Why do Americans hate welfare so much?

Question

Socialist Europeans are not living in the third world. Most Europeans have free health care, more time off, live longer, nice economies, good educational systems, excellent transportation systems and are connected with the technology's of today. The motto in Holland seems to be that you can work if you want to work. The majority seem to work and contribute to an excellent industrialized nation. Why are we so hell bent on destroying welfare in this country?

Answer 1

Well lets face it. America has grown fat and lazy if we had a system like Europe we would fail because I doubt even 50% of our adult population would bother working. We really need to cull the herd of some dead weight.

Answer 2

You have truly not experienced Europe. Most have socialist tendancies, but the social programs are built on a sound foundation of capitalism. Further, social assistance is discourage, contrary to your portrayal. Europeans do not have "free" health care. They pay for it in the same way we pay for health insurance; however, it is paid as a deduction from their pay checks.

Nothing is free; it must be paid for some way. All things considered, most Europeans pay about 50 percent plus in deductions from their pay, i.e. "taxes," if you will.

I will concur, most of [Western] Europe has excellent educational systems, transportation systems and technology [actually many are more advanced than the United States]; however, it is being paid for.

Answer 3

Many people look at it that the "lazy" collect welfare. They forget that it is normally the sick and disabled that get it. The aged or the mother that has children that she has to stay home with. Almost all of these would rather be working. They made a better liveing when they were able to provide for themselves. There are many now that are collecting that should not and the people that really need help find it hard to get it. This is what really bothers most people.Also, there are people in this country that have never paid in anything and are getting medical and welfare checks simply because they are a part of the minority and lord help us we don't want to be unfair to the minorities. If we did't have so many, our old people that have paid in all of their lives could be the minority and they wouldn't have to do without much needed food and medicine like they do at times. A friend of mine died of cancer and suffered badly because they took his health insurance while the illegals collected it with out paying in even.But right now, guess they are the minority.

Answer 4

The Europeans pay a price for the systems that are in place in the form of very high taxes. Of course, they at least GET something for their taxes, unlike Americans, the average of which doesn't receive much except a decent road once in a while and a huge military, which the Europeans don't have. Of course, recent events have shown us that a huge military may not be of as much use as it once was...

As to your question of why we hate welfare, we don't. We hate free loaders, people who could work but prefer not to and live off the sweat of others (much like the royal family in England, except without nearly as many perks). Most Americans have no problem assisting those who are physically disabled due to no action of their own, or giving a helping hand up to a person whose luck has been dreadful, or with the elderly who need Medicaid and Medicare, but we do have a problem with the drug addicts, the alcoholics and the "welfare moms", and why shouldn't we? Why should a drug addict get free open heart surgery from the State while a working man is allowed to die from cancer because he doesn't have health insurance? (True life story, that).

Americans are generous and will help those who help themselves. As for the rest, let them move to Europe.

Answer 5

The United States economy is bigger than every economy in Europe combined.
No country on earth can compete with our economy.
That is due in part to most people pulling their own weight.

What you fail to mention is that Europeans pay at least half of their income in taxes. Most European countries have a VAT (like a sales tax) of 19% or more. A gallon of gas will cost almost US$6.00. Want your own home? Good luck - I hope your parents own one and left it to you in their will.

The American way of economics allows people to get somewhere in life. Almost everyone can afford a car. Almost everyone can wear the latest fashions. Almost everyone can eat several meals daily.

I have lived in Europe since 2003. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that the American economy is much more friendly. In Europe, there are poor people. However, those poor people can never improve because everyone is paying for someone else. They are stuck in their rut.

Answer 6

Because there are people like me out here that see the thousands of dollars a year that gets stolen from my check and poured into a welfare system that doesn't work just so some lazy POS can sit on their butt and pop out little welfare checks. There can not possibly be anyone out there that honestly believes that the welfare system in this country is working. Al I see is a bunch of self serving liberals taxing the working people to death so they can promote a bunch of welfare programs to buy vote for themselves.

Answer 7

I have no problem with welfare, for those who truly need it. The problem is with those who abuse it. They are able to work, but would rather let the rest of us support their lazy behinds. I know at least a dozen people in their 40's who haven't worked a day in their lives, and live as well as I do. Everybody needs to pull their weight.

Answer 8

The way the welfare system here has been run is a failure. There are systems in other countries that appear to be working and we could probably incorporate parts of these systems in the US. Americans are afraid of the word "socialism" Because some have taken advantage of our welfare system they see anyone needing help as lazy and unworthy.

Answer 9

Have you been there? Many English women don't wear pantyhose because they can't afford them. Many of them them have to grow their own food. Those who do work in Sweden pay income taxes as high as 70%. Gasoline costs at least twice what it does in the U.S. The Danes ride bikes because they have to pay sales tax up to about 80% on new cars. And terrorism is running rampant.

Americans don't hate welfare. It's just that the ones who do educate themselves, work hard, and save their money don't like the "do-nothing, know-nothing, have-nothings" voting to "raise the taxes on the rich and give it to the poor". Nothing wrong with charity, we just don't like being FORCED to hand it over.

Answer 10

From where would the government get the money to pay for all that "free health care, time off, longer lives, good educational systems,...etc.,...etc,?????

RAISING THE TAXES????????????

So, the ones who work will keep supporting the ones (especially the minorities) that don't want to work because they live seating in front of the TV watching soap operas (having energy reduced bills aid) and eating all day (because they have food coupons aid)??????

Or supporting the ones that don't have money to eat, but have money to buy $350.00 pair of sneakers??????

Or the ones that are living under "Plan 8", but have money for a car and to go out to eat, because not even the food coupons are good because they will have to cook the food???????????

Or the ones that are taking welfare but have money for drugs???

WAKE UP and FACE REAL LIFE!!!!!!!!

Answer 11

What you are seeing is the effects of corporate propaganda.

Notice how we Americans get upset about money and programs going to the disadvantaged ... yet we seem to have no problem whatsoever with CORPORATE WELFARE, which costs taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars more than Aid to Dependent Mothers with Children, food stamps, etc.

We have been brainwashed to defer to the interests of big business.

Did you notice that no one else even mentions corporate welfare? Does that tell you anything?

And also notice the classism at work here - people are angry as hell at impoverished welfare recipients (and yes, some of them DO cheat the system) yet there is not even a mention of the CORPORATE WELFARE that costs Americans substantially more.