Governor Paul LePage says that the new electronic benefit cards with photos on them will ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately and allow officials to identify abuse. In his weekly radio address, the Republican criticized Democrats for failing to approve his efforts to overhaul the state’s welfare programs this session and applauded the new welfare benefit cards that officials began handing out Monday. Last week, the federal government urged Maine not to start using the new cards until it can ensure that recipients and retailers will not be negatively affected and warned that Maine could risk litigation or a loss of federal funding if it violates regulations in the program.