NY candidate: Prison dorms for welfare recipients

[Nagishkaw 510]

NEW YORK – Republican candidate for governor Carl Paladino said he would transform some New York prisons into dormitories for welfare recipients, where they would work in state-sponsored jobs, get employment training and take lessons in "personal hygiene."

Paladino, a wealthy Buffalo real estate developer popular with many tea party activists, is competing for the Republican nomination with former U.S. Rep. Rick Lazio. The primary is Sept. 14.

Paladino first described the idea in June at a meeting of The Journal News of White Plains and spoke about it again this week with The Associated Press.

Throughout his campaign, Paladino has criticized New York's rich menu of social service benefits, which he says encourages illegal immigrants and needy people to live in the state. He has promised a 20 percent reduction in the state budget and a 10 percent income tax cut if elected.

Asked at the meeting how he would achieve those savings, Paladino laid out several plans that included converting underused state prisons into centers that would house welfare recipients. There, they would do work for the state — "military service, in some cases park service, in other cases public works service," he said — while prison guards would be retrained to work as counselors.

"Instead of handing out the welfare checks, we'll teach people how to earn their check. We'll teach them personal hygiene ... the personal things they don't get when they come from dysfunctional homes," Paladino said.

New York, like other states, receives a federal block grant to provide cash and other forms of welfare to very low-income residents. Federal law already requires welfare recipients to do some form of work to receive benefits.

New York's welfare rolls have grown slightly during the recession, while food stamp eligibility has almost doubled, according to the state.

Paladino told The Associated Press the dormitory living would be voluntary, not mandatory, and would give welfare recipients an opportunity to take public, state-sponsored jobs far from home.

"These are beautiful properties with basketball courts, bathroom facilities, toilet facilities. Many young people would love to get the hell out of cities," Paladino he said.

He also defended his hygiene remarks, saying he had trained inner-city troops in the Army and knows their needs.

"You have to teach them basic things — taking care of themselves, physical fitness. In their dysfunctional environment, they never learned these things," he said.

Ketny Jean-Francois, a former welfare recipient and a New York City advocate for low-income people, said Paladino's idea shocked her.

"Being poor is not a crime," she said. "People are on welfare for many reasons ... Is he saying people are poor because they don't have any hygiene or any skills?"

A Lazio spokesman didn't immediately return a message.

Paladino said he based his ideas on the Civilian Conservation Corps, a federal program that paid young unemployed men during the Great Depression to plant trees, build roads and develop parks.

Paladino said he would open the program both to long-term welfare recipients and to people who had lost their jobs during the recession. He said that he didn't know how he would pay for it but that prisons could be consolidated to make room.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_on_el_gu/us_paladino_welfare;_ylt=AsonGgnEwqY_7WkSKOlnrt.mG78C;_ylu=X3oDMTM4Z3JxbDYyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwODIxL3VzX3BhbGFkaW5vX3dlbGZhcmUEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM0BHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDbnljYW5kaWRhdGVw

[Peikko 1,575]

Back to the poor houses, yipee!

[Nagishkaw 510]

That's what it sounds like, doesn't it?

[Peikko 1,575]

It does. I am sympathetic with a need to align welfare with responsibility and am totally in favour of working towards such aims, but not all welfare recipients are the same. He's talking as if they are all dirty, male teenagers who only need to be drafted into a pseudo army situation et viola, problem solved. Slightly odd to say the least.

[Danno 1,228]

Of course one must realize it's an A/P story which suggests "details" might be left out.

Such as- this program is for the homeless, addicts, etc.

The Prisons are actually low security facilities which are more like dorms.

On it's face it sound silly but there could be merit to it if the details support it.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Danno

[HAL 9000 96]

I don't think its that bad of an idea, for those that voluntarily sign up for it.

It reminds me a little bit of some of the ideas Obama was floating around during the campaign trail in terms of national service corps and the like. Of course if we put the name Obama on it, most on the GOP would not support it.

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't think its that bad of an idea, for those that voluntarily sign up for it.

It reminds me a little bit of some of the ideas Obama was floating around during the campaign trail in terms of national service corps and the like. Of course if we put the name Obama on it, most on the GOP would not support it.

Demanding the poor work for welfare is a dodgy issue, for lots of reasons.

[HAL 9000 96]

Demanding the poor work for welfare is a dodgy issue, for lots of reasons.

That's why I think it would be better served as a voluntary program. They could load it with incentives, although I think picking up job skills and perhaps an education would be perks enough...

[Peikko 1,575]

That's why I think it would be better served as a voluntary program. They could load it with incentives, although I think picking up job skills and perhaps an education would be perks enough...

If it is a voluntary program targeted at the homeless, addicts and the like, sure, why not?

[HAL 9000 96]

And anyone that could benefit from such things...

[Peikko 1,575]

And anyone that could benefit from such things...

People who already have their own housing don't need to be relocated into dom accommodation and nor should they be to 'save money'.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Danno 1,228]

Demanding the poor work for welfare is a dodgy issue, for lots of reasons.

[Peikko 1,575]

More of this comedy for one Danno?

[HAL 9000 96]

People who already have their own housing don't need to be relocated into dom accommodation and nor should they be to 'save money'.

Yep. Go figure, darn libruls wanting those poor folk to learn how to fish instead of gettin' free fish.

[evli1966 88]

Demanding the poor work for welfare is a dodgy issue, for lots of reasons.

Dodgy maybe but not as dodgy as you would think only the lazy and the people thinking they are entitled to something would feel that way.

So what would you rather happen; the able bodied welfare reciepients sit on their A$z and recieve or learning a job skill, earning what they recieve by working at a fair rate?

Some could provide child care while others learned a skill or worked.

some could be sitters for the poor elderly

Some could work supporting shelters for the homeless

Some could provide tutoring for others

Some could help with state or city projects a laborers

etc.

I see nothing wrong here.

By helping provide for themselves brings a long list of positives in their lives.

There are those who are unable to work based on disability, age etc. those are the people that shouldn't have to work but most likely would want something to to do anyways.

BTW the Dorms are for the homeless and those needing a place of shelter to better their lives.

If you have a permanent residence then it should be an option to the Dorms