2018 ME Governor's race: on Welfare & Poverty


Shawn Moody: Lifetime cap on welfare; with strong fraud detection

Use state government to help promote the dignity that comes with a job, not just a government check, by connecting training and work availability with those who try entering the system, and performing a skills assessment when somebody applies for benefits. Protect and encourage a strong fraud detection unit. Work on programs to end the use of welfare EBT cards in the drug trade. Support a stronger lifetime cap on "TANF" (i.e. Temporary Assistance) benefits.
Source: 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race website ShawnMoody.com Sep 1, 2018

Mary Mayhew: Time limits on welfare benefits, to promote employment

For too long the 1996 federal welfare reforms of time limits and work requirements had been ignored--to the detriment of needy families. There is no doubt that the best way out of poverty is a job. This is what led to our enforcement of a 5-year lifetime limit on TANF benefits. I was not surprised that the results of promoting work rather than discouraging it were shown to be dramatic and a stark contrast to the years of allowing people to remain in poverty, dependent on government assistance.
Source: Forbes Magazine interview on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race Jun 1, 2017

Mary Mayhew: Auditor: DHHS improperly managed federal welfare funds

Officials in Gov. LePage's administration were aware that a federal law prohibited their use of millions in federal welfare funds on services for the elderly. But DHHS [headed by Mayhew] justified the spending by developing a selective interpretation of the relevant federal law. In October 2016, Maine's state auditor released a report highlighting "improper management of funds at the agency level," an "overly aggressive approach" to managing federal grants and "troublesome" financial practices.
Source: Bangor Daily News on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race Feb 7, 2017

Janet Mills: Demands release of publically funded welfare study

Atty Gen Janet Mills demanded in a letter that Gov. Paul LePage release a publically funded report crafted by the controversial Alexander Group to anyone who requested it. When asked how he responded, LePage said: "Tell her to sue me." The letter was sent to LePage and Mary Mayhew, whose Dept of HHS signed a $925,000 contract for the Rhode Island-based Alexander Group to study Maine's welfare system, including the possibility of expanding Medicaid as allowed by the federal Affordable Care Act.
Source: Bangor Daily News on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race Jan 29, 2017

  • The above quotations are from 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Welfare & Poverty.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Paul LePage on Welfare & Poverty.
Candidates and political leaders on Welfare & Poverty:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Nov 12, 2019