Should welfare only go to "the deserving poor?"?

Question

Hamlet said:
Use every man after his desert, and who should 'scape whipping?

Liza Doolittle's Dad said:
I'm one of the undeserving poor, that's what I am. Now think what that means to a man. It means that he's up against middle-class morality for all of time. If there's anything going, and I puts in for a bit of it, it's always the same story: "you're undeserving, so you can't have it." But my needs is as great as the most deserving widows that ever got money out of six different charities in one week for the death of the same 'usband. I don't need less than a deserving man, I need more! I don't eat less 'earty than 'e does, and I drink, oh, a lot more.

Nobody "deserves" my money but me. Hard-hearted libertarian-anarchist that I am, I'd liked to abolish all government, and all taxes and welfare along with it, but at least I wouldn't gloat over the corpses of all those "undeserving poor."

Everybody (except maybe b4d_80i) is missing my point. Whether you support welfare or oppose it, my point is don't label other people as "deserving" or "undeserving."

Somebody asked what fictional charaters have to do with reality. Hamlet said, "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba?" But fiction holds a "mirror up to nature." Shakespeare and Lerner (and Shaw) were wise men. Another voice of wisdom said, "judge not that ye be not judged."

A lot of peope confuse welfare with charity, but there is nothing charitable about robbing Peter to pay Paul. Be charitable with your own money.

For Davy Crockett's opinion see
http://www.house.gov/paul/nytg.htm

For a book about how libertarian anarchy could work, see David Friedman's "Machinery of Freedom."

Answer 1

Please define "deserving poor".

Answer 2

Can't abolish government,chaos would rain.can't abolish taxes who would pay for highways etc.Can't abolish the poor who would wait on you at Mc Donalds?Welfare here is a system that has been abused.But change is hopefully coming.If everyone had the ability for a higher education and degrees who would be cleaning offices?Who would be working at a movie theatre?Who would be waiting or cooking at your favorite restaurant?The undeserving poor are those who refuse to take low paying jobs because they want to "wait" for a better opportunity.No they're LAZY sorry.I have had to wipe butts to put food on my table and felt proud of it.At least I tried.Sometimes I needed help such as when my ex didn't send child support because his girlfriends car needed fixing.I didn't like taking the help but at least it was there when I "needed"it.Welfare is suppose to be a hand up not hand out.Reform is needed not abolished.

Answer 3

after weeding through all the children playing on here, I am finding the occassional interesting questions.

this one intrigues me.
what do fictional charactors have to do with reality? these instances you quote relate to whatever the story is about , and can't compare with the real world. so that part confuses me.

your right, no one "deserves you money" spend your hard earned money any way you desire.
just stay off my highways and don't call the police or fire or paramedics or.....
send you kids to my school or you go to my college or......
any way, you get the drift.

hard hearted libertarian anarchist? never heard that one. ok, I'll do some research. I'm open minded.

so, when everyone keeps their money to themselves, you've already made all you need? I don't.

Answer 4

The deserving poor deserve education, opportunity and honest work.
The British system with ROYALTY & COMMONERS is a clasist society where the average citizen cannot share in the fruits of their own labor.
Britan shares some similarities with the CAST system in India.
The U.S. was created by those who KNEW it is a WRONG system and dedicated themselves to changing it.
There are a few Americans who like classist societies, they should move to England.
All others should receive no free handouts, just a fair chance to have benefit from what they create.

Answer 5

Did you inherit any money.
Did you--from the day you were born--support yourself. Pay every dime of the cost of your education? Your health care?

Oh--but of course--you were a child. Your circumstances prevented you from earning your own income--so it was their responsibility!

Except it wasn't. You should have been thrown out at the age of 5 or 6 to work 12 hours a day in a factory--as you would have been a hundred years ago--before the "bleeding hearts" created a system that provided you with the opportunity to get an education--a system you did nothing to create and nothing to deserve--or pay for.

But "no one deserves your money but you?" Fine--give back every penny except what YOU creaed by nothing but your own effort.

And after you do--and starve to death--I WILL glady gloat over the corpse because there will be one less barbarian in this world.

Answer 6

Welfare is the governments way of saying, here ya go , we'll pay you to sit on your couch. That money should go elsewhere, say the national debt? I never went on welfare, and you never would see me there. Deserving poor? What is that, "hey I screwed up my life worse than that guy, I get the money!?!?" The fact we pay these people is absurd, and if they need help, there needs to be a step by step plan to get these people off of it. Step one, name 3 place you filled out applications this week. Step two, we gave you "x" amount of money, show us where it went. Step three, and so on and so forth. With each step it gets you more money, but you are less likely to need it. If you get hired and then fired, guess what Step one. There needs to be a way to get people to think for themselves, and not just sit at home. You get out of the system what you put in. That is the point that needs to be made.

Answer 7

welfare parameters should be severely tightened.
1 women while on welfare should be on mandatory birth control (shot)( they can't afford the kids they have already) no shot, no $.
2 Young able bodied citizens should have to work, and if unemployed given a certain amount of time to get a job, after that time no more $.
3 Illegal aliens should not be able to receive $, they are here illegally.
4 welfare should be designed to assist citizens during hard times beyond their control, not as a never ending subsidy.

Answer 8

Who counts the votes for the deciding factors between deserving and undeserving?
I have to work 2 jobs to support myself and my son. I do not receive public assistance of any form.
One of my jobs is cashier in a mega retail store. Frequently I check out customers with EBT cards(food stamps) and the customers have the latest technology in cell phones, expensive manicures, hair extensions, jewelry, fashionable clothes, and more.
Why are my tax dollars buying their chips and soda pops?

I believe that if you sign up for public assistance that you should forfeit your vote (both local and federal) . You should not be eligible for cable TV, cell phones, or credit cards. If you break the law even down to a speeding ticket, you become ineligible for public assistance.
What we need is more accountability and less welfare.

Answer 9

This is how I feel.
I hate welfare and it needs to be totally rethought. I hate Medicare to for that matter. Look people if you fail in life and have not been able to accomplish relationships with good people who can help you through trying times than you are going to die. Natural selection weeds out the week, diseased and dumb. We should let nature run its course. If private citizen want to help you people than by all mean call them and leave the rest of the country alone. Please don't try and bring us down with you.

Answer 10

you've a wealthy individual attitude. I grew up in a dirt unfavorable family individuals (that took no authorities. help- we would usually go hungry before getting something from a food kitchen), yet my mothers and fathers were from comfortably properly off households so I grew up with a wealthy individual attitude too. Saving funds for a later date even as funds is short, preparation myself to larger positive myself, obeying regulations,... unfavorable those with unfavorable individual attitudes do not imagine this kind. in the journey that they retain too a lot funds they don't get loose housing or food or phones or regardless of. in the journey that they get a interest they lose that too. there is not any benefit to elevating themselves above their modern position because they sense there is not any way they could upward thrust up above the placement they are in. You suggested human beings having little ones- which could furnish you with a clue correct off they probable are not the brightest human beings round. Drop out of faculty at 15 and carry your toddler...it would not remember in the journey that they could get out of the cycle of welfare they were born into, they do no longer know any incorrect way of life so gained't change. in simple terms even as republicans are able to make life so depressing for welfare reciepients who're able to artwork (and really are close to places which will employ them) will something change. If republicans fairly wanted to diminish out welfare, that they had slowly decrease advantages each and every 365 days or 2. project is, republicans do not fairly favor to regulate the gadget, they in simple terms favor to scream about it. i know countless those who call themselves republicans that own domicile properties that domicile the realm 8 welfare human beings. they are getting wealthy off welfare. similar with shop vendors that settle for food stamps. similar with agencies that provide the vast majority of the food products that human beings purchase with food stamps.

Answer 11

well, the trick is... no government... who's going to protect you from the undeserving poor?

how many people can you shoot before they shoot you?

sounds like you're eager to find out and lose...

how many "good men" die in lawless areas? just as many good men as bad ones... a steady hand doesn't descriminate between deserving and undeserving...

ever see that scene in black hawk down where the guys are pinned down with the angry mob all around them and no support in sight... that's you if you were left to your own devices in the bed you would make for yourself...