http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_05_07_Free_cars_for_poor_fuel_road_rage/srvc=home&position=also
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.
Namtrac
February 22, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Give them a free bus pass, maybe.
truth seeker
February 22, 2010 at 10:10 pm
why don’t you try living on welfare and then report back to us. The fact is the vast majority of people on welfare, do not want tot be there.
San Jose
February 22, 2010 at 10:20 pm
hell no! Why should taxpayers pay for everything?
dude, personally our car just died so we have to buy our own, somehow! let them take the bus if they can’t afford a car. I feel like telling my son that but he’s going to pay for most of it!
RLP
February 22, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Yes, Neocon. People on welfare should get free cars. Anything else?
susisays
February 22, 2010 at 11:05 pm
OMG! Such insanity. I live in MA but I have to pay for my vehicle! Another good reason to find a place with some *common sense*!
viablerenewables
February 22, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Entitlements doesn’t create wealth, self- esteem, or innovation. Teaching entitlements creates criminals!
Ronald
February 23, 2010 at 12:27 am
No. I wonder if any WHITE folks got one. Somehow I think not.
tonalc2
February 23, 2010 at 12:41 am
This program has been going on since 2006. Nobody complained then. It’s just that now he’s asking for an 8% raise in funding it.
The cars are donated.
Yes, it has its flaws. But as he pointed out, the state breaks even by cutting welfare payments to the family – about $6,000 a year.
bellatruth
February 23, 2010 at 1:27 am
“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.”
This is a lawsuit waiting to happen, could you imagine getting in a car accident with a welfare recipient who fails to pay for the insurance on a vehicle given to them by the state?
Any good lawyer would sue the **** out of the state.
ken s in area 51
February 23, 2010 at 1:30 am
All that is to for votes nothing more than that.
Sounds like Chavez giving away other peoples land to squatters .
free cars , free health care Socialism at work.
next they will give out vouchers to guys to get a prostitute to keep em happy .
I work five or more days a week for what I have no hand outs.
Seldon Surak
February 23, 2010 at 1:59 am
the buses don’t go everywhere and just in case any of you give a crap, I lived without a car and used mass transit in Dallas for several months and it SUCKS
If I DRIVE to the VA medical center it takes 25 minutes for a 50 minute round trip
To take mass transit takes 90 minutes for a 3 HOUR TRIP TIME.
NOW, you tell me, could you work full time with that big a chunk taken out of YOUR DAY?
I had to take 2 buses to get to my Kroger taking over half an hour making about a 2 hour dent in the day if you include an hour to shop for groceries.
I can drive it in LESS THAN 5 MINUTES!
Basically, ANYTHING done with mass transit takes 2-3 times longer and THAT only if you are lucky enough to be GOING WHERE IT GOES!
If they have donated cars, repairs, and AAA memberships, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH IT?
IT ISN’T COSTING YOUR CALLOUS BUTT A THING!
kill_yr_television
February 23, 2010 at 2:46 am
“Fair” is a nice ideal, but in the realm of politics I prefer pragmatism. I’d rather pay $10K once to make it possible for a person to get and keep a steady job than pay month after month for public housing, public health, etc. This just goes to show how ill conceived was the idea of defunding our public transportation systems. Perhaps if the public wakes up to the cost of NOT having GOOD public transportation in place, we will rectify our error. Consider what a boon it would be to middle class families to no longer have the expense of operating and insuring a second car.
Yes, yes, I can practically hear some of you saying “But I don’t like taking the bus. Only smelly poor people ride the bus.” You must live in an area with poor public transportation where the bus is used only by those with no alternative. In areas with GOOD public transportation, EVERYBODY uses it.
Scoot
February 23, 2010 at 3:45 am
I’m in Boston daily, and was listening to this on talk radio, and I thought my head was going to explode. All I can say is I’m SO glad I’m not a MA resident. That and I think it’s time to start planning a move South!
The stupidity up here is getting to be over the top!!
A Republicrat
February 23, 2010 at 4:20 am
That is *encouraging* dependence on government
Mike S
February 23, 2010 at 4:37 am
If anything, a free buss pass. Cars are ridiculous. Next thing you know, the welfare amount has to be upped because they need to use it on gas. Plus, most of the cars donated are going to be junkers that will require constant maintenance to keep them running.
the last straw
February 23, 2010 at 5:09 am
the cars are donated.
Paul Grass
February 23, 2010 at 5:38 am
absolutely not! no one gave me one and I pay taxes
Mr. Bad Day
February 23, 2010 at 6:26 am
Are they getting the cars people donate?
Those cars are junkers. Most people donate them hoping someone can use the POS’s.
So, yeah. It’s fair.
WinonaGal
February 23, 2010 at 7:06 am
I agree with the free bus pass comment.
I’m so sick of freeloading. People need to get jobs and support themselves. I approve when it’s a handicapped or disabled person who cannot work, but this kind of thing is ridiculous.
MA has it’s priorities screwed up. They can’t afford to pay overtime to toll booth collectors supposedly. On Easter Sunday there was a 7 mile back up as they had one toll taker on duty on the Mass. Turnpike. So, they can’t afford a few hours pay for a couple of people to work on a holiday, but they can afford to pay for cars, AAA, etc. for people who refuse to pull their own weight. Think about the gas and pollution that a 7 mile back up creates as well, what a waste.
They also give free cell phones and pay for plan minutes for welfare recipients as well. Some people who work hard can’t afford cell phones of their own, yet these people get it for free.
I sure hope Patrick the reigning governor doesn’t win reelection next time around, but those who get this stuff will continue to vote him in I guess? They get a free ride, why not?
Patrick was also promising a free college education to all on the TV recently. Wonder who is going to pay for that?