Some statistics on welfare

[umair127]

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.

[zolace]

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.

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.

[sana8410]

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.

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.

[noviapriani]

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

[zolace]

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.

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.

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. 

[Ekaros]

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.

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.

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?

[dadugan]

Many folks claim its predominantly blacks who are on welfare which as far as this site suggests is not the case at all.

Should really redefined what welfare mean.

Federal and state employees, are they not welfare recipient?

[wenben]

Many folks claim its predominantly blacks who are on welfare which as far as this site suggests is not the case at all.

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.

[TECSHARE]

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

[ALToids]

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

[fdiini]

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.

[bryant.coleman]

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. 

[KonstantinosM]

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?

[tooil]

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.

[TECSHARE]

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.

[DrG]

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.

[TECSHARE]

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.

[InwardContour]

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.

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.

[Ekaros]

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.

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...

[arbitrage001]

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.

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.