Nothing — no matter how crazy — coming out of the insane state of California surprises us anymore.
Now the state has announced that it will be giving food stamps to undocumented migrants. Being a food stamp recipient, of course, is one of the primary ways to qualify for the Lifeline free government cell phone program. Since the Lifeline program has limited resources, more phones for non-citizens means fewer phones for American citizens and legal residents. In other words, you.
Absolute madness.
Here are the details from Breitbart.com:
This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a budget deal with Democrat state legislators that includes providing food stamps, paid for by California’s taxpayers, to illegal aliens 55 and older — the first initiative of its kind in the United States.
An executive with the group Nourish California told the Fresno Bee that the policy is historic for the state, saying, “California is once again making history by removing xenophobic exclusions to our state’s safety net.”
This is just such a typical government nonsense. If it sounds good, do it without any regard for the Law of Unintended Consequences. And the primary unintended consequence is that poor, deserving Americans will be denied free government cell phones so that they can be given to illegal aliens.
Expansion of the state’s CalFresh food stamps program will cost California’s taxpayers more than $35 million and about 75,000 illegal aliens are expected to enroll every year.
What they don’t say is that it also means that 75,000 citizens and legal residents will NOT get free government cell phones.
The Law of Unintended Consequences reigns supreme in the formerly great state of California.
Citizens and legal residents get the short end of the stick once again. We would say that we hope the California legislature reconsiders this shortsighted plan, but what are the odds of a politician doing the right thing for once?
Slim and none.
Source: Breitbart
Reticuli says
I’m a US citizen, and Safelink was nice enough to deactivate my Lifeline service all of the sudden yesterday without warning because the hardware was no longer compatible, and their parent company would not unlock my other phone to use on their system as I was reactivating the account. So I’m without a phone or service, even the crummy, little free refurbished one they sent me a year and a half ago when they said they were replacing my big ZTE with the same model. I still can’t use my Verizon-branded Moto G Power phone with Lifeline. They told me to go to a brick and motor store to get it unlocked, but the store wouldn’t help me. Meanwhile, there are a lot of migrants who just came across the border who were given plane tickets and nice big phones.
Free Government Cell Phones says
You need to find a different service provider who uses the same national network as Safelink.
John Sinclair says
I don’t understand why Safelink won’t send you a new SIM Card, but with that in mind they do have a BYOP(Bring Your Own Phone) SIM Card that you can order from their website for $9.99 that appears to have the SIM Card holder with it.
The SIM Card holder is important as it has the 8 digit PUK(Personal Unlocking Key) on the back of the holder.
They also have your Moto G Power phone listed as compatible with their system. It is 4G LTE compatible so don’t let them force you into purchasing a 5G phone as 4G will still be around for the next 10-15 years roughly.
Good luck to you!
Vera Georgieff says
Who is that stupid source “BREITBART”? Hey, identify yourself. I’m a very legal citizen, doctor and I’m not crazy like this insane source of yours. I always say to those “insane” people: why are you so upset about? You (like many “insane” people like you) are NOT going to work in fields like the “immigrants” in general are working on. You like when, tanks to them, you get all the fruits and vegetables in your supermarket for less because there is abundance. But when is the time for them to get any assistance you get “crazy” about it. This is just ridiculous. Are you going to take “everything” you got from the government to the grave with you? Give me a break for God’s sake. Shut up.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Glad to see that you’re not “insane.” No, you sound completely rational to us.
Robin says
What hysterical nonsense. Breitbart is confirmed by the Poyner Institute as a source of fake news. The writer of the article also doesn’t explain how food stamp applications have any connection with people not being able to get cell phones. So weird how people take sites like that seriously.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Do you identify as illiterate or ignorant, Robin? The second paragraph clearly spells out what’s wrong with California’s new policy. The logic is inescapable unless you are one of those people who think there is a bottomless pit of money that citizens should expend on behalf of non-citizens.
You don’t like the source? You can do your own google search for “california food stamps illegal aliens” (of as you would probably prefer, “undocumented immigrants”) and find hundreds of references from sources even you couldn’t dispute. We suspect that you are probably lazy in addition to being ignorant or illiterate, we did your home work for you:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-28/california-food-benefits-undocumented-immigrants
https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/food-policy-snapshot-california-food-benefits-undocumented-immigrants/
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-07-13/california-takes-a-nibble-at-offering-food-stamps-to-undocumented-immigrants
Or how about from the state of California itself:
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/california-food-assistance-program
We would love to be there to see the smoke pouring out of your ears as you attempt to process the fact that the state of California agrees with Breitbart. Or that the LA Times agrees with Breitbart. Or that US News agrees with Breitbart.
You clearly had made up your mind that a news item couldn’t be true because your political philosophy (and your fact checkers) told you not to believe that source. You just as clearly have never heard the old saying, “Don’t kill the messenger.”
By the way, the correct name is the Poynter Institute, not the Poyner Institute. And if you are so freakin’ gullible that you believe that fact checkers actually check facts rather than reinforce the opinions of those whose positions they share, you are even more ignorant than we would have imagined.
Now to paraphrase Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live, a source we’re pretty sure you would consider authoritative, “Robin, you ignorant slut…”
Vera Georgieff says
Exactly my point. Those people like “Breitbart” are so arrogantly insane. They’ve nothing to do but complaining about “others”. Like “FOX” the fake news. Ha, ha, ha.
Free Government Cell Phones says
We’re not doctors like you claim to be, Vera, but we’ve read that Valium can work wonders for your condition.
Iason says
Although your venting has lessened the focus and potency of your point, i would still like to say thank you for pointing out the first thing I had noticed as well:
The addition of expanded eligibility is citable as a fact with a referable source.
The claim that this would impinge on any other existing program or service is an unqualified remark with no evidence of having any basis in FACT.
So, Thank you.
THISISME says
Sorry, but we are not your service provider. This is an independent informational website that is NOT affiliated with any Lifeline free government cell phone company nor any Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) internet service provider.
fragile rock says
yeah, I’m homeless and work two jobs, still can’t afford CA rent. I generally make way under the income limit for food stamps. After waiting 3.5 months for my phone appointment, they went ahead and told me that the month before that I had made too much and didn’t qualify because I had gotten a bunch of overtime that month. If I wanted to restart the process, because generally my income would qualify, I would need to start all over and wait months for another interview
Free Government Cell Phones says
Very frustrating.
James says
Disgusting. Newsom has to go.
Henry says
According to the CA voting numbers, Newson won reelection for another term (and not by a slim margin). Apparently, the majority of the CA voters in the midterm elections do not agree with you.
Andrea says
Its called fraudulent elections. Dems have squeezed a tight chokehold on Calif long ago, The state is a lost cause.
Henry says
Ah, we are back to that again. Look at the 1876 election where Hayes won by one electoral vote. Do you have an example of a legitimate election? If all US elections are fraudulent, then why bother holding them at all? Save all of those TV ads cost promoting the candidates.
Lisa Anne Carlson says
The source of this is Breitbart?
This explains a lot. Not so fast!
This is meant to feed the sheep 🐑 on the Breitbart Farm. Breitbart is stinky entertainment, not really a credible source of investigative journalism, its definitely not news-not even close! Its a collection of haters, using their ill-gotten wealth and white privilege to fund their radical, self-serving ideas and so called beliefs. Grifting to live a fast lifestyle, one where they don’t really have to work hard doing anything else except thinking up new ways to get others to pay for it. Corporate Corruption; using the mentality of the mobs to fund The Mob Mentality against everyone, including themselves.
You might be a Breitbart believer if you’re into Rush Limbaugh or Ted Nugent. White Supremacist or Evangelical Fundamentalists. Conspiracy Theorists or Q-Anon-ists. Flat-Earthers or Climate Deniers. The Misogynists or Chauvinists. The Hypocrits or Bigots.
The Sophists of Sophistry, be it at Breitbart or at Fox “News Entertainment” or the growing number of Trump’s failures at trying to start radical social media companies. Companies that just never caught on after his people ran out if funds (which he swindled from the same followers). The millions of “subscribers” that paid for any thing founded by the orange narcissist dictator/former *POTUS. Funded by the gullible uneducated groupies he conned. The company he started after hims got mad at Sean Hannity, who stopped bootlicking the day he said “Trump officially has lost his reelection”.
Or after finally getting banned from Twitter. Or after he was permanently banned from Facebook for spreading lies and misinformation 24/7.
Or after getting exposed by or de-bunked by his own people. Or after publicly firing anyone he thought he legally could or regardless of legality, with public assisination of character, the defamation of group or liable of any brand or slander of any authority or government or company. Or after targeting anyone who disagrees with him or everyone who told him no. Or anyone who told the truth about him, he now just claims they lied on him even when they show receipts. He brags about the BEST people he knows and celebrates public wins with them on Mondays but in Friday’s tweets he swears every last one of those ate now just “Fake News”.
Or maybe its the pathological lying. Or the Subliminal public use of Social media messages meant to scare or to intimidate those he can’t face the truth from. Or maybe its the same old blaming everything on everyone, anyone he couldn’t scare everywhere else. Or blame on Obama or on Biden or even on Hilary’s emails.
And the evil little “stable genius” with the tiny man hands, is STILL trying to get away with ALL of it. He’s STILL doing ALL of this, even as I write, despite the fact that (thanks to the Jan 6th Committee and the many other prosecutors and Attorney generals who are currently investigating him and have already served him subpoenas) it appears *45 is FINALLY, VERY QUICKLY RUNNING OUT of options. From the looks
Sorry, I got sidetracked.
The 75,000 phones being “denied” to California residents is a false equivalence, because no one us actually being denied a phone. Source: The State of California Budget.
Lawmakers approved the funds for a program which adds up to 75k people, yes, including undocumented workers but this isn’t at a
truthful also includes other marginalized group s like refugees and people with customs issues, or those with lost passports or legal documents.
But, my point is, this funding was added as a part of the regular budget, not in replacement of anything, but in addition to it. This budget, which pays for and provides services that fund is from ALL legal tax payers and legal residents of California, (including Caucasian residents, but still, for ALL residents, they are still mad about immigration and immigrants because they are POC not white.)
Nothing was actually charged back to tax payers for this budget addition either, it was paid for and entirely funded. There’s always funds there when it’s sourced out of surplus tax revenue, all the money the state collected from people working in the state who had taxes taken out of their paychecks for state income tax, some of whom never file a tax return for a refund and then forfeited.
All the non-residents, undocumented or illegal pay in but forfeited that revenue. The people who have work visas are just one of the sources where this surplus tax revenue is from, but since it’s coming from immigrants and funding immigrant programs, and Breitbart is using people against themselves and making them pay for it, capitalizing by using the media to attract followers using conspiracies, misinformation, lying about groups of people, usually anything with racist inuendo or intentionally just lying about something. Because thats what they do, and they do it because its profitable.
In California, when you apply for SNAP benefits, you must meet low-income requirements and be a legal resident of California before you will qualify and Californians who are qualified for SNAP also qualify for free Lifeline services. Period.
This source, Breitbart, in reality, is a unapologetic collection of racist talking heads leading around a cult of brainwashed followers getting them to do anything the want and give them all the money.
Brieitbart is not credible for anything unless spreading misinformation and opinions with far right-wing views counts- most of it can not be backed up by facts and it’s all a narrative to find them money- in other words, picture Fox News, crossed with a little Jerry Falwell fake Christian eevangelicals, definitely picture team Trump and then picture The Oath Keepers, The Proud Boys. Picture Steve Bannon and picture presidential pardons.
The truth:
In California, anyone approved for SNAP benefits has already met the legal requirements. Breitbart isn’t even trying to act low-key here, but its instead saying they’re against immigrants and it’s not a secret that its because they’re not Caucasian, they’re just not White. Breitbart, is a bunch of self righteous bigots and hypocrites whose income and wealth is sourced by people they can grift into staying stupid. Period.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Make of this comment what you will. We look at it and thank God that we don’t have to live lives filled with so much hate for so many people and organizations.
fraggle rock says
lol. I’m white and homeless and not enrolled in any assistance programs. Can you please direct me to wherever it is that I can enroll in the white privilege? I seem to have not been present when it was being passed out.
Henry says
It is my understanding that eligibility for Lifeline is NOT dependent on already being approved for other social services programs. When you have been approved for other social services programs, that usually means that you will be approved for Lifeline service. But you can still be approved for Lifeline on the sole basis of your income. A relative of mine does not participate in other social services programs and was approved for Lifeline. I don’t know if CA Lifeline application process/eligibility is different from the other 49 states. It shouldn’t be.
LW says
Thanks for your comment; I have noticed this website has had a definite right-wing skew for a long time now; I wonder how much they hate that anyone gets a benefit like cell phone service without paying a corporation for it.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Do you really think millions of people are leaving California because they are evil right wingers? No, moron, they are leaving because the state of California has been destroyed by lunatics.
Californians are required to pay the highest state income taxes in the nation and the highest gas taxes in the nation. What was once the greatest education system in the nation is in tatters and its students routinely score at or near the bottom of all states. The state’s infrastructure is falling apart. Its freeways are filthy, covered with more garage than its landfills. Residents must put up with frequent power outages. California is overrun with illegal aliens who undercut the wages earned by legal residents.
I could go on and on and on, but why bother? This comment moderator was born and raised in California back when it was damn near paradise on earth. I got out eight years ago and have never regretted leaving for a moment.
Does that make me a right wing lunatic? You would say yes (without even knowing my politics), but millions of other Californians are voting with their feet. They would say no.
Edward S says
Very Well Said
Free Government Cell Phones says
Thanks. I got a little heated there, but sometimes the morons do that to me.
Bingjames says
Good for you anytime anyone can make a change or completely pick up and move their whole life to another state and be happier and less stress and be comfortable with their circumstances I’m happy for you.More should follow suit but can’t afford to move and can’t afford to stay so that’s why alot are so mad at ones that can do it .I’m not yah for you good 🤞😊
Andrea says
The mot ignorant post on planet earth. Congralations!! You win.
Edward S says
Crazy Times, and my rent is going up $130.00 a month.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Crazy times, indeed. Our waiter at breakfast this morning told us that his rent was going from $900 to $1200. Inflation is a vicious enemy.