Welfare, what do you think of it?

Question

I'm a single woman that has worked since I was 18 (ten years). I applied to go to college when I was 23 on my own income, yet I was turned down because I had to state my parent's income. (I lived alone for four years) If I would have been married or had children or on welfare, I would have gotten a free ride to college.
So, I've worked for these past ten years, paying for my health care benefits and my taxes.....why can't I get help when I need it for certain things? If I ended up with several children with different fathers, I could do that.
My family member refuses to marry her boyfriend. They have three kids. They get thousands back on federal returns, both are going to college and they have a house and free medical care, two cars. Both have low paying jobs. My married pregnant friend had to pre-pay for the birth of her child-she had medical insurance! The other pops out babies free every few years! How is it that people who work their asses off get screwed like this?

according to FASFA guidelines, you must be under age 23, married, or on government assistance. even if you have been an adult living on your own since age 18---until you are 24--you must claim your parent's income as well as your own for financial aid. so, for those people who's lived on their own and their parent's don't pay for their schooling---they still must claim their parent's income---unless they apply to the exemption-(*married or on govt. assistance).
That's not fair for people that seriously want an education but cannot afford it.

according to FASFA guidelines, you must be under age 23, married, or on government assistance. even if you have been an adult living on your own since age 18---until you are 24--you must claim your parent's income as well as your own for financial aid. so, for those people who's lived on their own and their parent's don't pay for their schooling---they still must claim their parent's income---unless they apply to the exemption-(*married or on govt. assistance).
That's not fair for people that seriously want an education but cannot afford it and are being penalized for being single and living on your own/working!

I'm simply talking about the people that blatantly abuse it. The ones that are fatherless having child after child. It's not a myth, I see it every day. Two sets of them are in my family alone---and they pridefully show off what they get for free---
So don't take what I am saying as against all welfare---there are extenuating circumstances where people need it. But I see it in my own family---and that is enough to make my blood boil. Refusing marriage to get more free money and big tax checks....my cousin got back $6000.00. and hardly worked at all.....I took a $7000 pay cut last year, and ended up OWING! So go figure.

Answer 1

Welfare is a big problem, simply because the wrong people abuse it(not to say it should be abused). The wrong people get the welfare, when they can really work...and the ones that truly deserve it, don't...and it's a damn shame! There's a lot of people on welfare that use that money to buy SUVs and brand-named clothes, when they should be buying just the necessities(especially when they're not working). And then there are those "baby-making machines" that drain the welfare system too! A lot of them need to get off their lazy @sses and work or at least do something. A lot of these ghetto trash feel like the government owes them...when it is the government that owes it to those needy ones...and people wonder why our deficits are high and why taxes rise! It's the hard-working people's money that are paying for those lazy stupid @sses!

Answer 2

At least you are 28 now, so you can apply for a Pell Grant or some form of financial aid. You are right though. The welfare system in this country has gotten out of control. It is definite need of some major reforms. I personally wouldn't mind seeing it abolished, and instead transferred to private charities. If people know that the government is no longer going to just hand out assistance, they hopefully will use what they get for the good. And I agree also that it is not always abused. There are several cases of people who have no choice but to go on welfare. They are also the ones who don't stay on it for more than five years. It is really sad that these cases are dwarfed by the majority of people who abuse our hard earned tax dollars; money that could be used for any number of improvements for society.

Answer 3

WOW I thought the same way. When I was "trying" to attend college a girl that I was in class w/ was going for FREE all because she popped out a few pups and didn't get support from the fathers. She got lots of $$$. She had just rented a apt. condo that was normally $800 a month since she was on section 8 (a gov. program on Toledo) she only had to pay $200 and the utilities were taken care of! while little me struggled working three jobs, No social life, losing my car, taken to court for late rent payments, tries to get through it. Now that I have graduated and am NOT even using the degree I went to school fore. All I can do now is shake my head and think at least I worked HARD for what I have and was not handed it.
But I remember when my parents were Both laid off we went on welfare. but only until we got on our feet. I was young I remember my mom telling me only 1 year at the most

Answer 4

Our current welfare system in the U.S. certainly does stand in need of reform, but let's not throw it out altogether.

After paying my own way through my school (undergrad, grad, & post grad) I found it difficult to get a job. I had a Ph.D. in a relatively narrow field, so it was hard to find a teaching job. It was even hard to find a non-educational job because people wouldn't hire a guy with a Ph.D. to manage, stock, file, etc. I had to pick up odd jobs which meant paying for my own insurance, etc. This went on for three years. I spent every minute of every day either working or searching for work. If it hadn't been for some form of (medical and food) wellfare we wouldn't have been able to survive.

I've been working as a full-time educator for a year now, and life has greatly stabilized. I'd be happy to have some of my tax money fund hard working people who are down on their luck, but I have little pity for the lazy. Still I want everyone to be fed, lazy or not.

Complaining is easy; solving the problem is hard. Solving laziness in America will be impossible in our time.

Answer 5

The modern welfare state has its roots in the policies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As a reaction against the horrendous poverty of the Great Depression era, FDR created welfare, known today by its more politically correct name, Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

Libertarians and most conservatives despise the welfare system; liberals generally support it. Recent efforts by presidents such as Bill Clinton have scaled back welfare rolls somewhat, but many people still receive the benefits as a way of life handed down from their parents.

Welfare should be ended immediately. The message of the federal government should be, "if you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em." Only until this gauntlet is thrown down by brave policy makers will the giveaways stop.

Answer 6

Because they cheat the system. They lie about things, falsify records, etc. That's why you have to work so hard and pay taxes so people like that can have a free ride. Welfare is an abused system. There needs to be a limit on the number of years you can collect it and there does not need to be an increase for every baby being popped out. The attitude is why work when the government will give me everything I want for free?

Answer 7

It does not seem fair, and in fact it all sucks, but i suggest you mellow out, and take great pride knowing you do not want to live off the "WORKING PEOPLE"

On the other hand (THATS WHY WE HAVE TWO HANDS) just kidding, but i do not let things like that bother me, i choose to exercise compassion, because some circumstances, that happen put people in the position that that is all
there is,
and they probably are not proud, of needing assistance, or regret being in that position, as it leaves them limited to where they can go in life, and last but not least, "life is not fair", BUT some good will come to you for all the honorable things that you have done,

I guess one way to look at things is ther countries, where some are starving, have nothing but living to exist, and they see us as "wealthy" AND i guess we are, so maybe it is all realitive, maybe that is not a good answer, but i choose
to mind my own business, and help someone who needs help and be honorable, and hold my head up high ,, and be thankful for what i have, and by the way, i am rich in spirit but almost at poverty level, thru unfortunate choices,

cheer up, but i do think welfare should be there for those in need, and i think that our government, should do so much for for all the vets, from fifty years ago to today,, they should be treated like kings and queens, and it is not so, they govt, broke promises, and does not take care of our heros that is something to think of too,

Answer 8

Are we (the public) the only ones who see the need for a reform? Politicians sure don't. Except Bill Clinton, I can't remember the name of the program created during his administration where people on welfare had to get a job or training and this would eventually help them become independent. It was a disaster because no one wanted it to work. people on welfare or the politicians.
But i have also seen a few families, immigrants, who when they arrive in this country have lived on welfare for a few years BUT eventually they end up starting their own businesses, owning homes, etc. THAT I do not mind.
There is a reason public assistance was created. To assist those who need help getting back on their feet. BUT i know people abuse it and you are right, it is unfair to the rest of us who work hard.

Answer 9

I have always felt that the welfare programs have been a great thing for those who truly need it... however there is always that lazy no good crowd that likes to abuse it. two examples, 1st was a woman whose husband passed and left her in a real bad financial pickle... welfare helped that family until she was able to get it together and help herself... as welfare was intended example 2 was a family who the father would work long enuf to satisfy the state then quit or cause himself to get fired so the state could support his family. Both of these were years ago and I hope that with all the changes people cant get away with that no more.....

Answer 10

Welfare is terribly abused. I used to be an inspector for the Housing Authority in my town and it is horribly abused here...and as you know across the nation. It is bull that a person that actually works their rear off can not get a break if they are paying taxes and contributing. Somewhere something has gone terribly wrong and for fear of the people that literally live off it not taking care of their kids, or Heaven forbid having to work if it was taken away from them, no one wants to be politically incorrect in regards to this. It needs a serious overhaul.