I believe that some people have come to view welfare as an entitlement program, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they don't need welfare. I think it might be a good idea for the government to employ some of the people currently on welfare in jobs where they would investigate welfare fraud. After all, we're paying them anyway.
Our next president folks. I didnt ask you what some people think. What do you thinkit is? And should it be cut? So why not give all of them jobs?
The first comment in this thread that actually makes sense, save the sarcasm And many of those had that many children to increase their welfare benefits. So what would happen if welfare didn't exist? A few more homeless, a few more orphans. I'm okay with that. I say eliminate the entire program and every social program like it.
I have always doubted the having kids for more welfare money statistic. I really wonder how much of an ROI, so to speak, that really would be. If I get some spare time, I will look it up.
Like most things, it is relative to your income. One of my coworkers just bought a house twice as expensive as mine. His mortgage seems like a lot to me but he makes a good chunk more money that my household does. We get by just fine in our home but if we made more money, we'd probably have a bigger house. Food isn't much different. If we made more money, our grocery bill would almost certainly be higher. If we made less, it would be less.
OK, let me clarify so that even a "craig a" can understand. Do I personally view welfare as some sort of entitlement program? Well, of course not. No one is entitled to welfare. However, do some people view it as an entitlement program? Yes, they certainly do! You asked if it should be cut. Nope, if people need it then don't cut one red cent from it. However, if some people are abusing the system or committing fraud, get them off the system and free up the money for those who need it. Employ as many able-bodied welfare recipients as possible.
I'll go back to a comment I made earlier...some people need temporary help but I believe most folks who live on the public dole do it because it is easier than working and is passed along generation by generation. What we are calling "welfare" encompasses many programs- AFDC, food stamps, subsidized food stuffs, subsidized housing and many more forms of assistance that make up "the system". Now dr moen posted a few caps on some of these benefits which I don't dispute exist but are they enforced? I doubt it. There was a recent article in our local paper that told the story of 5 generations of a family in which no one worked, no finished school, no 2 parent families, they all lived together in the same public housing. The folks interviewed claimed everyone they knew lived the same way & each generation learned how to work the system from the earlier generations. Now I seriously doubt this an issue specific to this part of the country. Tough love is needed to break the cycle. Force them to work, force them to contribute & ultimately take the freebies away.. it's the only way to do it if you have a sincere desire to help people.
For our family of 4, we budget $250 every other week for groceries. We make a list & stick to it. We use coupons. Fortunately, we do not have to buy meat as we raise & slaughter a cow & hog every year which we make last for the whole year. We also have a farmers market the first weekend of every month and we stock up as much as we can on the fruits & vegetables. We also (because of work, school & other commitments we have a busy hectic schedule) eat out a few times a week. I would say we spend around $1000 a month in total on food, a little more if we need to stock up the cabin.
5 pages back when you wrote: I responded: You now come back with: Caps on lifetime federal benefits, mandatory work after 2 years, enforcing child support, are dismissed as "a few caps"???? What more are you asking for, the death penalty? You're ranting about issues that changed over 15 years ago. As far as the laws not being enforced goes, show me proof. You can't legally hand out money from the federal government if the program specifically states that it is illegal. I guess we'll see you in another 5 pages.
Heck, you don't have to wait 5 pages (or the couple of days it took me to see your post), I'll respond right now with one simple question for you: Do you honestly believe those 1996 provisions are enforced? Hearing what we hear, seeing what we see, do you reaaly believe those 1996 measures keep the system from being abused?
I go by what I see for myself. In addition to the article I cited in my local paper (those people had no reason to lie), you may remember me saying that my wife & I chair the Giving Tree at our church & my wife gives voice, piano & guitar lessons at inner city schools & community centers. Going by what I know & what I see, it has been a whole lot of the same people we have worked with over the years. I know what addresses are subsidized. We see their need applications so we know what people are recieving....we have been working with some of these people for nearly 10 years now so if you believe the limits you posted are being universally enforced, you are sadly mistaken. I also serve on the board of 2 local food banks. You may not be able to find these facts on the Huffington Post or by contacting Stuart Smalley's office but this is the real world. In these various projects, I deal with multiple public, private & church agencies so do I know what I'm talking about? Uh, yeah. Perhaps my views are shaped by the reality of what I see? Maybe the answer on campus is to just apply for another student loan but out here the problems are deep-seeded & need to be addressed.
What would be a better measurement than the real world? You won't get these facts from Huffington, Rachel Maddow, Olberman or Bill Maher. See, when one lives in a vacuum, one is unprepared to deal with the reality of the world. When the truth is contrary to what one was led to believe confusion sets in. As my college mentor once told me....."in academia you are taught what is supposed to happen when the rubber hits the road, in the real world you actually find out what happens once the rubber hits the road (paraphrased)"....
I guess this is one of those "You can't handle the truth" moments, huh? With my firsthand knowledge of the issue I could really care less about what you call actual data....I see the actual data every day. I'm sure that doesn't satisfy your liberals sensibilities but that's how it is outside the vacuum.
