Are we supporting a population of deadbeats with welfare, SSI, housing assistance, etc.?

Question

Saw a program the other day. Ladies displaced from their New Orleans "housing project" were angry that they weren't back home yet. Authorities said the delay was because they wanted to create new public housing less conducive to the ills prone to public housing. The woman in her 40's and a set of twin ladies maybe in their 60's weren't pleased at the idea of not going back to their neighborhoods. This was where they'd grown up, and where they'd prefer to stay-they weren't able to afford unsubsidized housing, were struggling to make ends meet without it, SSI subsidies weren't enough. They were filmed walking, talking, cooking, caring for children. I do all these things and work and am depressed and injured and drunk at times, why are they getting money? Caveat: I realize helping people is good, rather see my tax money help than hurt. Gotta say,I was irritated that these folks who looked a lot like me were getting support. Am I wrong? How can one stay in the system so long?

I wonder if were making the problem worse. Welfare was supposed to be a leg up, not a way of life. Lots of disabled folks work in a limited capacity. I don't say get rid of entitlements altogether, let's find a way to get more bang for our buck. Seems like giving folks money for nothing is just too easy.
What are some ideas for helping people change and overcome the very real hurdles of poverty/low income?

Answer 1

The money doesn't seem to go the the right people and have the right restrictions placed on it.

I know someone that has 2 kids from 2 different fathers out of wedlock. She works making about 32k and receives an additional $450 month in child support. That is a decent living where I am from. She could easily support her family with that. Here is where the government fails us. She is eligible for food assistance. She gets so much juice and milk that she shares it with her friends. Furthermore, she is eligible for the earned income tax credit which means for her at the end of the year she gets about 4-5k back on her tax refund and only pays in under 1k in taxes. She actually makes money. She has declared bankruptcy once and is pissed that the new laws restrict her from doing it again. The kicker of all kickers is that she has enough money that I have never seen her in the same outfit twice and eats out 4-5 times a week. She just bought a dog, with all the expenses that entails. Why is the government helping her? It makes me sick.

My solution to the welfare system is to require all woman that are on government assistance to take mandated birth control. If you can't support the children you have then you should not be allowed to have more.

Answer 2

As for the welfare system, there have been alot of changes over the last few years. Now in order to get it, mothers have to work. The problem is this, most only qualify for low income jobs which isn't enough to provide a living for their families. So it is almost as if they are stuck and dependent on the system. I also agree that birth control should be mandated for some of these women. There are too many unwanted children and it isn't society's responsibility to take care of them just because these women are stupid and lazy about birth control.

As for the disability....this is a joke. This system very much needs to be changed. I am disabled with many health problems. I am able to still work some and I want to work. However, I can't work a full 40 hr. week. I have applied for disability and been turned down, even though I have paid into the system for years since I was 16. So I struggle on. Yet, there are people that get it somehow and are better able to work than I am.
Our state had a health insurance program for low income or non-insurable people. This was the only way that I could get healthcare. Then they decided to disenroll several hundred thousand people because of the state budget. They removed people from, the program that have cancer, and many life threatening illnessess. I was also removed; and I am unable to get private health insurance. Here is the kicker....mothers with children were able to stay on the state health insurance program just because they have children. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
So is our system screwed up and encourage people to stay on it...MOST DEFINITELY!!! Changes need to be made. There is nothing wrong with helping those who truly need it; but there is also much abuse.
'

Answer 3

Some disabilities are not physical. Some you can not see with your eyes, but are there. You may have someone that can run a marathon, but can not work because of a chronic and persistent mental illness. Someone with mental illness, also may be ok in some situations, but just can not tolerate other situations. EX: they may be ok in their own house, but if you take them out side or on a crowded bus they decompensate. I do admit that their are people out there that abuse the system, and they are often found out. Unfortunately that is usually later than sooner, but they are usually found out. I also think the system does need to be changed a bit, because it is like a trap. Once you get in, it is so hard to get out. They do have work incentives for SSI and SSD, but they are really not all that helpful to someone with a disability that is trying to become self sufficient. They need to extend the programs, and provide a little more support to disabled, like extending the Trial Work Period and the extended period of eligibility for SSD, or increasing the amount of money you can make and save while on SSI. The PASS program is a good work incentive, but it is so hard to get. If you can't get a PASS, you can't use that work incentive. A big issue with a disabled individual is health insurance, If we had universal health insurance, that issue would be wiped out and a disabled person may be able to go with out a cash benefit.

Also, you can be on SSI if you are not disabled, but 65 years old or older with limited income and resources. I don't know how old those ladies are but of any of them are 65 they don't need a disability to be on SSI.

Answer 4

Should a person cease to exist because his or her body cant keep up with a fast paced society geared toward making people into profit? Remove benefits gained by investing in the stock market and put that money into increasing minimum wage. Unfortunately, some have already worked into an early 'retirement', and would benefit instead from just appreciation for what has been contributed.

Answer 5

THis is the core of today's problems, people living on assistance, having children, without a father around to discipline the young boys who grow into uncontrolable punks, that resort to crime, instead of working, then you mix in the drug trade, you got an explosive situation. if you could take all these dead beats off of assistance and place that money back into SSI, then the old, that have worked all their life, in a country that no longer offers it's worker's a retirement plan, could draw more money from SSI additional comment: as a male, i see alot about deadbeat dads, well i know more deadbeat moms than dads and you never hear them refer to them as deadbeat moms, i'm really surprised that some male hasn't sued them for sexual discrimination

Answer 6

I don't know about dead beats in general, but if you were referring in any way to dead beat dads, the answer is no. Most states now have laws regarding mothers and dead beat dads...if a mother goes in to get welfare and food stamps (and health insurance for there kids) and they qualify, they get the support, but the state goes after the dad immediately to get support for the kids as well. Depending on the situation, I think it's wonderful. If a man leaves his wife and their 3 kids, and stops giving money, and the woman has a min wage job, she should certainly be able to recieve support from the government and from the father.