Sen McCaskill looks to cut Lifeline for Missouri residents

[Commentary] Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) has made a considerable effort to address two communications issues in recent months. How much these issues matter for your ability to connect and communicate likely depends on how wealthy you are. Do you regularly fly cross-country? Well, Sen McCaskill has your back: She understands how painful it is when you have to turn your iPad off before takeoff. Are you unable to afford a phone, let alone a fancy tablet? Sorry, you’re out of luck: Sen McCaskill isn’t in your corner on this one.

If the Lifeline program is eliminated, it will be more difficult for seniors to maintain contact with their physicians, for veterans to reach potential employers and for parents to stay in touch with their children’s schools. In contrast, it’s a minor inconvenience at best when air travelers can’t use their tablets for 15 minutes during a flight. We need universal access to communications, not communications for just a privileged few. Poor people in Missouri — and all over the United States — are looking for a way out of poverty. In almost every case a phone is essential to that process.

[Chancellar Williams is the associate policy director for Free Press]