Posted on 04/08/2015 5:30:14 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
Maine finally took a bold step forward in welfare reform and it’s paying huge dividends.
Last year Maine passed a measure that would require recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, to complete a certain number of work, volunteer, or job-training hours before being eligible for assistance.
Main Governor Paul LaPage passed the measure last year and the resulting drop in food-stamp enrollees has been dramatic.
At the close of 2014 approximately 12,000 individuals were enrolled in the state assistance program. Keep in mind that these individuals are adults who aren’t disabled and who don’t have children at home and who are claiming the food-stamp benefits because of a lack of financial resources.
After forcing these individuals to either work part-time for twenty hours each week, enroll in a vocational program, or volunteer for a minimum of twenty-four hours per month, the numbers showed a significant drop from 12,000 enrollees to just over 2,500.
Republicans in the state are calling it a major victory, while Democrats are infuriated and are calling for special measures to roll back some of the strict requirements.
However, even if the requirements lose some of their strictness, once an individual is removed from the Maine food-stamp program they cannot receive benefits from the program for three years.
This is a true victory for welfare reform, and, while opponents are continuing to push back, we can hope that other states will notice the effectiveness of Maine’s program.
Meanwhile, for all the naysayers who say that this program is unfairly targeting those in rural or extremely poor areas, let’s remind ourselves who this program is really affecting.
These individuals who were benefiting from the food-stamp law and who now can’t are able-bodied, capable adults. These aren’t people with physical or mental disabilities or raising growing children. These are regular Joes who don’t seem to want to get a job.
And while I will say that getting a job can be harder than it sounds, Maine’s program solves that difficulty beautifully. If individuals can’t get and hold a part-time job of twenty hours per week, they can qualify by enrolling in training program. If that doesn’t get them a job, they can still qualify by volunteering.
Do you see what Maine did there? They’re making people exhaust their possibilities for employment before giving them a handout. Finally a state government has hit upon a great way to reward people for trying to get jobs and to punish those who sit around feeding off the taxes of the rest of the country.
Now the struggle remains for the rest of the country to work to adopt similarly effective laws.
How was this law applied to those who already had jobs?
So, was the drop a result of people going to work, or was the drop a result of those people moving out of the state?
Have no idea.
Next step make SNAP like WIC. They can get help to purchase necessaries such as cereal, juice, milk, deli meats/cheese, hamburger, fresh veggies, etc. Tax payers shouldn’t be paying for their lobster or filet dinner.
Another reason why Paul LePage is one of America’s greatest Governors.
I’d like to see the number breakout of the 9,500 who dropped out that got a full time job since uncle sugar cut them off....
My bet would be a large percent...
Of course the democrats are upset rather than delighted for these people. The republicans are weening these people off the democrats vote buying heroin.
Wow, 12,000 to 2,500... that’s pretty amazing.
Great idea. Hope it catches on.
No taxpayer should be used as another mans slave.
At the close of 2014 approximately 12,000 individuals were enrolled in the state assistance program.
This:
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/food-stamp-snap-benefits-enrollment-participation-totals-map.html
shows about a quarter million food stamp recipients in Maine
That’s about an 80% drop!
The 12,000 were recipients without kids or a disability
Thanks!
“Do you see what Maine did there? They’re making people exhaust their possibilities for employment before giving them a handout.”
Fingers crossed that this actually works!
I bet that a lot of those 9,500 welfare bums are Somali immigrants who moved to Minnesota or California where they can join their Somali relatives who are sucking the Minnesota and California taxpayers dry.
Not sure about that, but here is another article related to what I posted.
Maine’s Republican governor renews welfare-reform push
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/06/us-usa-maine-welfare-idUSKBN0MX1GW20150406
6APR2015
(excerpt)
(Reuters) - Maine Governor Paul LePage on Monday revived legislation to crack down on welfare fraud, making good on a 2014 campaign promise to tighten restrictions on the state’s public assistance programs and help speed the transition from “welfare to work.”
LePage’s bill would require applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to apply for three jobs before receiving state aid, while prohibiting use of electronic benefit cards to purchase tobacco, liquor, tattoos, lottery tickets or to pay for bail.
The bill would also ban the use of benefit cards for purchases outside the state.
Welfare Reform: Taking Control of Fraud and Abuse
http://www.maine.gov/governor/lepage/accomplishments/welfare_reform.shtml
Welfare reform was a large part of the 2012-2013 budget, which emphasized Maine will no longer be considered a welfare destination state. A new 5 year limit on welfare benefits, which aligns Maine with other states, and conforms to federal law has gone into effect. The limit does allow for certain exemptions for hardship cases - including those involving the elderly and disabled.
Drug testing has also been implemented for welfare recipients convicted of drug crimes and those who violate welfare rules now face stricter sanctions. A first offense will result in the loss of adult benefits and a second offense may lead to termination of full family benefits.
In addition, Dirigo Health will be phased out with an end date of January 1, 2014 and legal noncitizens are no longer eligible for MaineCare benefits as of July 1, 2011.
However, the Governor has made it clear that more work needs to be done. “We must continue make these types of changes to the system, not only to achieve significant savings, but to encourage Mainers to become self-sufficient. This is a down payment on welfare reform and, after implementing these changes and gauging the results, I look forward to doing more,” stated the Governor.
Its like being on FR!
I know "Its" should be "It's"! I did that on purpose.
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