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.
Enough folks have needled me about this story that I suppose I should comment.
WHAT. THE. HOLY. FUCKING. FUCK?!?!?!?!?!?!
There. That felt better.
Oh, wait:
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.
MUST. KEEP. BRAIN. FROM. EXPLODING...
Well, at least the cars are used and donated. That does count for something, right? I mean, it's not like the state of MA is buying new cars for welfare recipients, right? And it's for a good cause, so that they can work at their jobs and get off welfare.
Oh, wait:
Applicants for cars must have a job or prove they could get one if they had the car in order to qualify. Once they have the wheels, they must send DTA their pay stubs to prove they are employed.
And:
But Kehoe admitted about 20 percent of those who received a car ended up back on welfare, and while they lose the insurance and other benefits, they don’t have to return the car.
What a state, eh?
You don't have to have a job to get a free car. You don't have to keep the job to keep the car. While you're working, the state pays for your taxes, title, insurance, and a AAA membership. Unfuckingreal... Only in the People's Republik of Masschusetts.
Y'know, I wish the state would go back to only giving out free cell phones...
That is all.
9 comments:
Jay,
I don't know which is worse . . . Obama wanting to kill school choice but hand out car vouchers or this. And to think I live less than four miles "as the crow flies" from NH. Millis and/or Hollis are looking better & better.
- Brad
Four short miles to Hollis ? Come on up! Nice town and great schools. Concealed carry? Zero problem.
LibertyMan . . .
One small problem. My wife. She's not moving to NH, no matter what. Or so she says. She's already hinted about moving into Boston 'proper' or Brookline, MA. Not for me.
So...
How many of these are going to show up in accidents?
How many of the uninsured/no-AAA welfare owners are gonna re-insure before driving? How many new uninsured cars are going to crop up on the road because of this?
Even if you think this is a good idea, those two questions make it look like a project full of FAIL.
Not that I do think the idea is good. But still, you'd expect a grown-up to come along and ask those questions sometime.
My paternal grandfather never owned a car; he walked to work every day for 30 years.
I think that the Speaker of the House, arguably, no in reality, more powerful than the Governor has said that this is going to stop.
Free cell phones? Looks like I left too soon. Well, I still have my MA pistol permit as a reminder of the good old days.{ptui}
sigh... PCism and free lunch run amok...
I know it looks bad, but...
It's fairly common, from what I gather, to provide transportation to and from work to people on welfare. There's a pretty good chance this is a cheap(ish) way to do it.
When we lived in Portsmouth, VA, there was an uproar when it was discovered the state was sending welfare moms to work in a limo. Turned out it was cheaper (supposedly) than hiring a taxi.
One way or another, they're going to do this sort of thing, so it's well if they're looking for a cheaper way to do it. (Granted, I am saying this without knowledge of MA's public transportation system; I gather it's comprehensive in Boston, but other places...?)
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