PolitiFact.com
Statements about Poverty
Terry Gorman

Terry Gorman

True

The best, the brightest, the unhireable

"When these [undocumented] students graduate from college, they're still illegal aliens. They cannot get a job."

Anne Nolan

Anne Nolan

Mostly True

Lots of charities, falling donations

"We have one of the highest percentages per capita of nonprofits in this state of any state in the union."

Theresa Price

Theresa Price

False

Fallacious foreclosure factoid

"Rhode Island is leading our nation in foreclosures."

Lisa Baldelli-Hunt

Lisa Baldelli-Hunt

Pants on Fire!

We're not THAT poor

"Eighty-five percent . . . of Rhode Island tax returns that were filed for the year 2010 . . . were from individuals who earned $30,000 or less."

Doreen Costa

Doreen Costa

False

Studies show the opposite.

"The studies have shown us that [drug testing for welfare recipients] will be saving us money"

Gary Sasse

Gary Sasse

True

Reasons why are elusive

Rhode Island spends "52 percent more per capita on human service programs than the national average."

David Cicilline

David Cicilline

Pants on Fire!

4 Falses in 46 seconds.

The WIC program "is an incredibly cost effective program, serving nearly 10 million Americans each year and costing less than $100 per person. In my district, more than 18 percent of residents suffer from food insecurity and depend on WIC to make ends meet."

Colleen Conley

Colleen Conley

Half-True

Only if you're a "vendor."

"We are the most generous in New England and New England is known for its generosity toward its welfare recipients."

Chain e-mail

Chain e-mail

Pants on Fire!

Where do these things come from????

Welfare programs caused more long-term damage to Detroit than the atomic bomb caused to Hiroshima

Marie Ghazal

Marie Ghazal

Mostly True

Compared to U.S., we're not so bad

"Rhode Island has the highest percentage of uninsured adults of any state in New England."

Peter Palumbo

Peter Palumbo

Mostly False

Health care, yes. Money, no.

Rhode Island gives undocumented pregnant women health insurance, plus a cash card "with $400 a month on it" and "$250 a month or $275 a month to spend on food."

Kenneth Block

Kenneth Block

True

Actually, the $1 billion was from food stamps. Over many years. In Texas.

"(I) helped to invent a system that saved over a billion dollars on welfare."

Peter Kilmartin

Peter Kilmartin

Half-True

Relied on RI Dept. of Ed.

For every $1 spent on afterschool programs, "we can save over $5, almost $6, in crime costs down the line."

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