http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/01/08/3136631/lepage-welfare/
On Tuesday, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) released data on purchases made with state welfare benefits that he claimed exposed abuse, but they only add up to less than a percent of all benefit transactions.
The data show that there were more than 3,000 transactions at bars, sports bars, and strip clubs made with EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards loaded with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or welfare) and food stamp benefits between January 1, 2011 and November 15, 2013. The state doesn’t track what was actually purchased, and some transactions can be withdrawals from ATMs at those locations. Given that there are about 50,000 of these transactions every month, or nearly 1.8 million in that time frame, as the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) spokesman told the Bangor Daily News, they only make up “about two-tenths of 1 percent of total purchases and ATM withdrawals,” the paper calculates.
LePage still expressed outrage at this tiny fraction of purchases. “This information is eye-opening and indicates a larger problem than initially thought,” he wrote when the data was released. “These benefits are supposed to help families, children and our most vulnerable Mainers. Instead, we have discovered welfare benefits are paying for alcohol, cigarettes and other things that hardworking taxpayers should not be footing the bill for.”
When the Bangor Daily News asked his spokeswoman about the small number of transactions, she responded, “Any amount of abuse in the system that takes away from the truly needy needs to be dealt with,” adding, “We’re not uncovering anything new. There are always going to be bad actors out there. We’re simply saying, ‘We’ve got an eye on you."
His spokeswoman also said that he will sponsor a bill to address issues with welfare benefits during this year’s session, including the fact that the state doesn’t track what recipients buy.
don't you think being as though republicans are so bad at math they should stop fighting social help for poor and sick and elderly where there are statistics that just don't support their lies? just like voter fraud they are always in the 00000.2 percentile with is smaller than the pebble in their shoe
but to them it proves it so they should disenfranchise millions because of 00000.2?????
the people need to track the politicians and what they buy when the support others not considered we the people but them the corporations. it should be spent on basic needs but should not be a problem if a person buys a beer or shoes or Pampers for a broke friend with money gotten from an ATM. that is what tyrannical's do make you account for everything they allow you while living high on the hog like the pigs that they are.
