# Gop blasts ‘inadequate’ EBT reform



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Photo by Matt Stone
IN PROBE: In December 2011, several convenience stores - including JM Minimart in Lynn, above - were busted as part of an alleged EBT scam.

Strip clubs, tattoo parlors, nail salons, gun shops and casinos would be banned from accepting taxpayer-funded EBT cards under a blue-ribbon panel's report slated to be unveiled today - but Republicans warn the so-called reforms will hardly put a dent in rampant abuse of the taxpayer-funded system.
"The report is woefully inadequate to address any of the problems we were charged with addressing," said state Rep. Shaunna O'Connell (R-Taunton), who originally called for the commission's creation.
"It's probably the least reform we could do and say that something got done."

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20220329gop_blasts_inadequate_ebt_reform/


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

> "It's probably the least reform we could do and say that something got done."


So basically, it's business as usual.


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Do you have confidence that Gov. Patrick can fix the abuse of the EBT program?
Yes

6%
No

93%


State commission to recommend EBT reform law
Total Votes: 596


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

*Deval Patrick: Don't indict EBT card program*

Gov. *Deval Patrick* said misuse of EBT cards should not be an "indictment" of the program while chatting on *WTKK* this morning.
Patrick fielded a question on the cards, among other issues, in his monthly appearance on the Jim and Margery show.
"We'll keep that emphasis on," Patrick said of efforts to weed out fraud in the EBT card system. "But I don't think they should be ... viewed as an indictment of the program itself. The program is worthy and important."

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/re..._indict_ebt_card_program/srvc=home&position=4


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

Just GFY Duval


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

EBT card - Democrat voter id.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

I agree Devalued (autocorrect is dead on) we don't need to indict the entire EBT program. How about we just indict those who abuse it. Like actual charges and penalties. 

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

*Welfare Recipients' Out-Of-State Spending Eyed*

*BOSTON -- *The Massachusetts Electronic Benefit Transfer Card Commission, a state panel formed to examine the state's welfare system, voted on final recommendations Thursday after Team 5 Investigates first exposed millions of dollars in questionable out-of-state spending.
Their final report does not do anything to prevent tax dollars from being spent by welfare recipients in pricey out-of-state vacation destinations."It's not a perceived abuse. There is abuse," Team 5's Sean Kelly said to Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Daniel Curley."First of all, there is no data to demonstrate that," Curley said.

Read more: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/politics/30790326/detail.html#ixzz1qYrBSqLH​


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## cc3915 (Mar 26, 2004)

Never mind just the out of state abuses. How about the abuses that are going on right here?


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Deval Patrick attacks Herald for 'making sure you're angry'*

*Something we said, gov?*

By Chris Cassidy
Friday, March 30, 2012









Photo by Christopher Evans
ONE ANGRY MAN: In response to the Herald's front-page story yesterday, spotlighting food-stamp card reforms that critics said fall short, Gov. Deval Patrick replied that the Herald is in the 'business of making sure you're angry.&#x2

A touchy Gov. *Deval Patrick* yesterday accused the Herald of whipping up a public fury in the wake of a front-page story spotlighting administration reforms - meant to curb abuses of taxpayer-funded EBT cards - that critics said fell far short of the mark.
"I think the Herald is in the business of making sure you're angry," Patrick said yesterday amid a freewheeling discussion of state pensions, paychecks and EBT cards during his monthly appearance on Margery Eagan's *WTKK* (96.9 FM) radio show.
The Herald reported yesterday that a blue-ribbon commission was recommending that strip clubs, tattoo parlors, nails salons, gun shops and casinos be barred from accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer cards that welfare recipients are supposed to reserve for food, milk and other necessities.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/re..._making_sure_youre_angry/srvc=home&position=1


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

I don't know why this didn't occur to me until I just saw the woman on the news this morning, but why can't they have the system set up the same way they set up the Flexible Spending Account cards? Limit the places that the cards can be used to grocery stores and markets and only to food items. If they can develop software that only allows my prescriptions to go through on my Flex account; then, they ought to be able to do the same with food and EBT cards. That at least eliminates some of the fraud. Or just go back to the old fashioned food stamps and WIC checks.


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## BRION24 (Sep 19, 2008)

I was listening to Michael Graham yesterday and he was speaking with the only member of the panel that dissented during the voting on this reform. She stated that another abuse of the system that most people don't know about is that they don't charge people for replacement EBT cards and that the state replaces 20,000 cards a month. Thats not a misprint 20,000 cards a month. WTF does that cost us as well.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

BRION24 said:


> I was listening to Michael Graham yesterday and he was speaking with the only member of the panel that dissented during the voting on this reform. She stated that another abuse of the system that most people don't know about is that they don't charge people for replacement EBT cards and that the state replaces 20,000 cards a month. Thats not a misprint 20,000 cards a month. WTF does that cost us as well.


And somehow no one is questioning that 20,000 people are "losing" their cards every month. If my kids lose their swipe card for school, it's $50 to replace it and the bank charged my daughter $5 to replace her debit card after someone went through her wallet and compromised her account. Seriously, time to ditch the cards and have people show up once a month or every couple of months to get their vouchers. Make them bearer instruments that can't be replaced if they are "lost".


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2012)

HistoryHound said:


> Seriously, time to ditch the cards and have people show up once a month or every couple of months *for their Deprovara shots and mandatory vasectomies*


FIFY.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I despise places like that JM Mimimart with every flag hanging except the one which has provided them with the oppurtunities to own a business and wipe their asses with tp instead of their hands. Is it that difficult for any D supporter to show an ounce of American pride.


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

Require them to pay for new cards or anything for that matter? Oh, no! They'll _TURN TO CRIME_ to get the funds!

Bottom line, the Nanny State Dems have realized that they've created monsters in exchange for votes (BRIBES) and now they enable their out of control parasites while continuing to deny that they created this mess. It's well beyond disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They've FAILED to oversee every bleeding heart system they set up and now we all pay.
These welfare scumbags are useless, lethargic and fat as hell. Aside from their lag on our tax dollars, which encompasses all areas of government, we now have their continuous and impending health issues to deal with.

The hand out has gotten so out of control that I don't even believe in a hand up anymore. I believe that every time one of these scumbags shoots another, an angel gets it's wings.


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## topcop14 (Jul 13, 2004)

HistoryHound said:


> And somehow no one is questioning that 20,000 people are "losing" their cards every month. If my kids lose their swipe card for school, it's $50 to replace it and the bank charged my daughter $5 to replace her debit card after someone went through her wallet and compromised her account. Seriously, time to ditch the cards and have people show up once a month or every couple of months to get their vouchers. Make them bearer instruments that can't be replaced if they are "lost


How about they have to wait in line for things like cheese,rice, powdered milk and no name cheerios . No cards, no cash. If you don't like it get a fucking job!!!!


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## topcop14 (Jul 13, 2004)

I do believe that every time one of these scumbags shoots another, an angel gets it's wings. 
I think I just pissed myself!!!


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

7costanza said:


> I despise places like that JM Mimimart with every flag hanging except the one which has provided them with the oppurtunities to own a business and wipe their asses with tp instead of their hands. Is it that difficult for any D supporter to show an ounce of American pride.


Isn't that common for Lynn. I thought I read, or heard, somewhere that the mayor was flying international and "cause" flags, so I just looked at their website and sure enough they are. No wonder I feel like I need my passport every time I drive anywhere further than Wyoma Square in that city.



> _*Raising of the Flag*_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


http://ci.lynn.ma.us/



Delta784 said:


> HistoryHound said: ↑
> _Seriously, time to ditch the cards and have people show up once a month or every couple of months *for their Deprovara shots and mandatory vasectomies*_​
> FIFY.





topcop14 said:


> How about they have to wait in line for things like cheese,rice, powdered milk and no name cheerios . No cards, no cash. If you don't like it get a fucking job!!!!


Delta and topcop, those are both very good ideas. We're figuring out with no trouble at all. Now if the legislature were just half as smart as we are.



LGriffin said:


> I believe that every time one of these scumbags shoots another, an angel gets it's wings.


My family knows how much that "every time a bell rings an angel gets it's wings" quote bugs me, but your version is just too damn funny.


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

7costanza said:


> I despise places like that JM Mimimart with every flag hanging except the one which has provided them with the oppurtunities to own a business and wipe their asses with tp instead of their hands. Is it that difficult for any D supporter to show an ounce of American pride.


 Salute them with a Molotov cocktail.....jus' sayin' yo.


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

That's called the cockroach effect, named for the moment when you turn the lights on and the scurrying begins.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

go back to the old "wellie store" USDA surplus food handed out to welfare recipients.

no one starves, but you can bet your ass these idiots would be out looking for a lob El Pronto !


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## MaDuce (Sep 18, 2011)

Whatch as the Mega Millions is won by some leech with an EBT.


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

MaDuce said:


> Whatch as the Mega Millions is won by some leech with an EBT.


And the duesch would continue to use the EBT like that recent leech did


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*It's not us Deval, it's you!*

*Fewer gov policies would curb anger*








By Howie Carr
Sunday, April 1, 2012 -

Hey, Governor, I challenge you to come on my radio show so that I and my listeners can explain to you why we're so angry. Because you got it exactly backward when you said Thursday that, "I think the Herald is in the business of making sure you're angry."
No, Governor, you're the one who's in the business of making sure people are angry. We're in the business of reporting what you did to make them so apoplectic.
Thank goodness you seldom "work" more than 20 hours a week. If you spent a full workweek on your alleged agenda, people would be so spitting mad their heads would explode before they could even get to a newsstand to buy a paper.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/co...olicies_would_curb_anger/srvc=home&position=0


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Pols: Welfare abuse runs deep*

By John Zaremba and Chris Cassidy
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 -










A convicted drug dealer - who cops said wanted to use cash from his taxpayer-funded EBT card to post bail - is the new face of welfare abuse, according to tough-minded lawmakers who are pushing the reform-resistant Patrick administration for a crackdown.
Kimball Clark, 45, was locked up Friday on drug-dealing charges - again - when he was overheard using his one phone call to ask the person on the other end of the line to "get my EBT card and go to the ATM and get the money to bail me out, get me outa here tonight," according to a Boston police report.
"It's another outrage," said state Rep. Shaunna O'Connell (R-Taunton), a member of the EBT Task Force who criticized the group for failing to push tough restrictions on the use of the controversial cards. "When we were on the EBT Card Commission, I fought to get bail bondsmen on that list of places where people could not use their EBT cards. They fought me on it and told me people can't use their EBT cards in that way."

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20220411pols_welfare_abuse_runs_deep/


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## Rock (Mar 20, 2005)

Can they just go to the ATM and withdraw funds with the EBT card?!?! Can't be that easy. They can't be that stupid.


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## zm88 (Mar 5, 2009)

Rock said:


> Can they just go to the ATM and withdraw funds with the EBT card?!?! Can't be that easy. They can't be that stupid.


ATMs with the Star logo are where you need to go. When you firat sign up you have to sign a piece of paper stating you cant use the funds for certain items (guns, ammo or narcotics). Its a crutch that people quickly realizes how easy it was to manipulate. I was out of work for awhile and after running out of funds, no.job prospects and no food.in my house i decided to get assistance. However the minute i got that final call back from a potential employer i called my worker and told her i no longer need the help. There's jobs out there, they cant all pay $18/hr or involve no work whatsoever and thats what alot of these types dont comprehend, waiting for that 'dream job' to find them. I took $9/hr doing overnight security at the best western on mass ave so i could get off assistance and actually provide for my family. As much time as it takes to apply for the.program they could easily apply for 1 or more jobs online.


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

No one here is the least surprised when you consider the totality of the abuses these scumbags come up with while they're sitting around all day playing video games or driving unregistered vehicles around town on crime sprees.

They're a lag on every system of government and it's fundamentally wrong to give free money to an individual who has stated that they are not competent enough to support themselves.

Their housing and medical care is paid for courtesy of you and I so outside of that if they need food? Stand in the cheese line. You need clothing? Stand in the Salvation Army line. You need toys? Toys for Tots, because real homeless families don't have room.

I don't want to see them having more babies, driving luxury cars or wearing jewelry and Chanel unless they WORKED for it.

This is really no different than the prison system. The libs have made both so cushy that criminals don't want to leave.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2012)

How many of us arrest scumbags with lets say $17000.00 cash on their pockets (they are in the process of buying a car ) X amount of X, Y and Z and no other form of ID but the good old fashioned EBT card. Disgusting.


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

corsair said:


> How many of us arrest scumbags with lets say $17000.00 cash on their pockets (they are in the process of buying a car ) X amount of X, Y and Z and no other form of ID but the good old fashioned EBT card. Disgusting.


How dare you! Suddenly those aren't their pants when they contain contraband


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## zm88 (Mar 5, 2009)

corsair said:


> How many of us arrest scumbags with lets say $17000.00 cash on their pockets (they are in the process of buying a car ) X amount of X, Y and Z and no other form of ID but the good old fashioned EBT card. Disgusting.


How about the ones that declare homelessness yet they're sporting a pair of $150 shoes, iphone etc.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

Rock said:


> Can they just go to the ATM and withdraw funds with the EBT card?!?! Can't be that easy. They can't be that stupid.


The politicians? Of course they can be that stupid. They assume everyone on public assistance is as upstanding and honest as they are.  Actually, with the exception of those with a moral compass who are using the system the way it was intended, they may be right on that one.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2012)

Rock said:


> Can they just go to the ATM and withdraw funds with the EBT card?!?! Can't be that easy. They can't be that stupid.


Yes they can. Yes it is. Yes they are.

I had a drunk bum who initially refused to pay a taxi driver.....I walked him over to an ATM machine, where he used his EBT card to withdraw cash to pay the cabbie, plus a little extra to get some Chinese food.

No abuse here....move along, nothing to see.


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## Deuce (Sep 27, 2003)

corsair said:


> How many of us arrest scumbags with EBT cards. Disgusting.


Every single client does. And a MassHealth card.. For some reason the EBT cards always seem to end up in the sewer. Odd....


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