What are your opinions on welfare?

Question

Please explain your opinion, give evidence if possible.

Answer 1

There are very few people on welfare who actually need it to survive.

I was a police officer in Indiana for 15 years, and worked in a poor part of town. I've known several 2nd & 3rd generation welfare families. One scam that they do is a mother may have several children. She will let her mother (the grandmother) adopt some of the children. That way the birth mother, and now grandma, both get welfare. They all live together and it increases the amount of money they get.

Another local scam is a place called George Junior Republic. I'm not exactly sure what they do, but I do know this. It is funded by taxpayers, and they pay children to be good. We had a woman who had 6 kids; all of whom were on probation. The mother was paid to keep her kids in line by this organization. She was also on welfare. We sat once and estimated that she made betwen $3000-$4000 a month between welfare and the "keep your kids good" money. More than I made working 40+ hours a week as a cop...

I couldn't begin to tell you how many people I had to fight who were on "disability" while making an arrest. Too "injured" to work, but they can sure run and fight...

Welfare needs to be terminated. It breeds laziness, incompetence, and the inability to provide for yourself.

Look at how New Orleans descended into chaos...what would people do if the national government collapsed? Would people who have depended on government assistance their entire life be able to survive? I doubt it...

Answer 2

Since Clinton and the Republican Congress passed Welfare Reform in the 1990s, Welfare as we once knew it no longer exists. This is particularly challenging in areas such as Appalachian West Virginia, where there are more often than not simply no jobs to be had. If you've seen Bowling for Columbine, you would know that people are bused miles from home on grueling commutes to satisfy the work requirement that has been imposed since the 90s. Really, with all the limits on Welfare imposed now because of the false stereotype of Reagan's "Welfare queen," Welfare doesn't really exist anymore, and people should stop using it as a political whipping post. The poor, especially the working poor, have it hard enough already. In the 1970s Nixon, a Republican, was proposing a national minimum income for all Americans, regardless of working status. How far we've come.

Answer 3

Most of the people on the welfare rolls are simply lazy irresponsible individuals. Please know that just because of welfare reform that people think you cant get welfare if you dont partake in job activities, classes, looking for work etc. This is simply not true. If a person on welfare fails to follow the rules and doesnt participate in work activities as required they dont stop the welfare, they simple cut the payment. They CAN still stay on welfare. Most people on welfare also have assisted housing, when their payment goes down for lack of participation there rent goes down as well, so really they arent losing anything.

Another way around welfare requirements that many people have discovered is that SSI covers mental health diagnoses. You can go to a psyhicatrist, put on some song and dance pony ride for the doc, get SSI and because you have SSI and children you can still freely get welfare with no stipulations. So much for welfare reform.

The way I see, you cannot teach your children the benefits of a hard earned paycheck by sitting on your derrier, eating bon bons, watching soap operas and popping babies out to collect a welfare check.

Answer 4

I'm extremely grateful for it.

When my then-12-year-old son developed acute congestive heart failure (the result of chemo when he was 5), I, a single mom, had to quit my job to care for him. Then, about 5 months before he died, three years later, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I could not have had the extensive treatment ~I~ needed without the aid.

Although I wasn't able to hold down a job when we were sick, I was able to take some classes. Welfare paid for that, too. At this point I am unable to continue, but I have only one class left to get my tech writing certificate. All because of welfare.

Thanks, America.

(By the way, there is a 5-year lifetime limit on cash aid to families with dependent children. There is no lifetime free ride, as some believe.)

Answer 5

I agree with Warren C, a man that does not work, will not eat. At one time I need that system for a moment and do you know they would not help me!!! Mind you I had been paying my taxes since I was 16 years old. So that should have been money in the bank when I really needed it. But they would rather help a drug addict male than a single parent with one child that need the help only for a moment. I don't know how anyone can survive off of what they give you anyway.

Answer 6

I think that there are far to many people who have abused the system which makes just about everyone that hears the word "welfare" cringe and think low life lazzy scum bums are on welfare.

Bad things happen to good people.... So someone who truly could use some financial assistance due to unexpected loss of a job (and has a family to support) or whatever reason, and uses the system as a steping stone to better him/herself, I think thank goodness for welfare. For the ones who use it as thier source of income, thier way to buy steaks and all kinds of extravigant things with government money and don't plan on trying to get out of thier mess and make better for themselves.... shame on them.

Answer 7

I think that it is a program that is supposed to be used as a stepping stone. It is to be used when you are going through a rough period and just need a little help.

However, there are people who abuse the system, but most states are putting time limits on amount of benefits people can collect, which stops most of that.

Answer 8

i think that the original idea was good. but it has morphed into somthing that is abd. there needs to be less spening on welfare. becasue if the people who are one it knew that they wouldn't be able to get as much they would be much more motivated to get a job. but as the system stands now people have no reason to get off welfare.

Answer 9

Temporary payments are ok, but the era of generations of families on the public dole must end. Personal responsibility and work must become part of the mindset of recipients.

Answer 10

I really have an agreement with 'work or starve' mainly because our system is so abused and so under policed... If it could work the way it should it would be great... but to many people abuse the crap outa it...