New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino has proposed transforming some New York prisons into dormitories for welfare recipients, where they would work in state-sponsored jobs, get employment training, and take lessons in “personal hygiene.” In an interview with the Associated Press, Paladino said, “Instead of handing out the welfare checks, we’ll teach people how to earn their check. We’ll teach them personal hygiene…the personal things they don’t get when they come from dysfunctional homes.” Paladino, who has become a tea party favorite, says the program would be voluntary.