Investigation-Underway

The money collected by ICON, TerraCom and a few others are staggering—tens of millions of dollars a year for each. Last year, the Oklahoma-based TerraCom hauled in nearly $36 million, averaging $3 million a month. ICON made $25 million in federal reimbursement money.

At least three others are high priority under the Commission review. But they were not identified by a Commission official with the Public Utilities Division during the hearing. However it’s believed True Wireless is targeted after it raked in nearly $46 million in 2012 as payment for Oklahoma low-income customers, including $7.5 million in October. Its lowest monthly income from was $2.8 million in January of last year.

Another company, Assist Wireless, received nearly $29 million from the federal government last year. One other company believed to be raising doubts among Corporation Commission officials is Easy Wireless after it jumped from $466,000 in May of last year to more than a million dollars a month from July through November. All sought and received agreements from the Corporation Commission to protect not only their customer lists but other ‘highly-sensitive confidential information and documents.’ The Commission also agreed in two other previous agreements with some of the other firms being reviewed, not to introduce some of the proprietary and confidential material as evidence in any commission hearings.

To protect its own liability in the review, the Commission is also seeking information from rural telephone companies that also receive Lifeline funding from the federal government. But their yearly revenue through the Lifeline program is miniscule compared to the five firms in question. For instance, Chickasaw Telecom averages $12,000-$15,000 a month. EPIC Touch averages $22 to $60 a month. Pine Cellular receives anywhere from $132,000 to $197,000 a month.

It seems to me if you are really out to stop a financial fraud, instead of just scapegoating unpopular people, the best way to proceed is to follow the money trail and find out who is reaping the financial rewards from that scam.

 

[lilboots]

Follow the money, thats true without about everything that our government does.

 

[BadgeBunny]

I don't care who did it. It needs to stop. Will it? Probably not.

This ...

 

[Tyson C.]

when i get home i'm looking at my phone bill. so here is my stupid question: can i tell my phone company i'm not paying that small add on fee?

thanks for posting this...my blood pressure needed yet another boost.