State of Massachusetts Archives: on Welfare & Poverty

Deval Patrick: Increase funding for employment and job training programs

Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to extend health and child care subsidies to the working poor.

Source: 2006 MA Gubernatorial National Political Awareness Test Nov 7, 2006

Kerry Healey: Faith-based organizations ok for providing social services

Q: Are you comfortable using a faith-based organization for teaching abstinence?

A: I'm comfortable with it, but I do think that it would be preferable in the long run, to have a standardized state-wide curriculum that's comprehensive, that is fully vetted with public hearings, and so forth. I presume that there is no religion being taught by this faith-based organization in the course of this curriculum.

Q: Then why have a faith-based organization?

Q: Faith-based organizations provide a lot of valuable social services. Throughout the Commonwealth, we have collaborated with Catholic Charities to provide various services. We work with the Black Ministerial Alliance to provide transitional services for people coming out of jails and prisons. There are any number of social services that we make use of the talents and the interests that faith-based organizations to bring their services to the public. And I don't see any problem with that.

Source: Boston Globe interview on 2006 MA Governor race Apr 26, 2006

John Deaton: Mother held family together with food stamps, welfare

John was born in Highland Park in 1967 into generational poverty at a time of extreme racial tension and violence in the suffering city of Detroit. He was one of six siblings born to one mother and four different fathers. The fathers were rarely in the picture, but despite the challenges of poverty and abuse, John's mother held the family together with the help of food stamps, welfare, and odd jobs whenever possible. Source: 2024 MA Senate campaign website JohnDeatonForSenate.com Mar 5, 2024

The above quotations are from Commonwealth of Massachusetts Politicians: Archives. Click here for definitions & background information on Welfare & Poverty. Click here for other issues (main summary page).
*2024 Presidential contenders on Welfare & Poverty:*
	*Candidates for President & Vice-President:* V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA) Chase Oliver(L-GA) Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA) Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL) Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH) Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN) Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)	*2024 presidential primary contenders:* Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE) N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R) N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R) Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R) S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R) Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R) Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN) U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN) Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH) S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026