Our Reply to Sentor Richard Tisei of Massachusetts For His Uninformed Comments on Welfare Fraud
NOTES
Regarding your comments made in the 4/22/02 article "Staff cuts halt probe of welfare fraud cases" published in the Boston Globe, ''This is a major mistake, a huge problem,'' said state Senator Richard Tisei, a Wakefield Republican and assistant minority leader. ''It's a major retreat and a step backward. It could shake the very foundations of the entire Welfare Reform Act'', we find it necessary to respond. We've just finished laughing when we have in our possession and knowledge, irrefutable facts regarding the entire welfare reform act. We must first apprise you to the fact that welfare reform is derived from a welfare fraud case that existed in the days when personal financial supplementation on the clients own recognizance was still illegal. We'd like to introduce ourselves. We are the Founders of the Welfare Reform Act. We were prosecuted, and consequently punitively damaged, for having worked to supplement our meagar welfare check in order to secure housing out of homelessness and stabilize our condition enough to keep our family off the street. It is our belief and observation that anyone with true criminal intent will be found, even with less investigators on the job because all people are noted in some form or fashion. However intent to steal and it's relation to people on welfare is still very much undefined and remains a very nebulous area of law. There are many flawed and overrated fraud investigations, that have and can jeopardize a person whose "financial intent" has not exceeded federal sub-poverty standards. The definition of such intent to be construed as theft must be reconsidered to accomodate the cost of living in the present and in the future. We believe that the cutting of fraud investigatiors is a clear recognition of this. It is a step forward. As far as the foundations are concerned, it is all of good intent, and progressive, based on love of one's family and the necessity to survive. How can a felony theft charge for having worked shake the foundations of the welfare reform act? Easy, it disqualifies a client from the program because said client cannot find suitable employment with such a mar on their public record. That's perhaps why your state is giving up on these investigations, sir. These are the realities of two clients lives on welfare, and obviously many more. If you haven't read enough, there's always our website: https://www.angelfire.com/wa2/WRAP. It's advantageous to know the facts when speaking on a particular subject. Thank you very much for reading.
