Help the poor get a computer.?

Question

There are people unable to purtchase a computer and subscribe to an internet connection because of the price.
Would you support, say, a $ 2.00 surcharge on new equipment, such as computers, monitors, printers, software,,etc to help the poor buy computers, and say, a 3% surcharge oln the conncetion charge to help pay for the connection?
After all,no house hold should be without a computer? The govt could require HP, McIntoch, Apple , etc to manufacture a "bare bones": system with just the basics for this purpose.

Answer 1

There's all ready a similiar program.

Answer 2

This looks a lot like a set-up, so you can laugh at all the "Bleeding-Heart Liberals", that are suckers for the "poor folk".
Even so, I think it's a good idea!
Some time ago, the government decided that a telephone was a necessity, and, at this point in time, I think the basic computer, with Internet capability, has reached that level of necessity too.

I'm poor myself, so I'm not too crazy about the surcharges you propose, but then again,....if I've saved enough money to buy a new piece of equipment, I can probably afford a few bucks to help someone else join the 21st century.

My main concern is, "Who's gonna administer this Program?"
IF, it's the government, then the bureaucracy will consume 90% of the taxes garnered. If it's One business, and one ISP, then all the other companies will raise hell and sue everyone, and the program will never get off the ground.

Here in my little corner of the world, the Kiawani's Club collected all the old computers from an upgrade at one large high school, and let my friend's computer-related business distribute them to people who filled out a form, saying that they needed a computer.
Organizations, such as child-care services, churches, and such, could get several. Individuals got one tower, one monitor, and a set of speakers.

Didn't cost anyone a cent, just caused my friends, and their staff a little time, and effort, which they gave with a smile.
I told a lot of people about the program, and ended up installing, and upgrading the Windows 98SE on several of these units, and gave away a lot of "Dial-up" screen names on my DSL account too. I got a lot of satisfaction out of teaching these folks the basics, then turning them loose on the Web! My friends really got a lot of warm-fuzzy feelings, and a lot of gratitude from first-time computer owners.
Thanks for a good question, now, I'm off to see what others said!

Answer 3

Why not just charge me extra every time I buy a bottle of milk, or a box of cereal so poor people can get free food? Maybe they can have a "Buy a steak, give some homey a free lobster".

Or maybe slap yet another tax on car purchases or gasoline (heck, I don't mind paying $4 a gallon). I think a person who most likely is poor due to very bad decision making or laziness should still enjoy the freedom of driving around and getting into trouble. We should subsidize their insurance too, and give them free oil refills.

Actually, former ambassador Robert Negroponte has a similar plan (see link below). I saw an episode of 60-Minutes which showed his grandiose plan for getting laptops to the poorest children in 3rd world countries. The plan is actually quite ingenious. The laptops are amazingly rugged, and the display is unusual: it can be see even in bright sunlight.

The laptops are so tough and well designed that you can take them apart and replace bad parts very, very easily. They even encourage kids to take them apart! Most amazing of all perhaps is that they can run on an internal battery that can be recharged by just cranking a wheel.

They are supposed to sell for $100, but even that amount is a fortune in some of these 3rd World countries where they can't even afford $2 for people dying of diahhrea to get a simple, cheap medication.

The idea of cheap computers seems best directed at young children. I think most adults would waste the great opportunity to expand their minds. They wouldn't study with the computer. They wouldn't research new topics. Instead, they'd surf porn, buy junk on ebay, get in chat rooms, and waste evenings instant messaging instead of helping their children with their homework. Let's not give them yet another reason not to pay attention to their own kids.

Answer 4

.personally I donate my used computers and have even bought new computers for some less fortunate families. But adding a surcharge would only hurt the lower middle class. Those that are barely making it but are not considered poor. They are almost always the ones that get hurt with this type of program. If you want to help go out and buy a computer for a neigbor who can't afford one.

Answer 5

I have a better idea.

I PAY for cable TV. Soooooo why do I have to watch commericials?

I PAY for a telephone. Soooooo why do I have to hear from telemarketers?

I PAY for my internet connection. Sooooo why do I have to wade through pop-up ads?

TV, Telephone and Internet advertisers are the one's making all the money, why do you want to charge ME the surcharge?

Charge them!

TV, Telephone and Internet providers can't charge me to use their services if I don't have the equipment sooooooo, why don't they charge the advertizers for the equipment and just send it to me?

Don't they stand to make more money if I have a Computer/Telephone/Television?
They are screwed if I don't have any, so why screw me if I do?

Answer 6

And should we pay a surcharge on new cars so poor people can have one too? And a surcharge on gasoline so they can also drive them? No, it's not a logical solution. Well meaning, but impractical.

Answer 7

Where is it written in the Constitution or the laws where a U.S citizen is entitled to a computer, or for that matter an automobile, a vacation, an air conditioner, etc.

Answer 8

No

I am not a fan of handing out money I worked hard for so lazy people can enjoy the same things I had to work to get.

Answer 9

No..why would I pay for some out of work lib slacker to stay home all day a surf porn sites.

Answer 10

I pay several hundreds of dollars for my computer, If we start giving them away for a few bucks i want one too!