Jason Chaffetz’s iPhone comment revives the ‘poverty is a choice’ argument
“Chaffetz is framing his choice on terms that position the poor as ignorant and wasteful so that he can bolster the case for revamping health care policy. But ‘iPhone’ is a particularly weird foil for that argument. A smartphone is not a luxury, it’s a critical tool of modern society. The newest iPhone isn’t critical, but some smartphone is, particularly in households without Internet access otherwise. Recognizing that necessity, the government provides subsidies for phone and Internet service to those who participate in welfare programs. This, of course, was the much-derided ‘Obamaphone’ program — actually called ‘Lifeline’ — which originated under President Reagan.”