Reason #4 NOT to vote for Pres Obama: Excuse Me, Is Your “Obama Phone” Ringing?

One of the charges that show up on your phone bill (or if its a pay-as-you go , when you add minutes) is the "Federal Universal Service Charge."  Call it a consumer tax.  Or call it a fee.  It is money that the Federal government is getting from you and I and uses to give other people free "Obama Phones."

If you don't believe it, I understand. I did not believe it either.  So I did my own research and this is what I found. http://obamaphone.net/

 

There is indeed a Federally-funded program that is called ObamaPhone.  It puts a free pre-paid cell phone into the hands of qualified applicants with 250 free minutes.  And the program is named after the sitting President of the United States, so it essentially a built-in campaign advertisement.

  

The Federal Universal Service Charge was not always an ObamaPhone fee.  It predates Pres. Obama by about 12 years. Congress passed the Telecommunication Act of 1996, which prompted the Federal Communications Commission to establish the Federal Universal Service Fund (USF) in 1997 to comply with the regulation.  The basic idea is that telecommunication companies pay into the USF the money received from Universal Service Charge.  Ultimately the money comes from  consumers.  Originally intended to ensure that remote communities have access to telecommunications, under the Obama Administration, the money is funding free ObamaPhones.

  

If you are skeptical, go to http://obamaphone.net and see for yourself.