FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced today that the FCC will be "dropping its legal defence of a new system for expanding broadband subsidies for poor people, and will not approve applications from companies that want to offer the low-income broadband service".

The Lifeline programme is not something which comes from the Obama era, it has been around for 32 years and gives poor people $9.25 a month toward communications services.

Last year it was expanded and that expansion will now be halted, we guess because Republicans thing it is a bad idea to give poor people access to what is considered a 21st century basic human need. There is always a risk that an informed poor populace might rise and overthrow the right-wing corporate puppets who run the government on both sides of the US political spectrum.

Pai's decision will make it harder for ISPs to gain approval to sell subsidised plans and they will mothball the idea.

Nine providers were approved under the new system late in former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's term, but Pai rescinded those approvals in February.

Pai argues that only state governments have authority from Congress to approve such applications.

Currently, more than 3.5 million Americans are receiving subsidized broadband through Lifeline from 259 eligible providers, Pai said in today's statement.