what are your opinions of welfare and other programs for low income family's?

Question

if you are strongly against it are you for a higher minimum wage and mandatory health care for all American citizens

Answer 1

I believe the welfare program is a great help to many people that use it as a hand up instead of a hand out. When I was a single mom it helped me get an education. There are definitely people that take advantage though.
Lisa

Answer 2

I am not against welfare or programs for people with a low income but I am against people who abuse the system. However, I totally agree with higher minimum wages and mandatory health care. Everything is skyrocketing except for our wages. Perhaps that is why so many people prefer to be on welfare. At least, they will be provided for and they will have health benefits.

Answer 3

End result = New Orleans, Detroit, Washington, D.C.

The only way for welfare (or programs) to exist is if the government forcibly confiscates the private property of one citizen and gives it to another. That is called stealing, except when the government does it.
All the flowery, feel-good, "common good", compassionate language in the world will not change that.

People who think being compassionate is giving money to politicians so politicians can distribute it are simply lazy. They have no respect for the property of others and are willing to sacrifice liberty so they can feel good about themselves.

All those people who believe in huge welfare programs are no where to be found when it comes time to "collect" taxes. They let the government do the dirty work for them.
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“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
-Thomas Jefferson

“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”
-Benjamin Franklin
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Answer 4

Humans have the God given right to fail. Are you bigger than god? Poor is a state of mind. Minimum wage and health care does not help people save and be responsible.

Answer 5

I think that welfare programs have their place in society, but they run the risk of encouraging people to expect hand-outs rather than working for their own living.

Before the government reforms of the 1960's, most of these type of programs were church based. "Catholic Charities" and "Lutheran Social Services" were big players in my part of the country back then.

After the reforms, which had good intent, we see that in some areas, we have created an entire second society of people who do not work, have no desire to work, and expect the government to take care of them. Especially in more recent years, we have seen evidence that when these people see that they are not receiving enough free help, they protest.

I believe that we need to return to the church-based help for people who truly need help. These agencies can offer low cost day care to enable mothers and fathers in low-income families to go to work. They can offer training to help people advance in their careers. They can also take care of those who are truly needy, and cannot escape, as opposed to those who have the ability, but lack motivation.

But, to make it most effective, the churches need to have access to a modest amount of government funding, targeted to helping the needy. There needs to be a minimum of government interference, too. Just enough to monitor for fraud, and all fraud must be brought to justice quickly and efficiently.

By taking these actions, I believe our society can begin to recover from the current lack of self constraint, and overabundance of selfishness and self-centeredness.

Answer 6

It's no one's right to force me to pay for their misfortune. I am the only one with the right to determine how my (work) life is to be spent.

I'm plenty generous with people who need me. You don't need to force me, and when you do, I resent it, and unfortunately, I am less-able to give as much as I'd like, to those I choose.