Since Trump’s reelection, the word DOGE, representing the Department of Government Efficiency, has become the talk of the town. Trump and company want to make the government more efficient, by cracking down on bureaucracy and wasteful expenditure.
Going forward with that motto, today we suggest the Trump administration must declare war on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the very first month itself because of a massive $200 billion fraud that has long gone unnoticed due to a lack of government oversight.
This massive revelation has been made by Pirate Wires. Let’s know more.
This fraud revolves around a program that the US agency established in the mid-1990s: The Universal Service Fund (USF) to help pay for phone service for people who couldn’t afford it. The FCC was put in charge of the program but passed much of its authority to a private entity called the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). This company is made up of industry insiders and operates with little government oversight. Over time, the program expanded to include broadband internet services.
The USF has grown enormously since its inception. Its budget increased from $1.37 billion 30 years back to more than $9 billion today. Administrative costs have also skyrocketed, going from $105 million 15 years back to $365 million last year. However, critics argue that the program has many deeper problems, including waste, fraud, and a lack of accountability.
But where’s the problem?
Most of the billions spent by the USF have gone to build telecom infrastructure in rural areas, even though many people in these areas either don’t want internet service or already have access to alternative solutions like satellite broadband. Some subsidies have reached absurd amounts, exceeding $20,000 per phone line, as revealed by Pirate Wires. Despite these high costs, coverage gaps remain. The FCC has been criticized for failing to track or address the program’s inefficiencies.
One portion of the fund, known as the Lifeline Program, aims to help low-income households afford telecom services. However, its impact has been minimal, and audits have revealed widespread abuse. For instance, some states reported that up to 75% of Lifeline participants were ineligible for the benefits they received. Simply put, a massive scam had been going on in the FCC for all these years.
The program’s funding mechanism is also controversial. It’s not Congress that allocates budget to the USF program but it’s the FCC itself.
The FCC also allows USAC to manage the program’s funds. Now there are concerns that this setup violates the Constitution, as it gives an unelected agency and a private entity control over what is essentially a tax. This arrangement has been compared to letting the “fox guard the henhouse” since USAC is run by representatives of the very industries and groups that benefit from the USF.
The program’s legal foundation has also been questioned. A federal appeals court recently ruled that the USF is unconstitutional, arguing that Congress’s instructions to the FCC are so vague that it’s unclear how much money should be collected or how it should be spent. The Supreme Court has agreed to review this decision, which could lead to major changes.
It’s clear, the USF needs a complete overhaul. Its track record shows that it has failed to achieve its goals despite spending billions of dollars. Moreover, its funding structure is seen as unfair, with all consumers paying the same amount regardless of their income. Critics argue that if the government wants to support telecom access for underserved communities, it should do so through transparent, accountable funding directly controlled by Congress.
And that’s where the DOGE comes in. To stop this fraud, massive scam and loot; Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and the Trump team must go after the Federal Communications Commission and its bureaucrats. We at TFI Global will continue to unearth such stories as a way to contribute to this massive effort being spearheaded by the Trump team.