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Many Americans seem to hold strong views on welfare but seldom can agree on the statistics. This website claims that only 4.1 % of Americans are on welfare while other sites claim its higher.  Many folks claim its predominantly blacks who are on welfare which as far as this site suggests is not the case at all. Some claim whole families have existed for generation on welfare but here it suggests that over 80% of those are supported with assistance for less than 5 years.

Like most everything in America today its political as well. Many conservative are against welfare and some want it abolished altogether. Many liberals support assistance and even want to see it increased. Many on both sides want to see firmer controls on who can and cannot collect and for how long. What do you think of these stats? Any surprises? Do you have others you think are more accurate? How do you feel about welfare? What are your views?

www.statisticbrain.com/welfare-statistics

There is nothing wrong with helping people when they need it.  But those that scam the system should be thrown off for life and do some jail time - that's just out and out theft.  food stamps should be used only for food - as is what they were intended for, not liquor, not lottery tickets, not for nude bars... food only....  Welfare should be a safety net, not a life time entitlement.

You really should listen to this radio conversation. I know you won't...but you really should.

She called in to brag about how she gets to sit home all day and she gets to ”visit my friends all day” as well as ”smoke weed” instead of working for a paycheck. The women claimed to be getting about $450 altogether in food stamps.

[She] told the radio host, “Can you really blame us?? The caller, Lucy, goes on to claim that while her husband works part-time, he doesn’t really work that much because “he doesn’t see the need for it.

…[She] goes on to ask an incredibly valid question, “Why should I work?” She also says, “We’re the one’s getting paid, can you really blame us?”

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/01/111112-listen-welfare-abuser-brag-stealing-money-taxpayers/

Your stats look pretty good ;  now if you could learn to read and comprehend; you'd understand what conservatives are talking about.  20% of the people who receive welfare are generational clients. That doesn't strike you as wrong?  ONE family in FIVE on welfare have made a career of it. Since this story is just talking about "welfare"; I'm guessing it doesn't include the chronic un-employed, or those that found a good "doctor" and are signed up for lifetime disability payments because they have a "personality disorder", or a "bad back" at age 27.  Also your stats show that over 55% of their "welfare" recipients are minorities-----  what percentage of the general population  do they represent?

When people need assistance, really need it, they ought to get it because we are decent and kind people. But there are so many who scam the system or are trapped into becoming institutionalized that they resemble recidivist criminals who can't function in society and require the structure the state provides. Example:

EMS call for a sick teenager. Family in public housing project and on Medicaid. Presume that they are on food stamps and WIC for little ones. The persons on the Medicaid form included the following:

Grandma (in her early fifties if I am a judge of such things - I know better than to ask a lady!)

Mom (maybe around early thirties)

Elder daughter (17)

Son of elder daughter (3)

Daughter of elder daughter (1)

Younger daughter (15)

Younger daughter is pregnant in third trimester.

Six people, four last names on the Medicaid document. Their situation is a little extreme but by no means unusual. Grandma, Mom, and elder daughter all appear healthy, fit, (reasonably) sane, and able to work. None do. Are we really helping that family? I say we are not.

Is there paying work? Is there lack of work force?

As long as answer to those is no, there is no welfare problems.

I agree , I've always like the idea that if a person is not totally disabled they should be required to do community service or some kind of productive work in order to receive assistance. Everyone wants to be a productive member of society don't they?
Not to mention they would be cutting our tax burden in the process.

The problem arises when these unproductive people have children. Cutting welfare benefits from these people means that their children are affected. If we can find a way do see that children are taken of and their parents are not maybe we can get people to be more productive.

There is such a thing as generational welfare, and being trapped in a cycle of poverty.  It does involve a mindset, but it is far more complicated than can be explained away with "lazy and entitled".  If you start with poor education and lack of skill sets, combine it with limited opportunity, or the availability of only low/minimum wage employment that keeps them in poverty...then you get "what's the point?"  They do better (financially) by simply staying put.

There's also this:  People who are disabled, but still capable of doing simple jobs or tasks that pay low...get their welfare benefits cut, so they stay stuck in the same or worse situation.   

I don't really buy that.  I mean, I believe that is the justification, I just don't believe it's valid.  Even the guys who clean at the school probably don't have education or a specialized skill set, and may not even come out much further ahead than someone on welfare, if at all.  But they have the integrity to want to work regardless, and to put in the hours for their pay even if they could make as much sitting around on welfare and every government benefit they can qualify for.
There are people who could be on welfare and do just about as well as they do at their jobs, but they work anyway because it's the right thing to do.

I don't feel sorry for those who choose to do the opposite.

Government benefits should be for those who are truly in need, not those who just figure they're just as well off not working.

don't look down on the guys who keep our schools clean. Any work is honorable, and as a matter of fact I have a friend that is a janitor at a school and he does fine, he even bought a fixer upper on a lake in the beautiful Laurentians
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurentian_Mountains
and he renovated it and it's gorgeous. Not to mention the bennies and pension from a gov. job. 
The guy works hard, does good work and is enjoying his life. It is what we make of it.........life. 
Nobody ever said it would be easy, but it ain't impossible either. My friend the janitor is living a dream...
lakeside in the Laurentians

The glass really is half full.........

So keep them on full welfare, but with a stipulation that they train for some sort of skilled job. Then after a year or two, whatever the program might be they transition into full time work. I don't personally know of one person who can not find work. Adults, kids coming out of college, everyone I know and their kids too have good jobs. 
Basically if the gov. gives you money you have to earn it if you're physically able. Community service, jobs programs, menial labor for some public works. Just make it so a person can't sit home watching the Jerry Springer show eating Cheetos while they wait for a check. Want a hand up, no problem...........earn it.

What in the world made you think I was looking down on him after saying that he has integrity to work at a job that doesn't pay well because he has a work ethic?

I suppose I should say our janitors are not well paid, and I doubt they get great benefits either.  I know and like the man, and he walks to work from his small shotgun style house that has probably been around since who knows when.  He is a hard working guy.

I don't think that statement was exactly putting the guy in a positive light. I guess because my friend is highly intelligent, very skilled in a variety of sets and will retire with a beautiful home on a lake in a scenic part of Quebec with a good pension and a couple rental properties. I guess the janitor I know doesn't fit your view does he?

Amazing to see several welfare supporters on this board. I shall remind those people that in India, in Nigeria and 50 more countries, about 2 billions people are in urgent need of everything, please help them as much as you can. Thank you.

That's the lazy way out.  If every American waited for somebody to give them a job then we would have no Henry Ford.  If there's no job, you make one.  You hustle.  You work your ass off.  You offer to mow lawns, wash cars, etc.  Don't sit on your ass watching Oprah and Dr. Oz.  If you have trouble making ends meet take the public assistance, but don't sit on your ass wondering why somebody from McDonald's hasn't run to your front door with a uniform begging you to work.

The people spoiled on welfare don't know poverty.  In 1932 how many people walked door to door asking if work was available.  I doubt more than 5% of the welfare generationals even try this.

There are 4.5 million jobs now going vacant in the US.  No one is trained to fill them.  Many jobs require only 3 months training some more but over 80% of jobs could be trained for in one year. Some corporations are understanding this and are working toward helping their workers become trained.

  We have moved into a new age and are having a hard time keeping up especially with a government that right now is uunfunctionable. We need to take our community colleges and have them work with the various companies in that area and design training for their new employees.  We have done that here in Spokane and it worked very well.  That idea needs to expand to all states. Unions used to do a lot of trianing but with the decline of unions we have lost a lot of training for the trades.

I'm happy for your janitor friend, but that's not how it is for mine.  Sorry if that offends you, but it has nothing to do with looking down on him.  I quite respect him for his work when so many in his position would choose differently.  Mr. Nate would not take a handout so long as he could work.

I know , it really boils down to the individual. We do kind of make our own luck I think. For instance I had a busboy from Lebanon, he came here with a couple hundred bucks in his pocket, 20 years old. He took a job as a busboy at two different restaurants, one by day, one by night. He saved his money and after 5 years he was able to put a down payment on a 3 bedroom house. He spent what spare time he had finishing the basement and after 2 years he sold that house for an 80,000 profit...................and so on. Now he is a small business owner with a wife and 2 kids.
Then there is the busboy that spends his pay as soon as he gets it, doesn't have a car, a rental apt. and collection agencies after his ass constantly. I'm sure he tells everyone how he is 'only' a busboy and he doesn't make enough money.
Character is the difference. Since some people are lacking in that quality then we need to require them to do the right thing for the good of everyone. Hence my views on welfare.........

Welfare has changed significantly, and much of what currently circulates as discussion about it is dated information.  It looks to me as though the government has phased itself successfully out of the picture and future generations won't have the same expectations.
Why should anyone work if they are satisfied with the current revenue stream?
Not happy with the homeless population especially the growing numbers of children.
Public education is the solution.  Teach them to fish, grow vegetables, start a business.
If you want them off the streets at night, maybe a mandate that all vacant motel rooms be provided.  All restaurants with eatable food leftover not be allowed to throw it away.  Surpluses can be scooped up for them.  The county and town poor farms used to operate to give people a hand up.  Stigma was not as intense back in the day.  Annie Oakley learned to read and write in just such a facility.  Back in the day it was not uncommon for people to fall on bad times, and we had more humane ways of dealing with it.  Smaller communities paid individuals to take them into their homes for a time.  We can do better, obviously.  Why don't we?
The expense went through the ceiling as private contractors bid on the services instead of government hiring and providing the services....then the contracted service just fell out of the budget, at some point when state's no longer required counties to provide for the indigents in this way. Now the county budgets are screaming over the health expense of indigent care...it's a vicious downward spiral initiated by some sound good ways of saving tax dollars.

That isn't what I'm talking about exactly, altho I would agree in general with 'keep them on full welfare while they train'....the FACT is that most disabled people, whatever the disability physical or mental, can't successfully do much more than part time or min. wage work, if they can find it. It's also a fact that when they take such work, hoping to supplement, they are docked in benefits.  So they don't try. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. It is a type of trap.

I had a good friend , from a well off family, valedictorian in her high school class, Daddy bought her a new convertible for graduation, already accepted into pre-med at the state college, plus, she was drop dead gorgeous.  She also had a boyfriend---  who felt bad because she had a new car and he didn't, so after graduation he drove her new car, -----------and flipped it.  Broke her neck and left her with the ability to move ONE arm slightly.  I met her at work, you see after the accident she couldn't handle the rigorous education course she had planned, so she changed to accounting, which would not require the ability to walk.  She never accepted one cent of charity, or disability---she worked every day, and could type faster than I using a pencil eraser in her one functional hand....  her boyfriend dropped her within six weeks of the accident, because being around her made him depressed.  I'm sorry, if Rosemary could support herself,  by God anyone can.

What about an "guaranteed annual income"? Would anyone buy into that? It could get rid of the need for welfare altogether.

Everyone is not made the same. Great story about this 'Rosemary' but lets face facts, it's not typical. Many people don't have that fortitude, she is fortunate and I hope she is grateful for that gift of strength.
So, that's why we the people(government) must regulate these things. We need welfare reform IMO so that people who are not so gifted still have an opportunity to shine in their own way. We all have something to give and it's our responsibility to find something to do, something to make a person be a part of this wonderful society. 
Bigotry and prejudice don't help anyone. 

If same had happened to someone from minimum wage family, would that person had same chances? That is get the support for education? I take that her family paid for it and not her?

Should really redefined what welfare mean.

Federal and state employees, are they not welfare recipient?

Bank and insurance sector getting bailout money is welfare also.

People in the western countries think it is "other" who take on welfare check. Little do they realized the subsidy comes from artificially high currency and artificially low interest rate are another form of welfare.

Tell statistics to get a job like everyone else. Damned freeloading charts.

The programs started with good intentions but the fraud rates are going up.  The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Free is a dangerous concept.

Any free food given to a country population for prolong period of time will destroy the country agriculture industry. Same with cloth and textile industry.

Short term assistance to relieve disaster is fine. Long term dependency will destroy the country population ability to stand on their own two legs.

Not much surprising. More than two-thirds of the Americans are non-Hispanic white, yet some 61% of the welfare recipients are non-white. And I was quite surprised at the Asian numbers also. It is quite high, proportional to their population.  >:(

We're living in difficult times.

It's not a character flaw to go through tough times. Providing food and housing security for everyone would vastly improve conditions for everyone. It would certainly drop the crime rate.

We put people in impossible situations were it is hard to stay afloat. The minimum wage is a joke. The housing prices are also way inflated and with their inflation so is the taxation on the homes.

Housing has to go to a fair market price that allows everyone to live without working all day.
Employers have to pay their employees fair wages.
Everyone should share in society's wealth and everyone should have a place to call their own and the ability to get adequate nutrition regardless who they are.

Anything else is extra.

Why do we allow people to become homeless? And why have we created a situation where it is difficult for a person to build their own shelter without being regulated to hell?

Government can not manage resources more efficient than the private sector assuming there is no barrier of entrance.

Government sponsor enterprise is the reason why we have the housing mess today. And minimum wage discourage employer to hire worker.

You need to trace back the root cause rather than fixing the symptom.

While I concede that the welfare system is heavily abused, the good it does far outweighs these issues as long as incentive to leave these programs is maintained. If you are really concerned about the fiscal health of the nation I suggest you take a closer look at the trillions of dollars stolen from our nation by banks. The welfare and entitlement programs are a DROP IN THE BUCKET compared to what banks have stolen from us all.

Unfortunately the math isn't adding up.  If they're spending $75 billion on food stamps the money is being misappropriated on fraud or bureaucracy.  Instead of issuing money, it would be cheap to drive door to door with cans of corn, peas, tuna, etc and deliver to hungry families.  Now they give out plastic cards that are sold in alleyways and on craigslist to pay for drug habits.

Until recently guess who managed those cards... JP Morgan.

There is no such thing as a free lunch (no pun intended)

When people are given "free" money for food or other forms of welfare it must be ultimately be paid for by other people.

And if people are truly desperate and they have options, they aren't going to quietly die of by hunger. They are going to take food or money from somewhere, this population is much smaller and heavier hit than if it was everyone.

Welfare is way to prevent crime and costs related to it. Other way is to not punish for petty theft, because lack of resources or waste lot more money for that punishment.

Real problem is that there just isn't options for everyone to provide for themselves at this time...

Charity and assistance should come from local community during hard time. If the whole community is being hit hard, then everyone should sit down and come up with a long term plan.

Welfare also prevents people from wanting to get a job in order to support themselves. Most people on food stamps remain on food stamps for at least 3 years. Most people on disability never look for a job again.
If you count commuting time/costs, income taxes, and lost welfare benefits then a well paying job could potentially only pay someone ~$2 per hour in additional income above what they got before leaving the various welfare rolls.

Cost of living in developed countries is just too high... And that is probably unsolvable issue on short term, until global labour prices stabilise...

Too much wastage in government sector and they are being supported by private sector and taxpayer.

It is high in developed world because of bureaucracy and inefficiency in government sector.

The issue is not the cost of living, the issue is that there are not enough incentives to find a job and work for your money. There are too many incentives to work off of other's money

oh boy, this topic is bound to incite some energy from the hard right on here. fucking obama, man.

How would welfare work in a Bitcoin society?
Let us imagine Bitcoin gets total mainstream approval and all fiat fail. BTC is now worldwide.
Who helps those that cannot work for X reasons if there are no fees to collect money from and help the unlucky?
Just imagine the amount of people out there that can't work for LEGIT reasons: Crippled people, schizophreniacs, chronic fatigue syndrom sufferers, multiple sclerosis.. the list goes on. Where is all that money going to come from in a tax free world? How can we trust private institutions to take care of this realistically? How can private institutions benefit from tons of people that can't generate any value in the market?

This is a very interesting point as it appears that all these welfare and "social' programs really are nothing more then paid votes as they are given to lazy people by democrats who tend to vote more and will vote for democrats.