Stop the War on the Poor: Save Lifeline

Friend,

In news that will surprise no one ... Trump’s FCC is yet again declaring war on the poor, this time by attacking Lifeline, one of the only ways poor people in this country are able to afford the phone and internet connections they need to find jobs and services.

From today through the FCC’s Feb. 25 comment deadline, we have a chance to stop them. And I’m asking you to join me in fighting back, because for me, this attack isn’t just repugnant and wrong. It’s personal.

Sixteen years ago I had just been laid off from my teaching job and was struggling to make ends meet. If I wanted to find a job or apply to law school, I had to have a reliable phone number on my resume. I also needed to eat and pay rent. But without any generational wealth or support, I had no safety net to rely on.

Enter Lifeline. This program offered me a subsidy to pay for that telephone line — allowing me to apply for jobs and hear from the law school I ultimately attended.

For so many people in this country, Lifeline is just that — a lifeline to jobs, support programs and sometimes even emergency services they need to survive. And yet FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is sabotaging this program at the expense of poor people and people of color.

The FCC’s new proposal would make applicants jump through unnecessary hoops and answer invasive, offensive and frankly racist questions. We need to fight back — too many people rely on this critical program to get by.

I know that together, we have the power to fend off these attacks. In 2017, the Trump administration proposed an earlier plan to decimate the program, but thanks to people like you, we fought back and won.

Thousands are relying on us to save Lifeline again. The FCC is taking public comments until Feb. 25. Act now.

Lifeline has changed since I used it. It now covers communication needs like broadband access — an essential part of our modern lives. For poor people and people of color, who are more likely to be on the wrong side of the digital divide, Lifeline is the best federal program poised to increase broadband adoption and provide a pathway out of poverty.

I might not be where I am today without Lifeline. Please, take action today and make sure that every person in the United States can stay connected.

Thanks for all you do,


Free Press Co-CEO
freepress.net

P.S. Lifeline is a crucial connection to the world for people of color, the elderly, survivors of domestic violence and people in rural communities. Take action to save it today.