Should people who get welfare have to pay it back?

Question

Sure its to help people get on there feet, but once they're up should they have to pay it back?

Answer 1

Even as a Conservative I have no problem with a welfare "safety net" program to help people get back on their feet and not expecting them to repay it. The problem I have is that you have to be completely destitute to be awarded it. How many working families hit a bump in the road and could use a little assistance but cannot get it because they work?

However it is not used as a safety net anymore. Too many people see it as their right and families have existed on welfare for generations. It is just another giveaway from the politicians to the weak minded voters to buy elections.

Answer 2

Morally, yes, that should absolutely be the case. but that does not sound exactly possible.

Student loans, well, thats entirely different. Those people realize that they have something at stake/are motivated to take the loans. In general, they will be able to afford to pay the loans back within 15 years, and survive, and be in an exponentially better state than they would have been if they had not have taken the loan.

Logically, though, your idea is less a reason for them to get off welfare.

When theyr'e on welfare, than they're getting free food/section 8/etc

When they get on their feet they still usually need assistance of some kind because they're blue collar workers, unless they somehow make it big/start a business/something crazy like that.

So, unless they do something crazy, than they have to choose: live for free but not the best lifestyle, or increase my lifestyle by maybe 20% but have to pay back the previous lifestyle at the same time/work to pay back the money you didn't earn.

Live for free, or work for nothing?

This would kind of make them live of WF for life so that they don't ahave to pay it back. And the longer that they're on welfare, the bigger the debt gets and the more inclined they are to stay on welfare.
Do you get what I mean? (vote for my answer)


Oh, and I'm a democrat all the way...I support the legalization of prostitution; at least those parents are doing what they have to do to feed their kids, rather than sit on their @$$ all day and say it is asking too much of them to be a w$%^ for the benifit of their family (i just noticed the comment above me which is why i said that)

call me a radical and have a nice day.

Answer 3

In actuality only about 10% of every dollar spent on Welfare goes to the recipients, the other 90% pays for the Government Bureaucracy that administers it.

The major reason the welfare system is still perpetuated today is to keep the Bureaucrats employed. I mean lets face it, what useful purpose could a a social worker serve if there was no welfare? No they should not have to pay it back, provided they are off of it in 12 months time. This would give them great incentive to get off of it as quickly as possible and start working.

Answer 4

Actually, in my state, the people get welfare but they MUST also work at least part time. This has cut the rolls substantially and once they get that income, they are soon dropped. Then there are always the 'other' that are on for generation because they think America owes them a living.

I had no job, no money, and only a roof over my head and they told me I didn't qualify because I didn't have children at home. So I guess I was supposed to live out of the dumpsters for food.

I just now, after 4 years of unemployment, managed to get a part time, low wage job...and it's so sad because American tax dollars paid for my college degree. Getting a job at 57 years old is not easy.

Should they have to pay it back??? Depends on how long they've been on it.

Answer 5

Actually, if you have a young mother with children who gets cash assistance, it DOES get paid back- by the dad.

Listen, I work in the welfare system in Texas and have for 15 years. If just half of these women who come in got their court ordered child support, they wouldn't even QUALIFY for cash assistance (welfare).

Food Stamps and Medicaid are ALWAYS going to be a necessary evil- and most of those recipients work. They are just working a low wage job. I realize there are many who say that someone should go get an education and get a better job- but think about it- if all the low wage workers left and got higher paying jobs, who would do the low wage jobs then? There will always be poor in this country. Always. I'd much rather see a family working TRYING to make it get benefits - it serves a purpose to ME in the long run for their children to eat and have medical care.

Let's not forget the employers who do take advantage of the uneducated workers they employ- I've interviewed a woman who worked in a laundry facility - no health insurance was offered (#1, so she had to do something for medical for her kids) and she had been a good employee for the last 6 years. Guess what they paid her per hour? $5.15. Why? Because they know she's uneducated and needs steady work.

Let's lean on deadbeats who don't pay child support the same way we lean on the mothers (most often) who ARE taking care of their kids- however they can.

Answer 6

I borrowed $ for a student loan and had to pay it back, so why shouldn't someone pay back the welfare $ they get. I can't understand why so many non citizens dislike Americans, yet they come here in droves to live off the free groceries and health benefits we purchase for them. The Bible says that if a Man doesn't WORK, he doesn't EAT and be indebted to noone unless you have every intention of repaying. There are alot of State and Federal jobs that could be filled by these career welfare reciepients, Like Road Work, Landfills, and the so called Labor the average American refuses to do. I bet 2 weeks in a trash dump for food and shelter to repay Uncle Sam ( Joe Taxpayer ) Alot of folks would be willing to find employment, and keep employment and provide for themselves.

Answer 7

They do don't they, in a way? by becoming tax paying citizens like everyone else. I'm assuming "back on their feet" means they now have a job so wouldn't the federal and state taxes they are now paying be a form of repayment? I think the REAL question is how do we encourage people to get off of welfare to begin with and STAY off? I think think the whole welfare system needs to be re-evaluated. I only wish i knew what would work.

Answer 8

The people you described are not part of the problem, it's the people who go on disability and drain the social security system, who are the problem. Granted, some people legitimately need to go on disability, but there are so many parasites attached to the program, that they are draining the system dry. That's your retiremwent money we're talking about.

If you know of someone who is on disability, yet able to work, call the social security administration and they will investigate. You have a responsibility to yourself and every one else who pays into the system, to see that the parasites are screened out. These are the people who should be required to pay back the money they have stolen from the tax payers!

Answer 9

YES YES,,,, its out of my paycheck. ,, in taxes i pay.. they should not be allowed to get welfare more than 6mths. They need to be required to get a job.. who cares if its McDonalds, cleaning motels, what ever they can do.. There are too many people on welfare that are able to work.. I get myself out of bed everyday and go to work..even if i am sick or dont want too... where i live at .. the young girls 14-16 are having babies cause they have been told by their moms they can collect welfare and food stamps... Pay back us hard workers our money.../.. make them work too... yesterday i was at walmart, there was this women (wont say race) buying 3 plasma flat screens, 4 vcr/dvd players, 3 computers.. and 2 purses and some dvds... she paid for the things and had it take to car.. while i was checking out in front later on.. she had a cart full of food... what did she pay with? a EBT (food stamp) card..... oh well.. i bought her food while she enjoyes her tv and stuff....

Answer 10

Absolutely! Once they are working and back on their feet - say a year for the sake of argument, then a modest amount should automatically be deducted from their check.

There ain't no such thing as a free ride!