Good Intentions Gone Bad? Fixing Welfare?

Question

There was never anything wrong with wanting to help the truly needy. Our intentions were noble and our government acted upon these intentions.

But along the way the system has been abused and misused to the point where it seems we’ve created a welfare state akin to another type of slavery.

Do any of you has positive suggestions for reforming and fixing the welfare program?

Thank you.

I’ve got some ideas that have been mentioned in published essays. Right now I’m more interested in your personal take on the problem.

Answer 1

I've seen many good ideas, but the sad truth is that we cannot just drop folks from the roles. We can however limit the time on public assistance. The program needs to be overhauled, there is no doubt about that. It has created a modern day slavery, so the politicians are going to steer as far away from any drastic changes as they can. For example, if someone is over 50 and has always lived on welfare, it will be much more difficult to put them into the work place, so we will probably have to bite it on those types. A cut off date needs to be established. An 18 year old single mom would be a perfect candidate to train in a trade job, help out for a time with day care, and then send them on thier way. We should no longer reward folks for breeding.

Answer 2

Two word: personal responsibility

Until someone start to feel responsible enough for their own situation to not accept assistance and fix their own problem there will always be a welfare state.

This is not to say that there are not truly needy people, but the system can not be set up to distinguish between valid needs and needs created out of lack of effort on the recipients part.
It has to be blind as far as assessing need.

I think that people trying to help themselves get off of the welfare system should benefit from the affirmative action system and be considered as a minority. Require companies to hire out of the welfare system.

Answer 3

Having been a worker in state programs going on 10 years, much of the problem lies with independent self sufficiency programs fighting for the same budgeting dollar to run the same programs and not being effective at administering them. A time limit is a good idea, but persons receiving assistance also need to have ambition and incentive to better their education, complete their education, and move into the work world. One problem, in my state, is that two parent families are punished by being given participation activiities that would crowd out time to do job searches. The job search component is time limited and if it could be extended, might be more useful. Also, when budget cuts occur, it is cut in daycare and then working poor have to quit because they can't afford the daycare. One thing that would greatly assist - if students would complete school. If you used the system the way it was meant, you can work your way off. I have had some cases do that and I am so proud of those individuals for the successes THEY CREATED in their OWN lives. It ultimately comes down to INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY---it's my soapbox. Actions=consequences.

Answer 4

The system of entitlement programs, as they exist now, create generations who are dependent on the government. How can we expect people to have free will when we create generation after generation of dependence?

The problem isn't only with the recipients. The system is designed to fail. Workers complain of being overburdened, but I worked briefly as an income verifier for the local welfare office. I was limited to 8 clients a day and had restrictions placed on how agressively I could investigate a claimant's income. Generally I was done by lunch, but I couldn't do extra work because of the artificial cap put on my workload. I was also officially discouraged from denying suspicious claims, I was told the fraud investigators would pursue any wrongdoers. Of course the fraud investigators are encouraged not to find too many violators becuase the more valid claims out of an office, the more case workers and the more office staff that works out of an office the higher rating the supervisor can get.

Since the federal government should not be in the social services business start by dismantling the program. Have locally based systems to act as bridges and safety nets, not entitlements that lead to dependence. To qualify for assistance you have to take job training or GED classes. To continue receiving benefits while you get back on your feet you need to get a part time job. Employers could be encourgaed via tax breaks to provide flexible hours for single parents who have children in school or child care issues. All children being claimed must have the father named on the birth certificate and he will be held accountable for reimbursing the state for child care expenses (the father has the option of requesting DNA testing to prove/disprove paternity.) Mothers will be forced to name the child's father or they will not receive added benefits for that child; that will end claims for single mothers who live with the baby's father. There should also be a time limit, such as a "three years and you're out" rule.

There have been success stories for people who have received these benefits, but the multi-generation families who rely on the system as a permanent source of income get all the press and attention.

Answer 5

I saw a news segment yesterday that was concerning.

The poor students will no longer be able to get some of the benefits they were previously getting.

The hardest hit is single moms. This to me is one of the most oppressed groups in America. Everyone knows teenage boys pressure girls into having sex. This is natural I am not suggesting it is Bushes fault. But Rutting Bucks will fight to the death to have sex.

So society has about 10% of it's young girls getting pregnant. Typically this puts them on the path of poverty.

A program that would get them back in school and developing skills that make them lifetime taxpayers would be much better than sticking them in a trailer with a block of government cheese.

Go big Red Go

Answer 6

Thank you for an intelligent question. You got it right.
And many of the people on welfare are quite capable of working, but it's a way of life that they were raised with.
The Democrat Party exploits these people by saying that they want to give them more and more.
Bigger welfare checks for votes.

Answer 7

Go New Hamsphire's route.

No income tax. No sales tax. No social programs. Live Free or Die.

Answer 8

Eliminate welfare, period.