The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconcilliation Act of 1996 eliminated many people from the Welfare ranks. Has this solved the Welfare proplem in the United States? Where did the Welfare recipients of 1995 go? Are they gainfully employed and supporting their families, or have they found alternate ways of surviving?
Does the govenment (we the people) have an obligation to support those who cannot support themselves?
Do we have an obligation to support those who choose not to support themselves?
I have to say, I feel the 1996 welfare reform has not solved the problem. Yes, cash assistance has decreased. But at the same time medicaid, food stamps have increased. As far as employment, about half have gained employment. A lot of the people needing assistance cannot obtain employment at a level that is above poverty level. Most are not educated, have no skills, or don't keep a job. I think to a certain point the government should help. We help all the other countries with issues, why can't we help people in our own country? Of course, there has to be some kind of guideline or requirements met to receive assistance. Otherwise, we would be in worse shape than the present time. If someone has no interest in supporting their own family and trying to overcome poverty, then they should only be helped the required amount of time. Nothing in life is free, and almost everyone that has a decent job or home, has been to college, and worked hard to achieve that. I know every situation is different, and not any one person has the same resources, or opportunities. But, overall, something has to change with the welfare system. This has been going on for years, and it is still a major issue today.
ReplyDeleteI think that we have an obligation to support the mentally retarded and those that are so physically handicapped that it is impossible for them to work. I don't think we should be obligated to support the lazy! If a person is physically capable of working, he/she should be working.
DeleteI get absolutely furious when I buy cheap hamberger and hotdogs with my hard earned money and see the food stamp person in front of me has steak and shrimp in her cart. They may need to eat, but they certainly don't need to eat better than I do when I am paying for their food. Food stamps should be on the same level as the WIC program, where only certain foods of high nutritional value are allowed. How do we fix this?
I think that the welfare reform has basically done what it was set out to do. Clinton basically wanted people not to become lifetime welfare recipients so he placed a time limit on it. I am not saying that the reform is perfect, but it is all we have for the time being.
DeleteI can just think of the times when people would wait to see that check come in the mail like they worked so hard for it. When I was a teenager, we knew when the checks came because the stores were packed. Even though I still see remnants of that behavior, but it is not as bad as it was.
We have to realize that we will never have a perfect welfare system. . .
I think the issue with welfare overall is lack of knowledge. The recipients has little or no education, some may not even speak the language. This is where the help is needed. We have case workers that have more than they can probably handle so they are not able to get people what they need in time. I believe more of our resources should be spent on improving how we educate those in need and an overall action plan in place individualized to each family as needed. Maybe hire more case workers to assist nad this may even help people come off welfare.
DeleteWe also need to break down sterotyping those on welfare. With today's economy, more people have had to go on welfare that actually were doing ok until layoff's and job cuts. It's not just the sterotyped "lazy person" on welfare and everyone is not out to get over on our system. I will admit, there are the few that make it hard for those that really need the asistance and this make me upset, but nowadays, I feel the system is doing what it can to help those in need.
This is so true. I just don't know what the welfare system is trying to do. There is a time limit one can be on welfare, but is this time frame too long? I also read on the internet about the bill passing to not allow people on welfare to use their debit welfare cards at strip clubs and to buy liquor. This is beyond anything I have heard. What are these people's children eating and what clothes are they wearing, if money is spent in this manner? I do feel some people have no choice or feel they have no choice but to apply for welfare. It is the few that take advantage of the situation, that make it harder for the rest. I don't get how someone receiving welfare, food stamps, can be riding around in a brand new mercedes! I work hard, make decent money, and I can't afford to have a new expensive car.But, I hope whoever the next president may be, will correct some of the problems with the welfare system.
DeleteRose, I understand how you feel when you stated "when I buy cheap hamberger and hotdogs with my hard earned money and see the food stamp person in front of me has steak and shrimp in her cart". I have seen people using food stamp but yet there nails are done and their hair is lookin real good. I am not here to critisize anyone but why go out there and ask for assistance when really not in need. This it is a situation that the government still strugle and need to find a method to change helping those who are not in need.
DeleteSylvia,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. There is such a lack of knowledge in the welfare system. I don't think that many people know the on-goings of the welfare system until they are in it because they need food stamps or TANF.
I can say that the EBT card or SNAP card (whatever they call it) does seem to have few limitations. I know I saw someone get a pack of beer with their card one day and I was shocked. Here I am trying to just get by and someone is buying liquor with my tax money? What about the ones who really need the assistance? They have the hardest time getting help. . .
I think I'd lose it if I saw someone buying alcohol with their food stamp card. I drives me crazy that they can use it in places that sell both prepared and unprepared food. The fish market here sells cooked and raw fish, so they get away with using it to eat out. Same at Blimpies. Why? When I couldn't afford to eat out, I went home and ate ramen. I ought to be a noodle, as much of it as I have eaten trying to stretch the grocery budget.
DeleteThe truly poor are the ones who are scraping by on minimum wage jobs and are not receiving any government assistance. They don't wear Nikes and eat steak!
I agree with you Rose. I don't think it's right for people receiving assistance to be using that money on expensive tastes. Yes, it should be healthy as possible, but at the same time realistic. When you don't have the extra money to eat out, or eat steak and lobster per say. Then, you should shop to the budget that fits your families means at the present time. Not everyone has this luxury, and if it is being paid by tax dollars it should be spent the way it was meant to be. Not on liquor, strip clubs, or unnecessary materials or food.
DeleteThe government should have the obligation to avoid the increase of homeless, poverty and violent, and it can only be avoided by supporting people with need and are seeking assistance. In other words, the government should have the obligation to support those who cannot support themselves, because there are people out there that are not able to work, find a job or having gotten an opportunity to work.
ReplyDeleteSuccess is difficult to achieve and not everyone have the ability to live without a helping hand from welfare, so a support is never too bad to allow people improve and better their living.
Being in a position to afford to pay for a house, buy grocery, and go out shopping and providing for one’s family is a situation that we do not see any more. Why? Because of lack of job opportunities, or jobs requirements may not be compatible for a person skills. With that said, welfare obligation to help people in situation like this should always remain as top priority for the same reason to help society improve.
When welfare provide assistance there are requirements to present before an approval and definitely if a person manage themselves to get assistance just because they refuse to work, I think we should not have to support the individual (s) because it is not fair for those who does not get help because there is not enough funds. A person who plays the system should not be supported and should be out there like everyone else trying to make a living with decency.
Here is a great example of why welfares should only support those in need. For instance, beginning in the mid-1970s, a deficit in the program began to appear. The deficit saw peaks at 27.75% of the social insurance budget in 1992. This led to a major push by the government to cut back spending in the welfare program. By the end of the 1990s the deficit had been almost completely eradicated. The often large deficits that the program has endured has led to a tremendous amount of opposition to the program as it stands
Tim, I feel the same way. I know that everyone has a rough spot in life and may need some additional help.The problem I have is with people abusing the welfare system.I think the lack of knowledge with the system is a big part of it. If people knew more about how things worked in the welfare system, then people might be less likely to judge others. Buying beer and strip clubs with the welfare debit card should not even be allowed. What kind of food may be a little steep, but cigarrettes, alcohol, and other things that do not contribute to the family household should not be available through welfare.
DeleteWelfare really needs to be there as a catch-net for those that are really down on their luck, the layoff or medical problem that puts the family in a finacial pickle. What is can't be is a life style. The government can't be the main source of income for those who choose not to work. I think the way TANF is operating now is much better than it was in 1995, but I also think that anyone showing up on their doorstep ought to be heard, really heard. Some have a line of BS to spew, but other have a real need for assistance.
ReplyDeleteThe other assistance programs like food stamps and housing are so abused. As a landlord, I have Section 8 people wanting to rent all the time. I know their housing allowance isn't enough to cover my asking price, but they will tell me that they will pay the difference. ILLEGAL! And if they can afford that, why are they recieving housing assistance?
Let's get the applicants/recipients educated and employed. We need more taxpayers to support the system and let to empty the coffers!