How Maine got rid of welfare deadbeats

“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” II Thessalonians 3:10

Republicans have always championed welfare reform, but their efforts have routinely been sidetracked by Democrats who insist such reforms are uncaring to those in need and unfairly target minorities. The GOP, however, managed a welfare reform breakthrough recently, but they had to go to Maine, the whitest state in America, to do it. The reforms not only addressed the issue of fairness to those who cannot work, it managed to purge welfare rolls of those who can - and won't - work.

According to a report from USHerald.com, Maine had over 12,000 able-bodied people on food stamps. Gov. Paul LaPage (a Republican) championed the passage of reforms last year that required these able-bodied workers to either work twenty hours a week, enroll in a vocational training program, or volunteer for 24 hours each month to continue receiving benefits. Even though Maine provided reasonable alternatives to those unable (or unwilling) to work part-time, enrollment in the program dropped from over 12,000 in December 2014 to about 2,500 earlier this year.

Gov. LaPage didn't stop there. According to Fox News, he also instituted drug testing for welfare recipients who have been convicted previously of drug-related felonies. He is now proposing crackdown on purchases made with EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, and lottery tickets, or using the cards outside of the state for cash withdrawals.

In addition, since Maine reinstituted a cap of 60 months on benefits (a cap which President Obama had waived), welfare rolls have dropped to 6.191 in March, from a high of 14,804 in 2011.

What is working in Maine seems to be catching on nationwide, as Americans, regardless of political persuasion, push for an end to welfare abuse. Twelve other states have begun drug testing on welfare recipients, and more reforms similar to Maine's initiatives are gaining momentum nationwide.
 

Usama Bin Ladin's book collection included many American liberal writers

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently posted a list of documents and books found in Usama bin Ladin's (yes, that's the official government spelling, for those keeping track) collection at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. According to The Blaze, his collection included a pretty vast porn stash, but perhaps even more telling of the man's mindset were the authors he was reading. Among the English-language book collection were a number of liberal writers, including Noam Chomsky. His collection included a few mainstream works, like Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward, but also included a number of conspiracy advocates and 9/11 "truthers." It seemed he was a particular fan of liberal authors who hated American democracy.  

Among the books found in Bin Ladin's library were:

America’s “War on Terrorism” by Michel Chossudovsky. It's a little amazing to think Bin Ladin was reading a book by a 9/11 truther who thinks President George W. Bush was behind the attacks. In its Amazon listing, Chossudovsky's book features this phrase in its description: "the 'war on terrorism' is a complete fabrication based on the illusion that one man, Osama bin Laden, outwitted the $40 billion-a-year American intelligence apparatus." One wonders how Bin Ladin felt about that.

Bloodlines of the Illuminati by Fritz Springmeier. The politics of Illuminati conspiracy theorists like Springmeier are all over the place, but they are all certifiably crazy. Which is probably why it found a home on Bin Ladin's bookshelf.

Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance and Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies by Noam Chomsky. Chomsky, who has espoused principles of liberalism, socialism, and anarchy, is an outspoken critic of what he calls "American imperialism." He is also Professor Emeritus at MIT, so he not only has a platform for his radical views, he is highly regarded among the educational elite. And yet, two of his books caught the eye of Bin Ladin.

Chelsea Clinton, world-renowned expert on everything

Not a joke: This is actually Chelsea's
children's book.
Alas, Chelsea Clinton's upcoming childrens' book will not borrow from Dr. Seuss and be titled "Monica Hopped on Pop." Instead, it will address (and I'm not kidding here) poverty, gender equality, epidemics, climate change, and endangered species. It sounds like the kind of book you read at bedtime if your kid is named "Apple."

Watch Hillary's condescending treatment of Fox News' Ed Henry


Hillary has kept the press out in the cold for over a month now, refusing to answer their questions and only meeting with arranged groups that would politely nod and smile when she speaks. That changed today (5/19) when Ed Henry of Fox News dared to call Hillary out during one of these "talks" in Iowa. He asked her when she would take press questions, and she basically blew him off. You can see her condescending and uncomfortable response in the video above, posted by Rising Response.

The tactic seems to have worked, as Hillary suddenly decided to answer a few press questions afterward. Thanks to Fox News for initially posting the report.