Problem: How to get People off of Welfare

660 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Welfare system research paper

It is a commonly known fact that a large percentage of Americans are living on and relying on welfare, which is a government program that provides financial aid to individuals or groups of people who cannot support themselves. Welfare began in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. There are several types of assistance offered by the government, which include healthcare, food stamps, child care assistance, unemployment, cash aid, and housing assistance. The type of welfare and amounts given depend on the individual, and how many children they have. There are many people who honestly need the government assistance, but there are also many who abuse the privilege.
The unsustainable growth of welfare is becoming a big issue in the United States. The government is spending money it does not have to support people it cannot afford. Welfare only adds more debt to our country. Welfare could be a wonderful aid if people used it with justice, but welfare only creates lazy dependent people. Welfare should only be a resource someone can turn to when you are out of all your options, and are in desperate need of help. In this day and age it has turned into a way of life for some people. Too many Americans would rather turn to government assistance than to get back on their feet themselves. Welfare is being taken advantage of.
The biggest complication with welfare is that way too many individuals have become dependent on the government, when the assistance should have only been temporary. A solution to reducing the amount of dependent families could be to reform housing benefits and social housing. The Government should look at ways to increase home ownership and reduce the work disincentives created by social housing (O’Brien). Discouragin...

... middle of paper ...

...rly on cognitive and behavioral measures than their middle-class and more affluent peers (Morris, Bloom, Kemple, and Hendra, 853).
In the future hopefully the solutions I came up with will be in effect somehow. It would also be great if other’s people’s ideas to reform welfare helped change the amount of people living on the government assistance. If nothing with welfare changes, and it continues down the path it is going, then conditions will only get worse. Life in the United States could get very miserable, if you do not think it already is. Hard working tax payers will get fed up more than they already are, and refuse to work, because they no longer want their money to go to lazy unemployed Americans. Something has to be done, or more and more people are going to resort to welfare, and I think this could be the cause of our economy hitting rock bottom, again.

Show More
Related

  • One Nation On Welfare By Michael Grunwald Summary

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    When speaking about Welfare we try to avoid it, turning welfare into an unacceptable word. In the Article “One Nation On Welfare. Living Your Life On The Dole” by Michael Grunwald, his point is to not just only show but prove to the readers that the word Welfare is not unacceptable or to avoid it but embrace it and take advantage of it. After reading this essay Americans will see the true way of effectively understanding the word welfare, by absorbing his personal experiences, Facts and Statistics, and the repetition Grunwald conveys.

    Read More

  • How The Socs Struggle In The Outsiders

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the informational article “A Generation Struggling: Rich Kids are Losing” written by Dr. Brian Carr it states, “It is somewhat surprising that the offspring of the affluent today are more distressed, more reactionary to problems, than other youth. High rates of substances abuse, depression, anxiety, cheating and stealing give a new meaning to “having it all” (Lubbock Online, 1). This quote shows that the kids that have a lot of money have high rates of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and more. This quote supports the idea that the Socs struggle more in life because they can afford drugs and alcohol so they get addicted to it more than poor kids. In the informational article “A Generation Struggling: Rich Kids are Losing” written by Dr. Brian Carr it states, “Substance abuse, including hard drugs, may be much higher in this privileged group as they binge-drink and use marijuana at rates higher than their matched peer group who are less well-funded” (Lubbock Online, 4). This quote shows that the kids with a lot of money have and use hard drugs and they drink a lot. This quote supports the idea that the Socs struggle more in life because they are more exposed to drugs and alcohol than the Greasers are. However, even though some people state the Socs have more difficult lives, they would be incorrect because the Greasers have more difficult lives because they get beat up, have little to no money to pay bills, get picked on, and the parents do not even care if they are alive or

    Read More

  • Socioeconomic Status In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

    1469 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ubiquitous throughout history and across cultures is the concept of rich versus poor. Almost all people fall on a spectrum moving from poverty to affluence. A person’s position on this spectrum is labeled by sociologists as their socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status, often abbreviated as SES, is measured by a person’s income, education, and career. Socioeconomic status is a pinnacle factor in a person’s life, affecting their lifestyle, relationships, and even, as with Dick and Perry, criminal potential. Low socioeconomic status has been shown to correlate with chronic stress, education inequality, and a variety of health problems including hypertension,

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Welfare Reform

    2400 Words  | 5 Pages

    O?Beirne, Kate. ?The State of Welfare: An old and tricky question resurfaces.? National Review 54.2 (February 11, 2002): 1--2. Online. Information Access Expanded

    Read More

  • The Pros of Welfare Reform

    364 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the summer of 1996, Congress finally passed and the President signed the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996", transforming the nation's welfare system. The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act sets the stage for ongoing reconstruction of welfare systems on a state-by-state basis. The combined programs will increase from nearly $100 billion this year to $130 billion per year in 6 years. Programs included are for food stamps, SSI, child nutrition, foster care, the bloss grant program for child- care, and the new block grant to take the place of AFDC. All of those programs will seek $700 billion over the next 6 years, from the taxpayers of America. This program in its reformed mode will cost $55 billion less than it was assumed to cost if there were no changes and the entitlements were left alone. The current welfare system has failed the very families it was intended to serve. If the present welfare system was working so well we would not be here today.

    Read More

  • Poverty And Eviction In Evicted By Matthew Desmond

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the most prominent concerns of Evicted is the issue of inescapable financial instability as it relates to eviction. In the very first few pages of the book, Desmond reveals that the majority of poor renting families in America spend over 50% of their income on housing, with an even more astonishing one in four spending over 70% of their income on it (4). When families are spending the majority of their already meager income on housing alone, it is no surprise that they have little money left for savings or self-betterment programs such as a college education. Compounded with this is the fact that some welfare systems are constructed in a way that discourages long-term financial responsibility. For example, Supplemental Security Income, a program that provides monthly stipends for low-income elderly or disabled individuals, is revoked if individuals have too much money in their bank account (217). For

    Read More

  • Should Welfare Recipients Be Drug Tested?

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    Welfare is a federally funded program that provides health care, food stamps, child care assistance, unemployment, cash aid, and housing that is under the umbrella of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Per Welfare Information, eligibility is determined by net income, family size, and any crisis situation such as: pregnancy, homelessness, and unemployment. TANF also requires the recipient to obtain employment within two years of receiving help (2014). A majority of the monies that support Welfare come from taxes paid by the working class and donations from private companie...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Welfare Reform

    1609 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s America, there are many people who would either be disgusted at the very mention of Welfare or be highly grateful for its existence. I believe that in order for welfare to be more effective in America, there must be reform. From the time of its inceptions in 1935, welfare has lent a helping hand to many in crisis (Constitution Rights Foundation). However, at present many programs within the system are being abused and the people who are in real need are being cheated out of assistance. The year after the creation of welfare unemployment was just about twenty percent (Unemployment Statistics). The need for basic resources to survive was unparallel. Today, many people face the same needs as many did during the 30s. Some issues with

    Read More

  • The History of Welfare in America

    2743 Words  | 6 Pages

    Welfare has been a safety net for many Americans, when the alternative for them is going without food and shelter. Over the years, the government has provided income for the unemployed, food assistance for the hungry, and health care for the poor. The federal government in the nineteenth century started to provide minimal benefits for the poor. During the twentieth century the United States federal government established a more substantial welfare system to help Americans when they most needed it. In 1996, welfare reform occurred under President Bill Clinton and it significantly changed the structure of welfare. Social Security has gone through significant change from FDR’s signing of the program into law to President George W. Bush’s proposal of privatized accounts.

    Read More

  • The United States Welfare System

    1652 Words  | 4 Pages

    Welfare can be defined as “systems by which government agencies provide economic assistance, goods, and services to persons who are unable to care for themselves” (Issitt). The United States welfare system is an extremely complex and unique entity that encompasses ideas and concepts from an abundance of different places. Many people believe the current system is an excellent resource for the population, while others believe the current welfare system requires reform and budget cuts to become effective.

    Read More

  • The Welfare Fraud Crisis

    1709 Words  | 4 Pages

    Welfare is intended for families or individuals that are in need of assistance with no or little income. For those who do not know, Welfare funds come from hard working individuals that are required to pay taxes. Now we wonder, are the tax payers’ hard earned money going to the right deserving recipients? Welfare fraud is on the rise in this country. Many are taking advantage of the system taking away the help that is meant for people that truly needed help to provide for their families or people that need assistance until they can stand on their own feet. Statistics clearly show that “785,000 to 1.2 million families are illegally receiving welfare benefits. At the average rate of $11,500 per year, this means taxpayers are being scammed out of roughly $9 to $13.5 billion dollars every year” (User, par. 4) that is $13.5 Billion dollars of the tax payers hard earned money that is going to the wrong people that do not deserve it. What are the types of Welfare fraud that are being committed in the United States that our government needs to pay close attention to? To start, hopeful recipients will intentionally give false information about their household income to qualify. Some will sell their food stamps also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP). Also, illegal and misuse of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is one of the problems our Welfare System is facing today. All three are considered illegal and these type of activities need to be stopped immediately. People that are in need should be given the assistance they desperately ask for. The System should re-assure tax payers that their hard earned money is going to the right recipients and is not going into the wrong hands.

    Read More

  • Welfare and Government Assistance Policy Recommendations

    690 Words  | 2 Pages

    Being raised in a single-parent lower class home, I realize first-hand the need for welfare and government assistance programs. I also realize that the system is very complex and can become a crutch to people who become dependent and complacent. As a liberal American I do believe that the government should provide services to the less fortunate and resources to find work. However, as able-bodied citizens we should not become complacent with collecting benefits and it is the government’s job to identify people who take advantage of the system and strip benefits from people who are not making efforts to support themselves independently. I will identify errors that exist within the welfare system and several policy recommendations to implement a change that will counteract the negative conditions that currently exist.

    Read More

  • Welfare to Work Advertisement

    499 Words  | 1 Pages

    This advertisement implies that the public perception of welfare recipients is a negative one. Unfortunately, in our society, there is an attitude toward welfare clients because many people apparently believe, according to the Ad council, that these clients are taking money from those who work hard for it themselves, calling this a hand-out. Our society appears to believe that welfare clients wish for, and have, an easy life, free of having to work. The reality of this concept is that people on welfare are not content to just get a check. This service announcement works toward changing this close-minded suggesting that most welfare clients wish to take control of their lives. They paint a very different picture of what these clients truly wish to achieve, rather than what is apparently expected of them by the public. In addition, they try to place a human face on the problem by stating from the beginning that most people on welfare want jobs and being sympathetic but direct.

    Read More

  • The New Deal And The Great Society Essay

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    Welfare programs are an important part of American society. Without any type of American welfare, people will starve, children will not receive the proper education, and people will not receive any medical help simply because they do not have the resources available to them. Each of the three aspects of the American welfare system are unique in their own ways because they are funded differently and the benefits are given to different people. While support for these welfare systems has declined in the more recent years, the support for it when it was created was strong.

    Read More

  • Arguments Against a Welfare State

    1501 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...hose that need them it is impossible. If the government is going to provide things it needs money to do so, and where does that money come from, taxes. Therefore the medication, housing, food and other benefits allotted to those on the welfare system are paid for by masses who actually do work and make something of themselves. Those receiving those benefits either don’t see or don’t care about the cost it puts on the rest of society, and fall into the hole of letting life come to you on the silver platter at the cost of someone else. Hard work is something considered antique, a thing of our grandparents with too many willing to forsake it for a life that isn’t of the highest quality but is of the lowest effort. The rise of the welfare state spells the end of America as we know it, the end of the “land of opportunity” and the beginning of the land of poverty.

    Read More

More about Problem: How to get People off of Welfare

Open Document