Robert Macdonald, Maine mayor, wants to publish names of welfare recipients:

The Republican mayor of Lewiston, Maine, wants to publish the names of the state’s welfare recipients, arguing that it’s the public’s “right to know” how its money is being spent.

In a Thursday column for the Twin City Times, Mayor Robert Macdonald, who is up for reelection in November, wrote, “It’s time for a major overhaul of the many laws and policies dealing with confidentiality, laws that dictate how federal, state and local government[s] are run.

“In Maine there is a website that lists the pension amounts received by everyone who is issued a monthly check by the State of Maine. No privacy here because this is being paid out by the State; accordingly, taxpayers have a right to know,” he continued

“Yet other recipients of state revenues are shielded. Yes, I am referring to those known as welfare recipients. Why are they treated differently than pensioners?” Mr. Macdonald asked. “The answer: our liberal, progressive legislators and their social-service allies have made them a victimized, protected class. It’s none of your business how much of your money they get and spend. Who are you to question it? Just shut up and pay!
www.washingtontimes.com...
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Public shaming of the poor!! way to go big man, class warfare?? what is that??? keep kicking the poor and folks who are down and out if even for a moment like ah donno..medical bills, your company shut its doors, all kinds of reasons why people became poor and need a hand up, I bet this Christian didn't know he was anti-Christ like.
Btw he is also against minimum wage or attempts at making poor folks less likely to be on welfare .

This is a great idea. Better still would be that non disabled welfare recipients should be given maintenance and public area beautification tasks. They say they wanna work, they're being paid......why not put them to work? If they don't like it,..no welfare check.

American governments, local, state and national, should not be in the business of paying people to lay about and do nothing.

IT's that like over 100 million of 300 million Americans, if published federally?

Whoa there,
If you feel like you would like to have that privacy should you be on "PUBLIC" assistance, doesn't mean I would ! I really would not care if others knew if I was. They could probably find out in short order if they wanted to anyway...................... There are too many in this country that have made it their livelihood(and culture) to take from the coffers.

I didn't support gun owners names being published.

So I don't support what that mayor is doing.

People it's called CONSISTENCY.

originally posted by: hammanderr
This is a great idea. Better still would be that non disabled welfare recipients should be given maintenance and public area beautification tasks. They say they wanna work, they're being paid......why not put them to work? If they don't like it,..no welfare check.

American governments, local, state and national, should not be in the business of paying people to lay about and do nothing.

But folks on assistance have to work unless they are disabled Clinton's policy.

originally posted by: novem
Whoa there,
If you feel like you would like to have that privacy should you be on "PUBLIC" assistance, doesn't mean I would ! I really would not care if others knew if I was. They could probably find out in short order if they wanted to anyway...................... There are too many in this country that have made it their livelihood(and culture) to take from the coffers.

The too many is not most or all, it is nothing but mean spirited and an attempt at further demeaning the poorest among us.

originally posted by: neo96
I didn't support gun owners names being published.

So I don't support what that mayor is doing.

People it's called CONSISTENCY.

Don't often agree with you but I do like your consistency.

God bless the GOP and their less government intrusions on your personal lives.

I'm not sure what he hopes would be the outcome.

From Wikipedia

In England, under the Poor Law Act of 1697, paupers in receipt of parish relief were required to wear a badge of blue or red cloth on the shoulder of the right sleeve in an open and visible manner, in order to make life more humiliating for the poor.

seems like they are/have been humiliated enough!

a reply to: Spider879

I'm shocked that they publish the names of everyone who receives a pension. That should be the kind of thing that requires some sort of records request in my opinion. I'm all for oversight but this seems like an unnecessary breach of a privacy.

In typical politician form, instead of fighting to the fix first issue, he's using it as the REASON to create another one.

This Ronald Macdonald guy sounds like a cold-hearted, self-serving sociopath to me. It’s obvious he’s pushing his agenda strictly to get votes, regardless of how it may affect the lives of others. If he’s like most politicians (and I suspect he is) there’s probably plenty of dirt that a complete audit of his administrative services would bring to light (kickbacks, “business” luncheons, social events). I’d like to see a full itemization of his “company” credit card usage, and a full accounting of public funds given to political allies/businesses/personal contacts, as well. Since he's so concerned about how our tax dollars are being spent, I’m sure he’d readily share with the public his own management of it.

I hope Macdonald loses his upcoming election, can’t find another job and ends up on welfare. He deserves it.

originally posted by: rupertg
God bless the GOP and their less government intrusions on your personal lives.

Miss the ACA and it's datahub ?

So in this economical distressful times, people who are holding maybe one or two jobs but still needing welfare assistance will be publically shamed. Way to go. Will they publish everyone's name who receives subsidized housing, rent assistance, food stamps, utilities assistance, the medical plan MaineCare, and free school lunches?

What a dick. I see a short mayoral term in his future plus some lawsuits against the city. Yeah, what a dick!

a reply to: Spider879

Why don't we start with all the Corporate Welfare recipients?
1. corporation
2. dollar amount, including black budget amounts
3. reasons/projects for receiving the money

Also, let's dig into the secret pork barrel spending that is now taking place. Since they changed the way pork barrel spending works and we can no longer see the items within Bills anymore.

a reply to: neo96

I looked up that thread on ATS.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Interesting reading.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: neo96

I looked up that thread on ATS.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Interesting reading.

This one is more interesting:

Hackers just released the home address and phone number of price-gouging pharma CEO Martin Shkreli

a reply to: neo96

Consistency isn't really consistent.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: neo96

Consistency isn't really consistent.

I'm golden

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: neo96

I'm not knocking you, just seeing how many here only support privacy sometimes.