Welcome to Bizarro Amerika!

The Federal Communications Commission has a program called Lifeline that provides low-cost or free phone service. The agency's website says this is because it and Congress "recognize that telephone service provides a vital link to emergency services, government services and surrounding communities." Who qualifies varies by state, but "in general," to qualify you must have an income that  is no more than 135 percent of the federal poverty line, or be enrolled in assistance programs like Medicaid, public housing assistance, discounted school lunch, or yes, food stamps. (This Factcheck.org piece has a good overview of the issue.) Strictly speaking, it's not a government-funded program: the telephone companies make payments to a fund administered by a non-profit called the Universal Service Administrative Company, but anyone with a phone bill chips in through a surcharge on their service.

Is the Obama Phone Obama's doing?

 No. The universal service requirement dates back at least to the Communications Act of 1934. The Lifeline program specifically was started in 1984 under President Reagan and was expanded in 1996 under President Clinton to allow qualifying households to choose to apply the benefit to either a landline or a cell phone. So no, it's not an Obama handout.

Shockingly, despite the bipartisan origins of the service, the idea of an "Obama Phone" for the undeserving has existed for a long time. A couple email forwards, debunked by Snopes.com, were circulating in October 2009 and described poor people shamelessly showing off their free phones:

Let's start by saying it's racial. The Obama Phone video belongs to a genre popular on conservative blogs in which poor people, usually black, confirm conservatives' worst 47-percent fears by saying they can get something for nothing because Obama's in office. The message is, "Here's what Obama's supporters really look like."

OK, but is the video just blatant racism?

Romney was not the originator of the 47 percent meme; like several other talking points he's used this election, he appears to have picked it up from conservative blogs. But as "inelegant" as Romney says his comments were, they're measured, thoughtful, and considerate compared to where they came from. For example, the racists over at Stormfront just love this story. One reader posted the video under the headline "Negro Obama Voter Says 'Vote for Obama because he gives a free Phone,'" and added, just in case the subtext wasn't obvious, "First I thought this was a joke but it's real. Racial inferiority on display." The aggressively racist responses have included, "The media tries not to show scum like this because then it would be easier to see what non-whites are really like" and "what does this talking baboon mean by free? When I pay my taxes it sure as hell ain't free." So, yes, it's totally and obviously racist according to some racists who rushed to a "White Pride" Internet forum as soon as they heard about it on Rush Limbaugh's show. To any conservatives offended at being associated with such vile people, let us say it for you: Using one mockable person you found on the Internet to make generalizations about half the country is lazy and stupid.

Congress "recognize that telephone service provides a vital link to emergency services, fine, government services, fine, and surrounding communities, I don't know what that fuckin means?  If it means you get a cell phone to talk to your cunt friends FUCK YOU!  EARN IT!  Maybe we should give them all a computer and internet so they can check the weather in the morning to see how to dress their kids, and of course play on web sites all day while we work.  To look for and receive a phone call for a job?  That bitch isn't looking for a job.  I'll give you 911.  I'll give you access to any gov. service.  I won't even count that against your minutes (hold can be a bitch).    Other than that FUCK YOU!  250 minutes, FUCK YOU!  I give you 60 under mutha fuckin protest.  Use them well.

Some consumers may notice a “Universal Service” line item on their telephone bills. This line item appears when a company chooses to recover its USF contributions directly from its customers by billing them this charge. The FCC does not require this charge to be passed on to customers. Each company makes a business decision about whether and how to assess charges to recover its Universal Service costs. These charges usually appear as a percentage of the consumer’s phone bill. Companies that choose to collect Universal Service fees from their customers cannot collect an amount that exceeds their contribution to the USF. They also cannot collect any fees from a Lifeline program participant.

it's paid for by the telephone companies.. .. they don't necessarily charge you..

if it's 250 minutes a month that isn't shit.. it's about 8 mins a day..

Regan started.. not like he was a 'welfare-giver'..

it's an 'in case of any emergency' phone.. not a phone you can chat with your friends with..

And they should get a free Starbucks mocawokablowjob coffee to get them going in the morning.  Fuck that shit.  Some people are poor and unemployed because they deserve to be.  After a short period of time they should get shit.  No Reagan phone fo you.