Immensely unpopular Democrat Gov Deval Patrick, may soon qualify for this program because he's going to be unemployed after the next election.
A few months ago we were appalled by a government program that gives a free cell phone and free minutes to the loosely-defined poor. Well, not to be outdone, Massachusetts is now giving them free cars.
Here’s how the Boston Herald explains the details of this welfare fiasco:
Gov. Deval Patrick’s free wheels for welfare recipients program is revving up despite the stalled economy, as the keys to donated cars loaded with state-funded insurance, repairs and even AAA membership are handed out to get them to work.
But the program – fueled by a funding boost despite the state’s fiscal crash – allows those who end up back on welfare to keep the cars anyway.
“It’s mind-boggling. You’ve got people out there saying, ‘I just lost my job. Hey, can I get a free car, too?’ ” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading).
The Herald added:
The state pays for the car’s insurance, inspection, excise tax, title, registration, repairs and a AAA membership for one year at a total cost of roughly $6,000 per car.
The program, which started in 2006, distributes cars donated by non-profit charities such as Good News Garage, a Lutheran charity, which also does the repair work on the car and bills the state.
Free cell phones! Free cars! Free food! Free medical care! Free houses!
Not working is almost as good as getting elected to congress.
Source: BostonHerald.com
Learn to use the space bar. Seriously. Aside from that your mind, while warped, seems to at least process information. You should be able to find some work and then be able to buy a cell phone for your ‘emergencyR 17; needs. If you have enough time to type...
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
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I love the closing remark.
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Well… with release of the new deficit figures this morning, liberals at the national level are going to have to cover a lot of ground. By failing to reign in spending, interest rates and inflation are set to skyrocket – killing off any employment recovery.
So what is being done in MA may be repeated nationally.. the government leader will be proven to be an economic imbecile. And voters realizing it can only be a good thing.
Conservatives need to be optimistic. For a list of ten reasons for optimism, you can hit:
http://firstconservative.com/blog/top-ten/conservative-resurgence
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I’m certainly not one to defend a liberal Democrat on anything, but you aren’t telling the whole story. From what I’ve read of the program, they give the cars to people who don’t have access to public transportation. They also cut the person’s Welfare by, I believe, $6,000 per year. These are used cars that have been donated.
Granted, I haven’t seen any stories on anyone who has benefitted from the program and actually turned their lives around, AND I don’t think the government should be involved with this – or any other – charity. If there’s a bad side to this story, that would be the angle I would think is most likely to turn up some dirt. What exactly is the relationship between the Gov. and this charity and how do they benefit.
I’m not saying that this program is “good” or without flaws. However, I think when someone reports on something they should lay out all the facts and not just the ones that benefit their spin. That’s why all these liberal rag newspapers and alleged news networks are going in the toilet.
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Thanks for the info Mia, but I’m not certain that is exactly what it means. Here is the quote from the article you are speaking of:
My thought is that it is some tricky wording by Kehoe. The application for the program can be read in the PDF of the application. It outlines the rules and the responsibilities of the recipient. I think Kehow was saying that this program can get people off welfare, the result of which therefore saves them $6,000 a year. If the welfare payments were to be cut, it certainly would say so in the application.
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Thanks for clearing that up. Now I have to go amend a blog post…great. Thanks for the link to the application and the information on the tricky wording. I suppose I’m still naieve because I sort of expect people to say what they mean.
BTW, love your web site, and I subscribe to your RSS feed.
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Re; free car, AAA, free cell phones…what can we do about this
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IS THIS COUNTRY OUT OF IT’S MIND?! Something Should be done! This kind of stuff has got to be stopped! This was once a great and proud country. Look at what this government is turning it into, a bunch of lazy people who think that hard working people should pay for them to sit around and do nothing, and get everything they want for free!!
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Yea you all will be complaining until you lose your jobs and find out that you would need hand outs for your family to survive as well. I used to be the same way. I worked at a local hospital,then got laid off and cant find any work. If you paid your taxes when you had a job and was a law abiding citizen there is nothing wrong with asking for help when really needed!
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by the way, with this program there is more money put back into the state if the people did not have the cars. The article forgot to mention that huh?
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Being from MA we see alot of those welfare recipients who take take take and give nothing. What’s sad is the people who work are trying to pay mortages and utilites and may need a little extra help and can get NOTHING. There is no shame in asking and receiving help when needed BUT when you take all you can get and then spend 3 months in another state in your beautiful home there is a problem. The only way to get any help is to be a non productive citizen in this state and that is SAD!!!!
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Well, if you’re really in a slump and in need of a car but you don’t think you qualify for welfare, dont want to apply or can’t get it, or even if you’re on it, then you can check out this site:
http://www.freecharitycars.org/
be sure to enter:
beatenbutnotdefeated
as your referal.
Add me as a friend, I vote for all my friends!
http://www.freecharitycars.org/beatenbutnotdefeated/friends
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Point blank, the economy would boom if them changed the federal refund to mid year…before the holidays!! Heck, in some states, the goverment determines when to turn the clocks back an hour. Just a suggestion
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I live in Mobile, Alabama and, I am on section eight housing through The Mobile Housing Board and also, I receive food stamps as well and, I receive free cell phone service through safe link wireless and, I was wondering if, I can get a car through you because, I need one real bad for going to the doctors office and the grocery store. You see, I been without one now for two years. Please help me. Call me at 251- 662- 7826. God Bless You Always.
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Jay,
Check out http://freecharitycars.org
A legitimate charity for people who are hard on their luck.
Must have a driver’s license and some sort of job to pay for insurance.
but there are real people who get real cars. My friend in New Jersey got her car just last Winter.
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LOOK AT THE DATE—————————
LOOK AT THE SCAM————————-
OPEN YOUR EYES ————————–
SAFELINK IS A PROFIT ORGANIZATION JUST LIKE THE TOBACCO COMPANY
JUST LIKE THE MEDIA—————
WHERE IS MY CHECK——————-
WHERE IS MY PHONE ——————-
WHERE IS MY KEYS————————-
WHERE IS MY JOB————————–
THE INSANITY OF REPEAT—–REPEAT—–REPEATS
TUESDAY FEB.16th,2010——————-
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I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve gotten a phone and minutes from Safelink and when my phone got lost, they replaced it.
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The govt doesn’t make its own money. It is getting it from the people that live in the country, hence that car is not really “free”. Someone is paying for it and it is being paid without the people of Mass permission.
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As far as Safelink goes, my daughter was injured in a serious accident that was not her fault, but she was hit by an uninsured, unlicensed driver so she will never see a dime. Her dad, who was well employed went blind a couple of years ago and can’t help me help her. She will eventually get SSDI because she was employed full time while she spends several years in rehabilitation therapy to hopefully get her out of her wheelchair. I filled out the SafeLink app for her. She got a refurbished cheap phone that retails new for $9.99 at Walmart and gets 80 free minutes a month as long as she qualifies or the program lasts. Tracfone pays for most of the program. I live in a middle to upper middle class town in MA and we now have a food pantry because of the high unemployment. I volunteer there and see people I know who are mortified that they need a hand. This isn’t a black and white or racial situation, it is economics. Americans are losing their jobs, their homes, and so many of us are one paycheck from living in our cars, if we have one. Karen
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If a state wants to run a communist type government, that’s fine. The national government, on the other hand……..
Point being that a state should be able to do pretty much whatever they want INSIDE their lines.
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I truly commned the STATE OF MASSACHUSSETS for such a wonderful and FANTASTIC initiative and my hats off to governor Deval Patrick. I happen to be one of those people who is very poor and in dire straits RIGHT NOW as I write without no car and living on my last months rent about to become homeless soon! My unemployment comp has run out and withouta vehicle finding work has been nearly impossible here in Florida where I reside. I wish Mr. Patrick’s plan could serve as a model for other states to follow suit. As an ordained minister, I’m not ashamed to say YES I’M POOR VERY POOR AND I NEED THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM!
Pastor Jeshua Giro