September 24, 2024 • 37 mins
Massachusetts Republicans are blowing the whistle after discovering MA taxpayer-funded EBT cards were used in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, California, Florida, Alaska, and in several other locations across the country. State Sen. Ryan Fattman and other GOP members are seeking an investigation into the matter. We discussed.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray WBS costin me video.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, thanks very much, Dan Watkins. As we head
into the nine o'clock hour tonight here on Nightside, and
I'm looking at this morning's Boston Herald. I don't know
how many of you get the Herald either delivered or
maybe what look at it the digital the digital process,
but those very couple of interesting stories about abuse of
(00:27):
EBT cards here in Massachusetts. Let me preface my comments
here by saying that I do understand, and I hope
all of you do understand, that there are people in
Massachusetts who find themselves up against it through no fault
(00:49):
of their own. Maybe they contribute a little bit, but
they're out of work, whatever, they need some help. And
that's what we're supposed to be like, that's what we're
supposed to do for fellow residents and people here in
mass for our neighbors essentially. Now, I know some people
think that, well, our neighbors are much more than just
the people who live on our block, just more than
(01:09):
the people who live in our community, which is fine,
however you want to describe it. However, the Herald, and
I believe even the Globe has taken a look at
some of this, but it's astonishing when you look at
what the Herald is calling the EBT card hot hotchspots. Now,
(01:30):
EBT cards are cards in which money is loaded on
electronically for people to use in grocery stores, feed their
family and all of that. There are some places where
eb cards cannot be used. They can't be used at
liquor stores, pot shops, restaurants, porn shipe porn sites, gun shops,
and to pay court fees. Makes all the sense in
(01:53):
the world. According to the Herald piece, the use of
well for money outside New England, however, remains a massive
drag on the budget. This is the Herald analysis. And
I have a quote here from someone from the Pioneer
Institute and the Herald Piece today says, while it's understandable
that people do travel to visit family, the magnitude of
the travel raises the question as to whether all the
(02:15):
people receiving benefits actually need their benefits. Okay, now, there's
an estimated one million recipients here in Massachusetts who are
helped with SNAP formerly known as food stamps and Traditional
Aid to Families with dependent children and emergency aids of
the elderly disabled children. We're a state of about seven
million people, so you're talking about a pretty good percentage
(02:39):
of individual Now, this does not include what's going on
with the migrant shelters. Now that's a whole different story. However,
when you look at what's going on, you have a
list of the towns in Massachusetts and the people from
some of these towns that have spent incredible amounts of
(03:03):
money outside of Massachusetts. That's what we're talking about here,
outside of Massachusetts. So the Herald Story has found that
people have used the EBT cards from Massachusetts in places
like Hawaii, not bad, lots of places in Hawaii, places
(03:27):
as far away as Alaska, places as far away as
Alabama to Arizona, Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico, Utah to Wyoming,
and all the New England states. Now I can see,
I guess someone using an EBT card and I I
don't know this for and frankly, I'm not an expert
(03:47):
in this. There'll be a lot of you out there
probably know more about it than I do. I would
say that EBT cards should be limited to grocery stores
or store that provide the necessities of life. Shoe stores
or department stores. I'm not in any way shape of
(04:08):
form trying to say people should not receive some help.
But if you have an EBT card and you're somehow
getting to California or getting to Hawaii, or getting to Florida,
or getting to all of these places around the country
and around not the world yet but around the country
(04:29):
as far away as Hawaii, how you doing that? How
can you possibly be doing that? And the other question
is why should there be cash available on EBT cards
or should the cash be totally limited on EBT cards?
Maybe one hundred dollars a month. I mean, I can
(04:51):
tell I'm small enough to know that if I take
my bank debit card and I need to use it
as another bank other than the bank which issued the
debit card, it's going to cost me a couple of
bucks to use that debit card. The place that I
that I go is a different bank. I don't have
(05:14):
any money at that bank, but there is a relationship
I guess, between my bank, which is Eastern Bank, and
this other bank, so that I am charged three dollars
for every time I want to take cash out of Well, again,
this is taking cash out of my own checking account.
This is not taking cash out of a government fund.
(05:36):
This is cash being taken out of my own checking account,
money that I have earned and of course paid taxes on,
and now I've deposited it and it's in my own account.
The bank that I go to, my bank that I
don't have accounts in, it's going to charge me. And
(05:56):
what happens is Eastern Bank replenishes that. So it may
take a day or two, but when I look at
my account, I'll say, Okay, I went throw three hundred dollars.
This other bank charge gave me the three hundred to
charge me an additional three But now two days later,
(06:18):
Eastern Bank has replenished that three dollars. It's one of
the reasons that I'm a customer of Eastern Bank, to
be really honest with you. But when you think about
people who are being given money, given substantial amounts of
money to live here in Massachusetts, they somehow find themselves
in Hawaii. I don't know how you find yourself in
(06:41):
Hawaii if you need an EBT card, I really don't.
If there's anyone out there who can explain that to me,
please let me know. I don't know how you can
end up in the Virgin Islands. If you need an
EBT card, I don't know how you can end up
in San Francisco or Los Angeles. It would seem to
me if you need an EBT card. Now you can
(07:04):
say that I'm mean, I guess, and that I'm not
thoughtful or caring. But the bottom line is the money
that we're spending on EBD cards should be monitored and
regulated a lot more closely, because I have to assume,
and maybe I'm making a wrong assumption, that our legislature,
(07:26):
in their infinite wisdom, should be able to track who
is this EBT beneficiary? Who is using their EBT card
in Hawaii? Have they relocated to Hawaii? Is a or
is this a one time only use of the EBT card.
It seems to me that they could construct a system
(07:47):
which would say EBT cards can only be used in
Saint Massachusetts and the other five New England states. Again,
you can't stop people from driving to Rhode Island or
driving to New Hampshire, whatever. But again, EBT cards, as
I understand it, and according to the Herald, they are
(08:09):
limited in their use. You can't use them at a
whole bunch of places including casinos, gun shops, porn site,
liquor stores, and restaurants. So the EBT card is not
for you go out to a restaurant and spend you
and your significant other spend one hundred and fifty dollars
(08:29):
at a restaurant. No, the EBT card is so that
you have food at home and your children or your
dependents are fed. Now call me an ogre if you want.
But why is it that what I use my credit card,
my credit card company knows exactly what restaurant I've used
(08:53):
or what grocery store I used, whether I was in
Massachusetts or somewhere else. Why is this not applied to
ebd T cards. Maybe maybe the legislature just doesn't care.
Maybe they don't particularly care who gets an EBT card
and how is it used. I think there are people
who truly need help, and I want, as a taxpayer,
(09:16):
my money used to help people who truly need help.
But I don't want my tax money use to people
who are going to use an EBT card, get an
EBT card, and then find themselves in Hawaii or Florida
or Virgin Islands or wherever. It's as simple as that.
If you agree with me. I would love to hear
(09:37):
you chime in if you think I'm being really nasty
and making fun of poor people, which I'm not. I
want more money available to the people who really need assistance, whatever,
whether they need assistance because they have a disability, born
with a disability, developed a disability, or if there's someone
(09:58):
who's unemployed, if someone up against it for a short
period of time. EBP cards, except for those who have
permanent disabilities, should not be a career. They should be
a bridge to your next job. I don't know that
I hear many members of the legislature, either in the
State Senate or the State House of Representatives, talking that way.
(10:20):
If you do, feel free to give me a call.
Six one seven two thirty six one seven nine three
one ten thirty triple eight nine to nine ten thirty. Look,
it's our money, it's not the government's money. They take
the money from us to give to needy people. I
want them, if they're going to take money from me,
(10:41):
I want them to be certain that the money goes
to people who are needy and not people who are
gallivanting around the world with an ABT card in their
back pocket. From Massachusetts. We'll be back on Nightside. Feel
free to join the conversation.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WUS Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, it seems to me that either everybody agrees with
me or everybody disagrees with me. So what I'm looking
to hear from you is whether or not you feel
this is a talk show. This is a talk show
where your point of view is welcome. You heard my
(11:23):
point of view. I'm looking at again the Herald today.
Why is it that people I assume they're from Massachusetts
if they have come Wealth of Massachusetts EBT cards, the
Department of Transitional Assistance. Department of Transitional Assistance. The word
(11:44):
there is transitional. This is not supposed to be a
way of life. It's not supposed to be, you know,
a great vacation opportunity, get an EBT card and hit
the California, Florida or Hawaii. But that's what's going on now.
This doesn't mean the majority of people who have EBT
cards are doing this. But what can someone explain to
(12:04):
me why the CAMMWAWD of the Massachusetts which can find
out that you had a parking ticket in North Adams
in nineteen eighty five, or if you're a truck driver,
you might have had some sort of a DUI thirty
years ago and they're able to get that record and
they are now going to pull your your CDL license.
(12:24):
They can do great work there, but they can't figure
out who was it that spent forty two hundred and
twenty six dollars in Orlando, Who was it that spent
forty seven hundred and thirty one dollars in Kissemi, Florida.
Who was it that spent one thousand and ninety eight
dollars in San Diego in November of twenty twenty three?
They know when it happened. Who was it that spent
(12:46):
three hundred and eighty eight dollars in San Francisco? These
are all uh, these are reports that are a year late. Okay.
So they should be able to have a program, in
my opinion, a computer program which would say, oh, here
were the EBT card uses for out of state, out
of Massachusetts or out of New England yesterday last night.
(13:08):
And they should be able to say, oh, that card
is uh that's being used in Hawaii is owned. By
filling the person's name, you would have to have an
address and a phone number on that person in order
to give him an EBT card. Why is it that
in Massachusetts again, they can they have, they can pull,
(13:28):
they can pick your pocket. If you are a working citizen,
if you park in the wrong place and that meters
five minutes over, there's a there's a there's a meter
person right there writing you a ticket. If if, if
a ticket was written for you thirty years ago. As
I said, in Western Massachusetts, good luck trying to renew
your your driver's license. They will tell you got to
(13:52):
go out to Western Massachusetts and get that cleared up,
even though it's thirty years old. That's what I don't
understand about Massachusetts. And we, of course continue overwhelmingly to
return the same people to the legislature year after year
after year. Most of those folks up the legislature have
been there for a long time, a long long time,
(14:15):
and they have gotten pretty comfortable up there. I read
an article today that came out late today that said
at the state House they now have installed some electric
vehicle machines, some charging machines in the secure parking area
underneath the archway at the State House. Now to get
(14:39):
your car under the archway. You've got to be a
very important person. You do not even if you're a
state repro state senator. You don't get your car under
the archway unless you're in the leadership team. And that's
all blocked off. Okay, So now for those who have
EV vehicles, electric vehicles, they have a charging station right
(15:01):
where they work for them, as a matter of fact,
pay for by you and me. So there's a convenience
for the legislators. Legislators who are going to continue to
pass legislation which basically picks your pocket and puts money
in pocket of pockets of people who are not working. Now, again,
(15:24):
I don't think most people who have EBT cards are
flying or going by boat to Hawaiki, or are flying
or going by bus to California. But I do believe,
and I believe very strongly, and I hope some of
you might join me in that belief. And if you disagree,
feel free as well that that's a waste of my money,
(15:47):
in your money, it's a waste of taxpayers money. I
don't care who you are. If you are living here
in Massachusetts and you are receiving benefits, you should be
doing whatever you can to get yourself off the program.
You should not be flying to Hawaii to visit relatives
(16:08):
or friends. You should be not to be going to Florida.
I don't even really care if you lost a close
family member, I would say, Okay, you've lost a close
family member, put the EBT card away, leave it at home,
and go and pay your respects and do what you
have to do. Okay. And if you need to withdraw
(16:31):
some cash, I guess you can draw cash in Massachusetts
and head on, head on wherever you want. I am
just these stories never end. Many of you probably don't
have a chance to read the Herald every day like
I do. But the story that was written by Joe
Juanel today at the Herald about EBT card hotspots. It
(16:53):
talks about the amount of money, the amount of money
that was spent out of state by certain communities. And
there are significant money, I mean big money that was
spent outside of New England for EBT cardholders. And you
(17:13):
may think that I'm picking on people.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
I'm not picking on people. I'm just saying that we
need to smarten up in Massachusetts and realize that whatever
tax money we have from the people who are still
living here in Massachusetts. It's it should not be drained
away by people who are using the system. That's my theory.
Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. I hope that I haven't
(17:39):
dazzled you with specifics here. I want to hear from you.
If you disagree and it doesn't bother you that people
with EBT cards are vacationing or spending time in Hawaii,
good for you. I think you're foolish to have that belief.
But feel free, and if you agree with me, feel free.
You know it doesn't hurt. A lot of people sit.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
At home and they say, you know, I agree with Dan,
but I don't want to call because maybe my neighbors
might recognize me my voice. Uh, you know, call up,
call up, and let people know you're mad as hell
and you're not going to take it anymore. Because that's
how I feel about Massachusetts. I am so sick and
tired of realizing that members of the state legislature have
(18:22):
charging stations at the state House. Okay, charging stations on
my dime, on your dime at the state House for
vehicles that I'm sure you and I probably couldn't afford
join the conversation, and if you don't, we'll go to
open lines. If you want to talk about the color
of the sky or whatever you want to talk about,
you're more than welcome. Matter of fact, I'm going to
(18:44):
give you open lines here. Either you can talk about
ebt cards and ebt card abuse, or if you want
to call about any other subject, feel free. We're going
to change topics at ten. Either way.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Back on Night Side, I hope you're smart enough to
call and tell me what you think about ebt card
abuse here in Massachusetts. The Herald Today did a great
job journalistically laying it out, laying it out for all
to see. Back on Nightside, right after.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
This Night Side with Dan Ray, I'm w BZY Boston's
news Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
All of a sudden, the lines filled up, and as
I said, you want to talk about this, that's great.
If you want to talk about anything else, I gave
you permission. Let's go to the phones. I want to
hear what you have to think, because it's very important
that people think. We've got to do some thinking here
in Massachusetts. Joey is in Boston. Hate Joey. Welcome First
this hour on nightside.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
How are you thank you for having me?
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I appreciate it, well.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Thank you for calling in. Sometimes when you sit here
and the phones are quiet, you think, gee, maybe everybody
either agrees with me or you know, the people disagree
are always welcome to call in, but the people who
agree they can call in too. So what's your thought, Joe?
Speaker 5 (19:52):
Absolutely, so, I was a little bit pre cured. You know,
I make fairly good money. I'm middle class. I work
two jobs. I saw this thing on TikTok where somebody,
uh you know, that was getting benefits that left the
slip behind that actually was featured on there, and somebody
had fourteen thousand dollars worth of EBT credit and over
(20:18):
five thousand dollars in cash. You know, it's really like,
you know, I know people like you know that really
need it, you know they need it, but like, yeah,
I heard.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Me say that, I'm not sure I'm trying to save
as much money for people who really need it. By
the way, you work two jobs. Why do you work
a second job?
Speaker 5 (20:36):
So I work a second job because I you know,
it's the only way that I can afford rent here
in Boston. And really, you know, I'm just trying to survive.
And you know, so I'm not governing.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Well, the government won't give you money to pay your rent.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
No, they won't give me any money to pay my
rent because I make too much money. But are you
ready for this the real kicker?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
Last year, unfortunately I ended up having cancer.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
But I'm okay, but I had to have major surgery.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
I'm out of work for two months. I could not
get unemployment, I could not get Family Medical lev Act,
and I could not get short term disability. I was
completely on my own for two months. I had to
ring up literally like fifteen thousand dollars in credit cards.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
And you know what's wrong, like the Joe, let me
just say this, first of all, thank god that you
caught it. Thank god you're on the road to recovery.
But that is what is wrong with this state. They
don't care about you, they don't care about me. You're
a cash cow. I'm a care cow. Well, and when
you stop giving milk because you've been injured, they're not
(21:49):
gonna help you. They're not gonna help you. And exactly,
and that's that is that's that is worse than the
illegal it's in my opinion, absolutely immoral. You were probably
this is the first time in your life when you
needed a little assistance and they don't provide it because
guess what, they don't care. You're nothing, but they don't.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
No.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
I was really appalled, and I'm like, okay, well, you know,
we got I mean, I know it's another topic for
another day, but we have, you know, illegals getting all
kinds of money, and like they can't even help you know,
the working class, you know, and it's just really well,
the problem, here's the problem.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Let me tell you the problem. The problem is if
I'm a democratic legislator up there, okay, yeah, and the
my constituents keep voting me in, why should I change?
I'm fat, happy and content. I got an EV charging
station downstairs from my tesla that the Speaker of the
House or the Senate president is going to let me
(22:50):
charge it up. Okay, why did they care? They don't
care about you, they don't care about me. They care
about the rights, period and until.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
People wake the heck up mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
And start voting some of these folks out.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Yes, it's not going to change. You're right, I totally agree.
I was just I mean, I feel like the middle
classes really getting a bad rap here. It seems like,
you know, like the rich getting Richard.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
We're not getting a we're getting we're getting the shaft.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
We are you getting the shaft? Were we seem to
be paying for everything, you know, And it's you know,
it's really it's really tough. You know, I've been working
two jobs most of my life. I mean, you know,
I can't, you know, to come up with the down
payment for a house. I mean, you know, you need like,
you know, thirty forty fifty thousand in cash. I mean,
you know, it's just, you know, it's just it's just
(23:42):
all I.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Can say is and I hope that there's many more
people like you out there. Yeah, make sure you vote
in November, and make sure you vote not only at
the top of the ticket, but write down the entire
ticket and make every one of those votes count, because
that is the only way the only ways are going
to change in massive.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Absolutely, absolutely no, I totally agree. Yeah, Toty, First, well.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Thank you for calling. I don't know if you called
my show before.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
But yeah, yeah, I've been on a on a couple
of times. It's a it's really a great show. You
have great topics, and I really do appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I need you to call more often, okay, because you're you're, you're,
You're the person that I feel needs to hear this
show because you know, the average person who's out there
and doesn't care and doesn't work, you know, I mean
that bothers me. But when somebody goes out and doesn't
care it doesn't work and then abuses that system, that
really bothers me. Because there's people like you and others,
(24:36):
some people really need to help for a longer period
of time. Thank God, you're on the road to recovery.
But don't let them look at you like a cash
cow anymore. You know, strike back on November fifth. That's
all I'm asking you to do.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
Okay, absolutely who to vote for?
Speaker 2 (24:50):
I'm telling you to get in that ballot box.
Speaker 5 (24:53):
Yes, most definitely.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
No.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
I really do appreciate it, and I appreciate your time.
All right, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Night. Okay, let's keep rolling. You're going to go to
I Lean in winter, I lean you next on nightside.
Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Oh hi, Dan, I totally agree with you, and I'm
surprised you didn't know the abuses that were going on
before this.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Oh, I'm awa, you know, I'm I've got to be
honest with you. I'm aware of them. But I thought
the Herald did a really good job the last a
couple of weeks and particularly today, And I want to
give them credit. You know, not everyone's going to listen
to Night Side. Not everyone's going to read the Herald.
Uh Not, everyone's going to read the Globe. When the
Globe does a good job, I'll give them credit as well.
That's what newspapers are supposed to do. And it's a
(25:37):
great it's it's it's horrible abuse. It is a horrible abuse.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Oh, let me tell you. The worst abuse is mass health.
I you said I could talk about something else. I've
known people from India now fly in a Massachusetts, get
their physicals, get their medication for a year, and fly
back to the country. They come from countries, they get
(26:02):
the mass health, they lie at they own homes in
other countries. Then they go home for the summer, the
whole summer along and fly back and they get free
travel shots. You can't imagine what's going on with mass health.
Never mind the DBT.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Well, it's all part of the same system that has
been corrupted. Okay, the idea of helping people who need
assistance is noble, but the idea of giving money away
and not keeping track of it's not beer money that
they're giving away. It's the taxpayer's money. And people don't
(26:45):
make that connection. When you pay taxes, you're not just
giving money to the government. It's supposed to be used
to do things that benefit everyone. That's why we call
it the commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I definitely only believe the poor should get the help,
but they this should be watched, both of them, DBTS
and mass Health. We are losing millions, no question now,
people who were stealing from us.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And again I don't mind paying my taxes to help
people who are from Massachusetts and who are in need
because and by the way, I contribute a lot to
charities too, in addition to my taxes, Okay, because I
think that's part of my responsibility and I and I
mean that from the bottom of my heart. But I'm
telling you, when they allow money to be wasted and
(27:38):
misspent and do nothing about it, they are eighty and
embedding the fraud that they know we're committing there that
are being committed while they're in office. So just you
got to get to the polls and vote on November fifth, Eleen.
I'm not telling you how to vote for, but I
think a lot of those folks up that the legislature
(27:58):
are fat, happy and contented, and they take you a
vote for granted, and they don't care about you for
a for a second.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
Absolutely, Thanks Eileen.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
You're welcome. Bye, jan good one, Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Okay, let me take a very quick break here. I
got more calls, and we're we're going to get everybody in,
I promise, and then we're going to talk with Joe
Battenfeld of the Boston Herald. Fascinating article that he wrote today,
which I had thought about, but because Joe put it
in print first, I got to give him credit. This
is the ultimate October surprise. All of you stay right there,
(28:33):
Laur and Tina, Mike and James. You're all set. We'll
get you in coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Now to be in the Window World Nightside Studios. Let's
go to Tina down in Rhode Island in moon Soccert,
Rhode Island. Hey, Tina, welcome back. How are you?
Speaker 8 (28:53):
Yeah, Hi, I'm fine here. I was I was listening
to this program about the Snap Benefit DBG, and I
was kin to follow what you're trying what you were
trying to talk about, And I think I get the
gist of it, but I'm not sure. But this problem
that's happening in Massachusetts with the EBD card, isn't this
(29:15):
isn't this fraud with the EBT cards. Isn't it this
happening all over the United States?
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Well? It probably, but I'm talking about Massachusetts because one
we're in Massachusetts and the Herald did a good job.
It's pretty simple. What they're saying is this, you get
an EBT card. Okay, there's a certain number of places
you cannot use You can't use it as a shop at
a pot shop, at a liquor store, in a restaurant.
Oh that people, But Tina Tinaya. People are flying from
(29:49):
Massachusetts to California, to Hawaii, to Alaska to Florida.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
They're using something.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
Okay, well they have probably applied for it, but the
only like like you're saying, you can only use it
for food or you can use it to get cash.
So if you've applied for it when you were poor.
Like I said, I was trying to grasp what you
were talking about listening to it. So if people were
poor and down it out and they needed this supplement
(30:19):
supplemented nutrition COD to get food, and they deposit I
guess the government deposits the money every month in your account.
So if you're doing so, I don't know how these
people can get benefits if they're doing well, because years ago,
(30:40):
thirty forty.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Years ago, it's great, okay.
Speaker 8 (30:45):
But this is what I know. When I tried to apply,
I had food stamps at one time, years ago, I
lived in Boston. I had to quit my job, my
mother was sick. I came here and I and I
used every and I and I was on food stamps
for about a month. I have to show them my
bank books. I was flat broke. But then in Rhode
Island with the system NA, they ended it because at
(31:07):
one point I got back on my feet, I got
a job.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Well that's the point, Tina, Tina, you're a success story. Okay, Tina,
I got full pack lines here. I'm going to try
to get everybody in here. I think you get it.
I think you get what I'm saying. Yeah, I think
you get it. I really do. Thanks Tina. Okay, okay,
bye bye, Let's go to Mike and Boston. Mike next
on Nightside've got to get you moving here quick, Mike,
(31:32):
go ahead.
Speaker 6 (31:34):
Yeah, of course. Uh, I'm just like Dina and I
I kind of get it. But uh, I'd like to
preface with I got Verizon, so I hope you can
hear me.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Yes, I can't. Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
I was on transitional assistance myself, and I'm a success
story like like Dina. But I truly look at my
paycheck every week and and see the amount of tax
dollars that I'm paying, And I do have that fear
(32:07):
that that we are being infiltrated in our social systems
and that we are paying the penalty for that right now.
And we do need to come to terms that this.
I don't want to believe it, but we do have
to believe that that this corruption, because of our secular society,
(32:32):
has run this deep into our social system. And she
would not want to take money away from anyone that
needed it, and I would be happy for my tax
dollars to go there. But like you, Dan, I feel
like there is some infiltration into our social systems.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
What it is, it's it's the has been run by
people who could kill us, and as long as they
have people who are willing to take the stuff that
keeps them the jobs.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
I mean, it's I don't want care less to infiltrate
my life idea with you. It's like it's like.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
The military industrial complex. You now have sort of a
social economic industrial complex, and no one wants to.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
Respon socio economic complex. And just like we have just
like we have a responsibility to anxiety and and adult
adult deficit disorder, you know, the same responsibility. I got.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I got three more. I got three more. Everybody called late,
so I'm trying to get everybody. Thanks man right back
at you. Thanks, Thanks James, Thanks Mike. I should say, uh,
let me go next to uh yeah, thank you, Mike appreciated.
Let me go next to Lauren and Hopkins and Lauren.
Hi Lauren, Oh Hi, Lauren is right.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
Yes, it is on the you.
Speaker 7 (33:57):
I spoke with you once before. I want to say
pre pandemic. Okay, it's very nice to be on the show.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
Really quickly.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
I just wanted to put in my two cents on
TBT go ahead. I'm a single parent real quickly. I
have the BBT card before in the past, and then
when I don't need it, I get off of it.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
Yep.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
The fraud that I personally witnessed the EBT is absolutely.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
It's just boggling that people do this.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Mind boggling and mind boggling. I will bet you that
while you were on the eb when you were on
the EBT card, I will bet you that you never
flew to Hawaii or Alaska.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
Yeah, and not only that, what they're doing is there's
certain places all over Milford, Mass and in the cities
and local suburbs everywhere where you can go and bring
your EVG card and they will allow you to buy cigarettes, alcohol.
They're selling their cards and they're getting cash and they're
using it for the fetanyl. They all have designer versus
(35:02):
they have to. You know, I work three jobs. I
put myself through school, I became that tex and I've
worked at gas.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Stations, I've worked everywhere.
Speaker 7 (35:13):
I've humbled myself. Right now, you're a.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Decent You're a decent human being who needed some help.
You've got something.
Speaker 7 (35:23):
I signed up for Suction eight about five years ago,
and I've never been followed, and I have to I
have to wonder, is it because it's because I'm an America,
It's because I'm an American?
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Is it because I.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Either that or you haven't contributed to the right politician
in Massachusetts.
Speaker 7 (35:39):
I'm following you.
Speaker 8 (35:40):
Everybody who's listening right now.
Speaker 7 (35:42):
Please if you don't like Trump, because you've got a
big in the world.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Unfortunately, we're hearing feedback on your radio lawn and it's
still a little distracting to me into you, into my audience.
So I'm going to let you go, but thank you
for calling. Okay, and call again, James and Medford. James,
got to get you in here under the wire. Go ahead, James, James,
are you there? Okay, Let's go to Ken in Florida.
Then we'll go to Ken in Florida. Ken, you were
(36:09):
next on nights. I go ahead, Ken, get less than
a minute.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
Yeah, I'll be trying to be quick.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Dan.
Speaker 5 (36:13):
You know some of my background.
Speaker 6 (36:15):
I grew up.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
I was born youngest of nine, lived in Columbia Point Projects.
My mom died when I was seven. My twenty year
old sister raised me. We lived on welfare, food stamps,
free lunches, I did my best in school, I went
to college, graduated, I became a homeowner. And when I
worked at I want to the name of the hospital,
A big hospital in Boston. I watched people take their
(36:38):
ebach caards to my ATM when I'm going to get
money out, and they're asking me how to use it.
And I saw multiple drug deals right around the hospital.
Let's Boston Medical Center, I'll say this and that. That's
where I started turning from a liberal voting for Deval Patrick,
and became more conservative because I saw the abuse. I
(36:59):
think Patrick said, oh, we can't. We don't have the
resources to put uh photos on on the EBT cards.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
That's right, yeah, but we we have the we have
the resources to hire more people for the I R
s of the Apartment of Revenue. And you called in late.
I'm flat out of time.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
I want to get in real quick.
Speaker 5 (37:19):
Before I went to bed in Florida.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Man, okay, keep listening though, wait okay. Oh and by
the way, batting down the hatches that storhim like, it's like,
looks like it could be serious.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Take a hurricane class, I have to teach tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Give me all next week when it goes by I
want to know you're safe and sound. I mean that
serious right back at you. All right, I'm gonna take
a break and the talk with Joe Battenfeld to the
Boston Harold. He has come up with the ultimate October surprise,
and guess what, I think it's really possible. Stay with us.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray WBS costin me video.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, thanks very much, Dan Watkins. As we head
into the nine o'clock hour tonight here on Nightside, and
I'm looking at this morning's Boston Herald. I don't know
how many of you get the Herald either delivered or
maybe what look at it the digital the digital process,
but those very couple of interesting stories about abuse of
(00:27):
EBT cards here in Massachusetts. Let me preface my comments
here by saying that I do understand, and I hope
all of you do understand, that there are people in
Massachusetts who find themselves up against it through no fault
(00:49):
of their own. Maybe they contribute a little bit, but
they're out of work, whatever, they need some help. And
that's what we're supposed to be like, that's what we're
supposed to do for fellow residents and people here in
mass for our neighbors essentially. Now, I know some people
think that, well, our neighbors are much more than just
the people who live on our block, just more than
(01:09):
the people who live in our community, which is fine,
however you want to describe it. However, the Herald, and
I believe even the Globe has taken a look at
some of this, but it's astonishing when you look at
what the Herald is calling the EBT card hot hotchspots. Now,
(01:30):
EBT cards are cards in which money is loaded on
electronically for people to use in grocery stores, feed their
family and all of that. There are some places where
eb cards cannot be used. They can't be used at
liquor stores, pot shops, restaurants, porn shipe porn sites, gun shops,
and to pay court fees. Makes all the sense in
(01:53):
the world. According to the Herald piece, the use of
well for money outside New England, however, remains a massive
drag on the budget. This is the Herald analysis. And
I have a quote here from someone from the Pioneer
Institute and the Herald Piece today says, while it's understandable
that people do travel to visit family, the magnitude of
the travel raises the question as to whether all the
(02:15):
people receiving benefits actually need their benefits. Okay, now, there's
an estimated one million recipients here in Massachusetts who are
helped with SNAP formerly known as food stamps and Traditional
Aid to Families with dependent children and emergency aids of
the elderly disabled children. We're a state of about seven
million people, so you're talking about a pretty good percentage
(02:39):
of individual Now, this does not include what's going on
with the migrant shelters. Now that's a whole different story. However,
when you look at what's going on, you have a
list of the towns in Massachusetts and the people from
some of these towns that have spent incredible amounts of
(03:03):
money outside of Massachusetts. That's what we're talking about here,
outside of Massachusetts. So the Herald Story has found that
people have used the EBT cards from Massachusetts in places
like Hawaii, not bad, lots of places in Hawaii, places
(03:27):
as far away as Alaska, places as far away as
Alabama to Arizona, Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico, Utah to Wyoming,
and all the New England states. Now I can see,
I guess someone using an EBT card and I I
don't know this for and frankly, I'm not an expert
(03:47):
in this. There'll be a lot of you out there
probably know more about it than I do. I would
say that EBT cards should be limited to grocery stores
or store that provide the necessities of life. Shoe stores
or department stores. I'm not in any way shape of
(04:08):
form trying to say people should not receive some help.
But if you have an EBT card and you're somehow
getting to California or getting to Hawaii, or getting to Florida,
or getting to all of these places around the country
and around not the world yet but around the country
(04:29):
as far away as Hawaii, how you doing that? How
can you possibly be doing that? And the other question
is why should there be cash available on EBT cards
or should the cash be totally limited on EBT cards?
Maybe one hundred dollars a month. I mean, I can
(04:51):
tell I'm small enough to know that if I take
my bank debit card and I need to use it
as another bank other than the bank which issued the
debit card, it's going to cost me a couple of
bucks to use that debit card. The place that I
that I go is a different bank. I don't have
(05:14):
any money at that bank, but there is a relationship
I guess, between my bank, which is Eastern Bank, and
this other bank, so that I am charged three dollars
for every time I want to take cash out of Well, again,
this is taking cash out of my own checking account.
This is not taking cash out of a government fund.
(05:36):
This is cash being taken out of my own checking account,
money that I have earned and of course paid taxes on,
and now I've deposited it and it's in my own account.
The bank that I go to, my bank that I
don't have accounts in, it's going to charge me. And
(05:56):
what happens is Eastern Bank replenishes that. So it may
take a day or two, but when I look at
my account, I'll say, Okay, I went throw three hundred dollars.
This other bank charge gave me the three hundred to
charge me an additional three But now two days later,
(06:18):
Eastern Bank has replenished that three dollars. It's one of
the reasons that I'm a customer of Eastern Bank, to
be really honest with you. But when you think about
people who are being given money, given substantial amounts of
money to live here in Massachusetts, they somehow find themselves
in Hawaii. I don't know how you find yourself in
(06:41):
Hawaii if you need an EBT card, I really don't.
If there's anyone out there who can explain that to me,
please let me know. I don't know how you can
end up in the Virgin Islands. If you need an
EBT card, I don't know how you can end up
in San Francisco or Los Angeles. It would seem to
me if you need an EBT card. Now you can
(07:04):
say that I'm mean, I guess, and that I'm not
thoughtful or caring. But the bottom line is the money
that we're spending on EBD cards should be monitored and
regulated a lot more closely, because I have to assume,
and maybe I'm making a wrong assumption, that our legislature,
(07:26):
in their infinite wisdom, should be able to track who
is this EBT beneficiary? Who is using their EBT card
in Hawaii? Have they relocated to Hawaii? Is a or
is this a one time only use of the EBT card.
It seems to me that they could construct a system
(07:47):
which would say EBT cards can only be used in
Saint Massachusetts and the other five New England states. Again,
you can't stop people from driving to Rhode Island or
driving to New Hampshire, whatever. But again, EBT cards, as
I understand it, and according to the Herald, they are
(08:09):
limited in their use. You can't use them at a
whole bunch of places including casinos, gun shops, porn site,
liquor stores, and restaurants. So the EBT card is not
for you go out to a restaurant and spend you
and your significant other spend one hundred and fifty dollars
(08:29):
at a restaurant. No, the EBT card is so that
you have food at home and your children or your
dependents are fed. Now call me an ogre if you want.
But why is it that what I use my credit card,
my credit card company knows exactly what restaurant I've used
(08:53):
or what grocery store I used, whether I was in
Massachusetts or somewhere else. Why is this not applied to
ebd T cards. Maybe maybe the legislature just doesn't care.
Maybe they don't particularly care who gets an EBT card
and how is it used. I think there are people
who truly need help, and I want, as a taxpayer,
(09:16):
my money used to help people who truly need help.
But I don't want my tax money use to people
who are going to use an EBT card, get an
EBT card, and then find themselves in Hawaii or Florida
or Virgin Islands or wherever. It's as simple as that.
If you agree with me. I would love to hear
(09:37):
you chime in if you think I'm being really nasty
and making fun of poor people, which I'm not. I
want more money available to the people who really need assistance, whatever,
whether they need assistance because they have a disability, born
with a disability, developed a disability, or if there's someone
(09:58):
who's unemployed, if someone up against it for a short
period of time. EBP cards, except for those who have
permanent disabilities, should not be a career. They should be
a bridge to your next job. I don't know that
I hear many members of the legislature, either in the
State Senate or the State House of Representatives, talking that way.
(10:20):
If you do, feel free to give me a call.
Six one seven two thirty six one seven nine three
one ten thirty triple eight nine to nine ten thirty. Look,
it's our money, it's not the government's money. They take
the money from us to give to needy people. I
want them, if they're going to take money from me,
(10:41):
I want them to be certain that the money goes
to people who are needy and not people who are
gallivanting around the world with an ABT card in their
back pocket. From Massachusetts. We'll be back on Nightside. Feel
free to join the conversation.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WUS Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Well, it seems to me that either everybody agrees with
me or everybody disagrees with me. So what I'm looking
to hear from you is whether or not you feel
this is a talk show. This is a talk show
where your point of view is welcome. You heard my
(11:23):
point of view. I'm looking at again the Herald today.
Why is it that people I assume they're from Massachusetts
if they have come Wealth of Massachusetts EBT cards, the
Department of Transitional Assistance. Department of Transitional Assistance. The word
(11:44):
there is transitional. This is not supposed to be a
way of life. It's not supposed to be, you know,
a great vacation opportunity, get an EBT card and hit
the California, Florida or Hawaii. But that's what's going on now.
This doesn't mean the majority of people who have EBT
cards are doing this. But what can someone explain to
(12:04):
me why the CAMMWAWD of the Massachusetts which can find
out that you had a parking ticket in North Adams
in nineteen eighty five, or if you're a truck driver,
you might have had some sort of a DUI thirty
years ago and they're able to get that record and
they are now going to pull your your CDL license.
(12:24):
They can do great work there, but they can't figure
out who was it that spent forty two hundred and
twenty six dollars in Orlando, Who was it that spent
forty seven hundred and thirty one dollars in Kissemi, Florida.
Who was it that spent one thousand and ninety eight
dollars in San Diego in November of twenty twenty three?
They know when it happened. Who was it that spent
(12:46):
three hundred and eighty eight dollars in San Francisco? These
are all uh, these are reports that are a year late. Okay.
So they should be able to have a program, in
my opinion, a computer program which would say, oh, here
were the EBT card uses for out of state, out
of Massachusetts or out of New England yesterday last night.
(13:08):
And they should be able to say, oh, that card
is uh that's being used in Hawaii is owned. By
filling the person's name, you would have to have an
address and a phone number on that person in order
to give him an EBT card. Why is it that
in Massachusetts again, they can they have, they can pull,
(13:28):
they can pick your pocket. If you are a working citizen,
if you park in the wrong place and that meters
five minutes over, there's a there's a there's a meter
person right there writing you a ticket. If if, if
a ticket was written for you thirty years ago. As
I said, in Western Massachusetts, good luck trying to renew
your your driver's license. They will tell you got to
(13:52):
go out to Western Massachusetts and get that cleared up,
even though it's thirty years old. That's what I don't
understand about Massachusetts. And we, of course continue overwhelmingly to
return the same people to the legislature year after year
after year. Most of those folks up the legislature have
been there for a long time, a long long time,
(14:15):
and they have gotten pretty comfortable up there. I read
an article today that came out late today that said
at the state House they now have installed some electric
vehicle machines, some charging machines in the secure parking area
underneath the archway at the State House. Now to get
(14:39):
your car under the archway. You've got to be a
very important person. You do not even if you're a
state repro state senator. You don't get your car under
the archway unless you're in the leadership team. And that's
all blocked off. Okay, So now for those who have
EV vehicles, electric vehicles, they have a charging station right
(15:01):
where they work for them, as a matter of fact,
pay for by you and me. So there's a convenience
for the legislators. Legislators who are going to continue to
pass legislation which basically picks your pocket and puts money
in pocket of pockets of people who are not working. Now, again,
(15:24):
I don't think most people who have EBT cards are
flying or going by boat to Hawaiki, or are flying
or going by bus to California. But I do believe,
and I believe very strongly, and I hope some of
you might join me in that belief. And if you disagree,
feel free as well that that's a waste of my money,
(15:47):
in your money, it's a waste of taxpayers money. I
don't care who you are. If you are living here
in Massachusetts and you are receiving benefits, you should be
doing whatever you can to get yourself off the program.
You should not be flying to Hawaii to visit relatives
(16:08):
or friends. You should be not to be going to Florida.
I don't even really care if you lost a close
family member, I would say, Okay, you've lost a close
family member, put the EBT card away, leave it at home,
and go and pay your respects and do what you
have to do. Okay. And if you need to withdraw
(16:31):
some cash, I guess you can draw cash in Massachusetts
and head on, head on wherever you want. I am
just these stories never end. Many of you probably don't
have a chance to read the Herald every day like
I do. But the story that was written by Joe
Juanel today at the Herald about EBT card hotspots. It
(16:53):
talks about the amount of money, the amount of money
that was spent out of state by certain communities. And
there are significant money, I mean big money that was
spent outside of New England for EBT cardholders. And you
(17:13):
may think that I'm picking on people.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
I'm not picking on people. I'm just saying that we
need to smarten up in Massachusetts and realize that whatever
tax money we have from the people who are still
living here in Massachusetts. It's it should not be drained
away by people who are using the system. That's my theory.
Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. I hope that I haven't
(17:39):
dazzled you with specifics here. I want to hear from you.
If you disagree and it doesn't bother you that people
with EBT cards are vacationing or spending time in Hawaii,
good for you. I think you're foolish to have that belief.
But feel free, and if you agree with me, feel free.
You know it doesn't hurt. A lot of people sit.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
At home and they say, you know, I agree with Dan,
but I don't want to call because maybe my neighbors
might recognize me my voice. Uh, you know, call up,
call up, and let people know you're mad as hell
and you're not going to take it anymore. Because that's
how I feel about Massachusetts. I am so sick and
tired of realizing that members of the state legislature have
(18:22):
charging stations at the state House. Okay, charging stations on
my dime, on your dime at the state House for
vehicles that I'm sure you and I probably couldn't afford
join the conversation, and if you don't, we'll go to
open lines. If you want to talk about the color
of the sky or whatever you want to talk about,
you're more than welcome. Matter of fact, I'm going to
(18:44):
give you open lines here. Either you can talk about
ebt cards and ebt card abuse, or if you want
to call about any other subject, feel free. We're going
to change topics at ten. Either way.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Back on Night Side, I hope you're smart enough to
call and tell me what you think about ebt card
abuse here in Massachusetts. The Herald Today did a great
job journalistically laying it out, laying it out for all
to see. Back on Nightside, right after.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
This Night Side with Dan Ray, I'm w BZY Boston's
news Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
All of a sudden, the lines filled up, and as
I said, you want to talk about this, that's great.
If you want to talk about anything else, I gave
you permission. Let's go to the phones. I want to
hear what you have to think, because it's very important
that people think. We've got to do some thinking here
in Massachusetts. Joey is in Boston. Hate Joey. Welcome First
this hour on nightside.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
How are you thank you for having me?
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I appreciate it, well.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Thank you for calling in. Sometimes when you sit here
and the phones are quiet, you think, gee, maybe everybody
either agrees with me or you know, the people disagree
are always welcome to call in, but the people who
agree they can call in too. So what's your thought, Joe?
Speaker 5 (19:52):
Absolutely, so, I was a little bit pre cured. You know,
I make fairly good money. I'm middle class. I work
two jobs. I saw this thing on TikTok where somebody,
uh you know, that was getting benefits that left the
slip behind that actually was featured on there, and somebody
had fourteen thousand dollars worth of EBT credit and over
(20:18):
five thousand dollars in cash. You know, it's really like,
you know, I know people like you know that really
need it, you know they need it, but like, yeah,
I heard.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Me say that, I'm not sure I'm trying to save
as much money for people who really need it. By
the way, you work two jobs. Why do you work
a second job?
Speaker 5 (20:36):
So I work a second job because I you know,
it's the only way that I can afford rent here
in Boston. And really, you know, I'm just trying to survive.
And you know, so I'm not governing.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Well, the government won't give you money to pay your rent.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
No, they won't give me any money to pay my
rent because I make too much money. But are you
ready for this the real kicker?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
Last year, unfortunately I ended up having cancer.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
But I'm okay, but I had to have major surgery.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
I'm out of work for two months. I could not
get unemployment, I could not get Family Medical lev Act,
and I could not get short term disability. I was
completely on my own for two months. I had to
ring up literally like fifteen thousand dollars in credit cards.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
And you know what's wrong, like the Joe, let me
just say this, first of all, thank god that you
caught it. Thank god you're on the road to recovery.
But that is what is wrong with this state. They
don't care about you, they don't care about me. You're
a cash cow. I'm a care cow. Well, and when
you stop giving milk because you've been injured, they're not
(21:49):
gonna help you. They're not gonna help you. And exactly,
and that's that is that's that is worse than the
illegal it's in my opinion, absolutely immoral. You were probably
this is the first time in your life when you
needed a little assistance and they don't provide it because
guess what, they don't care. You're nothing, but they don't.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
No.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
I was really appalled, and I'm like, okay, well, you know,
we got I mean, I know it's another topic for
another day, but we have, you know, illegals getting all
kinds of money, and like they can't even help you know,
the working class, you know, and it's just really well,
the problem, here's the problem.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Let me tell you the problem. The problem is if
I'm a democratic legislator up there, okay, yeah, and the
my constituents keep voting me in, why should I change?
I'm fat, happy and content. I got an EV charging
station downstairs from my tesla that the Speaker of the
House or the Senate president is going to let me
(22:50):
charge it up. Okay, why did they care? They don't
care about you, they don't care about me. They care
about the rights, period and until.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
People wake the heck up mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
And start voting some of these folks out.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Yes, it's not going to change. You're right, I totally agree.
I was just I mean, I feel like the middle
classes really getting a bad rap here. It seems like,
you know, like the rich getting Richard.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
We're not getting a we're getting we're getting the shaft.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
We are you getting the shaft? Were we seem to
be paying for everything, you know, And it's you know,
it's really it's really tough. You know, I've been working
two jobs most of my life. I mean, you know,
I can't, you know, to come up with the down
payment for a house. I mean, you know, you need like,
you know, thirty forty fifty thousand in cash. I mean,
you know, it's just, you know, it's just it's just
(23:42):
all I.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Can say is and I hope that there's many more
people like you out there. Yeah, make sure you vote
in November, and make sure you vote not only at
the top of the ticket, but write down the entire
ticket and make every one of those votes count, because
that is the only way the only ways are going
to change in massive.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Absolutely, absolutely no, I totally agree. Yeah, Toty, First, well.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Thank you for calling. I don't know if you called
my show before.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
But yeah, yeah, I've been on a on a couple
of times. It's a it's really a great show. You
have great topics, and I really do appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I need you to call more often, okay, because you're you're, you're,
You're the person that I feel needs to hear this
show because you know, the average person who's out there
and doesn't care and doesn't work, you know, I mean
that bothers me. But when somebody goes out and doesn't
care it doesn't work and then abuses that system, that
really bothers me. Because there's people like you and others,
(24:36):
some people really need to help for a longer period
of time. Thank God, you're on the road to recovery.
But don't let them look at you like a cash
cow anymore. You know, strike back on November fifth. That's
all I'm asking you to do.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
Okay, absolutely who to vote for?
Speaker 2 (24:50):
I'm telling you to get in that ballot box.
Speaker 5 (24:53):
Yes, most definitely.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
No.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
I really do appreciate it, and I appreciate your time.
All right, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Night. Okay, let's keep rolling. You're going to go to
I Lean in winter, I lean you next on nightside.
Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Oh hi, Dan, I totally agree with you, and I'm
surprised you didn't know the abuses that were going on
before this.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Oh, I'm awa, you know, I'm I've got to be
honest with you. I'm aware of them. But I thought
the Herald did a really good job the last a
couple of weeks and particularly today, And I want to
give them credit. You know, not everyone's going to listen
to Night Side. Not everyone's going to read the Herald.
Uh Not, everyone's going to read the Globe. When the
Globe does a good job, I'll give them credit as well.
That's what newspapers are supposed to do. And it's a
(25:37):
great it's it's it's horrible abuse. It is a horrible abuse.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Oh, let me tell you. The worst abuse is mass health.
I you said I could talk about something else. I've
known people from India now fly in a Massachusetts, get
their physicals, get their medication for a year, and fly
back to the country. They come from countries, they get
(26:02):
the mass health, they lie at they own homes in
other countries. Then they go home for the summer, the
whole summer along and fly back and they get free
travel shots. You can't imagine what's going on with mass health.
Never mind the DBT.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Well, it's all part of the same system that has
been corrupted. Okay, the idea of helping people who need
assistance is noble, but the idea of giving money away
and not keeping track of it's not beer money that
they're giving away. It's the taxpayer's money. And people don't
(26:45):
make that connection. When you pay taxes, you're not just
giving money to the government. It's supposed to be used
to do things that benefit everyone. That's why we call
it the commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I definitely only believe the poor should get the help,
but they this should be watched, both of them, DBTS
and mass Health. We are losing millions, no question now,
people who were stealing from us.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And again I don't mind paying my taxes to help
people who are from Massachusetts and who are in need
because and by the way, I contribute a lot to
charities too, in addition to my taxes, Okay, because I
think that's part of my responsibility and I and I
mean that from the bottom of my heart. But I'm
telling you, when they allow money to be wasted and
(27:38):
misspent and do nothing about it, they are eighty and
embedding the fraud that they know we're committing there that
are being committed while they're in office. So just you
got to get to the polls and vote on November fifth, Eleen.
I'm not telling you how to vote for, but I
think a lot of those folks up that the legislature
(27:58):
are fat, happy and contented, and they take you a
vote for granted, and they don't care about you for
a for a second.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
Absolutely, Thanks Eileen.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
You're welcome. Bye, jan good one, Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Okay, let me take a very quick break here. I
got more calls, and we're we're going to get everybody in,
I promise, and then we're going to talk with Joe
Battenfeld of the Boston Herald. Fascinating article that he wrote today,
which I had thought about, but because Joe put it
in print first, I got to give him credit. This
is the ultimate October surprise. All of you stay right there,
(28:33):
Laur and Tina, Mike and James. You're all set. We'll
get you in coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Now to be in the Window World Nightside Studios. Let's
go to Tina down in Rhode Island in moon Soccert,
Rhode Island. Hey, Tina, welcome back. How are you?
Speaker 8 (28:53):
Yeah, Hi, I'm fine here. I was I was listening
to this program about the Snap Benefit DBG, and I
was kin to follow what you're trying what you were
trying to talk about, And I think I get the
gist of it, but I'm not sure. But this problem
that's happening in Massachusetts with the EBD card, isn't this
(29:15):
isn't this fraud with the EBT cards. Isn't it this
happening all over the United States?
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Well? It probably, but I'm talking about Massachusetts because one
we're in Massachusetts and the Herald did a good job.
It's pretty simple. What they're saying is this, you get
an EBT card. Okay, there's a certain number of places
you cannot use You can't use it as a shop at
a pot shop, at a liquor store, in a restaurant.
Oh that people, But Tina Tinaya. People are flying from
(29:49):
Massachusetts to California, to Hawaii, to Alaska to Florida.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
They're using something.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
Okay, well they have probably applied for it, but the
only like like you're saying, you can only use it
for food or you can use it to get cash.
So if you've applied for it when you were poor.
Like I said, I was trying to grasp what you
were talking about listening to it. So if people were
poor and down it out and they needed this supplement
(30:19):
supplemented nutrition COD to get food, and they deposit I
guess the government deposits the money every month in your account.
So if you're doing so, I don't know how these
people can get benefits if they're doing well, because years ago,
(30:40):
thirty forty.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Years ago, it's great, okay.
Speaker 8 (30:45):
But this is what I know. When I tried to apply,
I had food stamps at one time, years ago, I
lived in Boston. I had to quit my job, my
mother was sick. I came here and I and I
used every and I and I was on food stamps
for about a month. I have to show them my
bank books. I was flat broke. But then in Rhode
Island with the system NA, they ended it because at
(31:07):
one point I got back on my feet, I got
a job.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Well that's the point, Tina, Tina, you're a success story. Okay, Tina,
I got full pack lines here. I'm going to try
to get everybody in here. I think you get it.
I think you get what I'm saying. Yeah, I think
you get it. I really do. Thanks Tina. Okay, okay,
bye bye, Let's go to Mike and Boston. Mike next
on Nightside've got to get you moving here quick, Mike,
(31:32):
go ahead.
Speaker 6 (31:34):
Yeah, of course. Uh, I'm just like Dina and I
I kind of get it. But uh, I'd like to
preface with I got Verizon, so I hope you can
hear me.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Yes, I can't. Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
I was on transitional assistance myself, and I'm a success
story like like Dina. But I truly look at my
paycheck every week and and see the amount of tax
dollars that I'm paying, And I do have that fear
(32:07):
that that we are being infiltrated in our social systems
and that we are paying the penalty for that right now.
And we do need to come to terms that this.
I don't want to believe it, but we do have
to believe that that this corruption, because of our secular society,
(32:32):
has run this deep into our social system. And she
would not want to take money away from anyone that
needed it, and I would be happy for my tax
dollars to go there. But like you, Dan, I feel
like there is some infiltration into our social systems.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
What it is, it's it's the has been run by
people who could kill us, and as long as they
have people who are willing to take the stuff that
keeps them the jobs.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
I mean, it's I don't want care less to infiltrate
my life idea with you. It's like it's like.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
The military industrial complex. You now have sort of a
social economic industrial complex, and no one wants to.
Speaker 6 (33:14):
Respon socio economic complex. And just like we have just
like we have a responsibility to anxiety and and adult
adult deficit disorder, you know, the same responsibility. I got.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I got three more. I got three more. Everybody called late,
so I'm trying to get everybody. Thanks man right back
at you. Thanks, Thanks James, Thanks Mike. I should say, uh,
let me go next to uh yeah, thank you, Mike appreciated.
Let me go next to Lauren and Hopkins and Lauren.
Hi Lauren, Oh Hi, Lauren is right.
Speaker 5 (33:54):
Yes, it is on the you.
Speaker 7 (33:57):
I spoke with you once before. I want to say
pre pandemic. Okay, it's very nice to be on the show.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
Really quickly.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
I just wanted to put in my two cents on
TBT go ahead. I'm a single parent real quickly. I
have the BBT card before in the past, and then
when I don't need it, I get off of it.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
Yep.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
The fraud that I personally witnessed the EBT is absolutely.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
It's just boggling that people do this.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Mind boggling and mind boggling. I will bet you that
while you were on the eb when you were on
the EBT card, I will bet you that you never
flew to Hawaii or Alaska.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
Yeah, and not only that, what they're doing is there's
certain places all over Milford, Mass and in the cities
and local suburbs everywhere where you can go and bring
your EVG card and they will allow you to buy cigarettes, alcohol.
They're selling their cards and they're getting cash and they're
using it for the fetanyl. They all have designer versus
(35:02):
they have to. You know, I work three jobs. I
put myself through school, I became that tex and I've
worked at gas.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Stations, I've worked everywhere.
Speaker 7 (35:13):
I've humbled myself. Right now, you're a.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Decent You're a decent human being who needed some help.
You've got something.
Speaker 7 (35:23):
I signed up for Suction eight about five years ago,
and I've never been followed, and I have to I
have to wonder, is it because it's because I'm an America,
It's because I'm an American?
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Is it because I.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Either that or you haven't contributed to the right politician
in Massachusetts.
Speaker 7 (35:39):
I'm following you.
Speaker 8 (35:40):
Everybody who's listening right now.
Speaker 7 (35:42):
Please if you don't like Trump, because you've got a
big in the world.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Unfortunately, we're hearing feedback on your radio lawn and it's
still a little distracting to me into you, into my audience.
So I'm going to let you go, but thank you
for calling. Okay, and call again, James and Medford. James,
got to get you in here under the wire. Go ahead, James, James,
are you there? Okay, Let's go to Ken in Florida.
Then we'll go to Ken in Florida. Ken, you were
(36:09):
next on nights. I go ahead, Ken, get less than
a minute.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
Yeah, I'll be trying to be quick.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Dan.
Speaker 5 (36:13):
You know some of my background.
Speaker 6 (36:15):
I grew up.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
I was born youngest of nine, lived in Columbia Point Projects.
My mom died when I was seven. My twenty year
old sister raised me. We lived on welfare, food stamps,
free lunches, I did my best in school, I went
to college, graduated, I became a homeowner. And when I
worked at I want to the name of the hospital,
A big hospital in Boston. I watched people take their
(36:38):
ebach caards to my ATM when I'm going to get
money out, and they're asking me how to use it.
And I saw multiple drug deals right around the hospital.
Let's Boston Medical Center, I'll say this and that. That's
where I started turning from a liberal voting for Deval Patrick,
and became more conservative because I saw the abuse. I
(36:59):
think Patrick said, oh, we can't. We don't have the
resources to put uh photos on on the EBT cards.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
That's right, yeah, but we we have the we have
the resources to hire more people for the I R
s of the Apartment of Revenue. And you called in late.
I'm flat out of time.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
I want to get in real quick.
Speaker 5 (37:19):
Before I went to bed in Florida.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Man, okay, keep listening though, wait okay. Oh and by
the way, batting down the hatches that storhim like, it's like,
looks like it could be serious.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Take a hurricane class, I have to teach tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Give me all next week when it goes by I
want to know you're safe and sound. I mean that
serious right back at you. All right, I'm gonna take
a break and the talk with Joe Battenfeld to the
Boston Harold. He has come up with the ultimate October surprise,
and guess what, I think it's really possible. Stay with us.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.