Do you think person's on public assistance have it too easy?

Question

I have a friend, a single mom with multiple kids. It seems to me, and my 11 year old has even noticed, that she has it pretty good, while his dad is working two jobs to allow up to do things. Because she is lower income, (and she has a colledge degree, just won't change jobs becasue she doesn't want to work any weekends), her kids get to go to YMCA camp each week for the full summer, she recieves food assistance, rent assistance, even clothes for the kids for free. If I were to try and send my kids to Y camp each week it would be about 340 a week for the three of them! But since she chooses not to work more, it is free for her. I think this sucks. Is anyone with me? It is like she gets rewarded for not working. (And the med assisting degree was free also thanks to the government.)

For any of you writing in defense of public aid....I am not saying it is wrong to use it, the way it was inteneded. we all pay into the system, is should be there when we need it. but too many people get comfy getting the help and then won't get off. By the way....green eyes, what is wrong with parent's helping their kids? Not saying the kids aren't your responsibility; but if a parent is able to help, and wants to help, that is a great situation. Don't let pride be your guide. Besides, your parents pay for public assistance as much as the rest of us do.

That four year thing is a bunch of crap. I guess it depends on the state you are in but as long as your circumstances change in some way it can restart your benifits. I would say you need to check your facts but if you defend PA that much, I figure you know the system pretty well.

My husband would love to be able to be home every weekend with his kids too, grow up, we just don't get things the way we want them if we are making our own way. It is sad but true. She has plenty of day care even on weekends, if she worked weekends she would have days off during the week, it works out the same. I am not saying she wouldn't want to work every weekend, but ANY at all. So sorry, no, I don't feel she deserves the amount of help she is getting when there are plenty of single moms and intact families working times they don't want doing things they don't want. As for the kids getting razed....she is given South Pole, Nike, all sorts of stuff I can't afford to buy for my kids with a double working family. Most of the kids in their school district live withing the same neighborhood that is pretty much all foks on assistance so they arent give grief. there was a time when people were ashamed to be on PA, not it is like they are getting away with something.Cool? No

THE FREE CLOTHES and school supplies come from other community programs, not just welfare. There are tons of programs besides the state.
As for her not being willing to work weekends....she has a medical degree, sorry they work weekends sometimes. I don't get upset with her that she won't take a job that requires weekends, just that she won't work ANY weekends. She would quit first. She has told me she has turned down jobs paying at least twice as much so she had weekends free.
One last thing, friends from our church take the kids most weekends for the day on Saturday and do things with them, so thats that for spending time with them.

I'm sorry, being on the system to get on your feet is one thing....having it as a way of life is another. If you can do better, you should do better.

My hubby and I worked until we had our home until we had kids, yea, even if you are young you can figure out how to keep that from happening, now we have great kids, they have a house.

Answer 1

OF COURSE THEY DO!! Those of us that work pay for them to not have a job. Yes, some have it bad, but MOST take advantage!! And the cycle continues with their kids...

Answer 2

There are a few people who abuse the system, compared with all those who have genuine need. Anyone who abuses it stands out, therefore giving the perception that "everyone" abuses it, and "everyone" on it is worthless. I for one, grew up on government assistance with a single mom who was disabled. I worked hard in school because I wanted to make something of myself, attended college, became an Air Force officer, and am now a government contractor in the DC area. My mom instilled in me a drive to always do the right thing "no matter what."
The majority of welfare users are good people who actually need assistance. One of my pet peeves is people who abuse the system, and give everyone else a bad image. Another is people who make generalized statements who have no idea what they're talking about (not saying that's the case here)... so whenever I run across statements about welfare, I'm sure to throw my 2 cents in.
You say to yourself that it could never be you, and that such programs are stupid and outdated... You'd be surprised how screwed up and unfair the world can be sometimes. It's nice to have a safety net to help you if you need it.
To the poster- she's a single mom. She's doing the right thing in order to spend more time with her kids. It's an important part of child development, contrary to the current philosophy of paying to have someone else spend time with them. Perhaps the time spent with them will help them turn out better adjusted than some other kids today. The extra 1 or 2 days of work probably wouldn't net her much money, considering cost of child-care. It would deprive her of time with her children, AND it would probably exhaust her. You need to rest sometime, and I imagine it's pretty rough trying to work and raise kids by yourself. She probably never does actually get a day off... doesn't sound like she's got it "too easy" to me. Not everyone can land a top salary job.
Rewards for not working? It's about helping someone and their kids' lives not to suck so much

Are you so jealous of this poor woman that you'd deprive her and her children of something that makes their lives better?

Honestly, being on these programs is no picnic. You get looked down upon by a lot of ignorant people who would just as soon can the whole system, rather than try to make productive members of society. You generally just make enough to get by on, if you're lucky, and hope something better comes along for you or your kids in the future. Her education is a blessing. Would you rather have educated poor people, or uneducated poor people? At least with an education, people can work to be productive members of society.

I wish people weren't so quick to judge those less fortunate.

Answer 3

Well, that sounds pretty good for PA. Those kids might get free stuff, but do they get razzed at school for it? It is never any fun to be broke. Around here, it's war on the poor. Where we live, the homeless rate is up because people can't even qualify for the lousy $560 a month they allow adults. It's getting worse and worse. As for choosing to "not work more" - are they going to start passing laws to make sure that you live up to your potential? Doesn't she have the right to spend weekends with her children? Who would look after them if not her? Some people do take a lot of advantage. Sounds like PA is too easy in some places and too hard in others - couldn't have a happy medium of course. I wouldn't like to pass judgment on your friend. Walk a mile in her shoes. It's probably not as rosy as it looks. If it is, I say, good for her - hope she does a good job with her kids.

Answer 4

See?!?!?! These are the types of people who make people (like me) who are on public assistance look bad. I am a single mom with two kids. My baby's dad left me and instead of relying on my parents or expecting them to take care of me AND my kids (who are MY responsibility), I use being on cash aide to go to school, and get a degree. So i wont end up with a dead end, minimum wage job.

P.S.

you people need to read up on what you're talking about too. People on public assistance are REQUIRED to work, be in vocational training, or school for a minimum of 40 hours a week. Also, people can only be on welfare for 4 years now, so i don't see how you guys are saying that you know people who have been on it for a long time. AND once you have a baby on welfare, they will NOT give you money for additional children born AFTER beginning the welfare program. Try to raise two children on $540 a month and tell me about living an "easy life"

BTW:

I live in California. Also, i am on welfare so i can get a good college degree. I would rather ask for help and spend time with my kids than work two or three jobs just to live. And try to put up with the system......it freakin sucks. You think that it's just easy to get money??? I have to put up with a social worker who NEVER EVER does my paper work. Her supervisors don't tell her sh*t and i have had to switch daycares 3 times because they didn't get paid on time or the right amount. So you go ahead and act like it's easy but you'd never know until you're in someone else's shoes

AAAAAND i have NEVER heard of getting free clothes while on welfare. Thats what the cash is for. Rent, Utilities, Clothes and diapers. If she cant afford clothes for her kids while on welfare she must be spending it somewhere ELSE!

Answer 5

I think so.

I think there should be a limited amount of time anyone is allowed to receive public assistance and that every person should have to either have a job or be in some sort of work program so that they can work their way up to no longer needing public assistance.

Answer 6

Yes, they do. Welfare should only last for a short period of time. Able bodied people on welfare who refuse to work should have their children taken and be forced to live in the Forrest.

Answer 7

TH ATS CORRECT SWEET HEART.BLAME THE GOVERNMENT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SYSTEM.THEY WANT TO KEEP THE POOR DOWN. AS LONG AS THEY CAN KEEP US POOR THE RICH CAN GET RICHER.AS LONG AS THEY DO THAT PEOPLE WILL ABUSE THE SYSTEM.I DO NT AGREE WITH IT BUT CAN YOU BLAME THEM SOME OF US WERE BOUGHT UP WITH MORALS @ MOST WERE NOT.IT SUCKS.AS LONG AS PEOPLE TURN A BLIND EYE IT IS GOING TO GET MUCH WORSE.

Answer 8

some milk it some dont, you just cant do a blanket thing, sounds like shes making out fine though.