Without a doubt, it is going to be a topic that the United States is going to have to address in the very near future; especially in light of new figures that have recently been released that indicate that over 100 MILLION Americans are currently receiving some type of Federal Welfare. Opponents of the growing welfare programs argue that the United States is becoming a "Welfare State" and that the middle class and the wealthy are the ones that are being "forced" to pay for these programs - mainly through increased taxes. Likewise, those that proclaim that the programs are vital due to the current economy, make the argument that those that have jobs should be assisting those that are without and even more so, that the weight of the funding for these programs should come from "taxing the rich" at a much higher rate.
Furthermore, most individuals that are against the increased funding for the numerous federal welfare programs that exist claim that a large portion of those that are receiving these funds are abusing the system and "just lazy" - getting money for nothing. Why would they want to work if they are going to get "free money" and "free healthcare"? Those that are benefiting from these programs claim that there aren't any jobs and that it's not their fault.
One of the ideas that has recently gained traction is that those that receive a welfare check should be forced to work. The argument is that there are plenty of volunteer jobs that recipients can work at; soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, picking up litter, etc. Those that disagree with this approach argue that "forcing" people to work would be the same as slavery - forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do and that doing so would be unconstitutional.
So... I bet you can guess what this week's blog topic is.....
BLOG TOPIC: Should those that receive welfare benefits be forced to work x-number of hours per week in order to qualify to receive the benefits?
This week's blog topic was contributed by Lady Tank.....
Welfare is designed to aid the less fortunate who are unable to support themselves and their families. My family and I are all for helping those in need of financial support, but only for the right reasons. My parents work hard each and every day to support themselves, and my brother and I. They also pay for exorbitant college fees for my brother. Paying taxes is required by law and my family has no problem in doing so. If our tax money is going to those who are doing whatever it takes to find jobs and work to support themselves and their families, but are still struggling, we would happily pay those taxes. However, when the tax money that we pay is going towards those who are drug addicts, lazy to work for their money, or those who just do not care about supporting themselves is when the line has been crossed. Why should my parents make the effort that they do to make provisions for themselves, their family, AND those who just do not try to make a living? In order for people to receive the welfare benefits, they must work to earn that privilege. Hours of work should be determined by the government, regarding the certain conditions that people live in. With the assurance that my parents’ (and all of our parents’) tax money is going to those who are actually making the effort to support themselves, we will feel more secure in knowing where/to whom our tax money will be going. Receiving welfare benefits is a privilege. Therefore, it is not a form of “slavery” and it is not “unconstitutional” if people are required to work in order to obtain these benefits. Those who are in desperate needs of the financial aid welfare provides, will have no problem in working to receive those supplements. Those who are not willing to work for what they need, even if it means earning financial aid from the government, then so be it. They do not deserve the hard work and efforts from people who do implement those work hours.
ReplyDeleteHey Kushali, I agree with your entire view on the subject. My family just like yours is trying to support my siblings, and I which can be very hard if I know my money is going to indolent people just like you said in your blog. I also liked how you stated its not "Slavery or "Unconstitutional" because if anything its unconstitutional that I'm paying for others because they don't want to work for a certain amount of hours.
Delete"They do not deserve the hard work and efforts from people who do implement those work hours." -That is exactly how I feel. If the Middle -Class must sacrifice for the lower-class, then the lower-class should at least work. Since they are unemployed, they should be searching for a job anyway. If the government's taxes (Middle-Classes Money) is going towards lower-class people, the "nothing-is-free" slogan works well.
DeleteKushali, I have to say that your paragraph contained a lot of great points and arguments. I agree that our families should not suffer in paying taxes and welfare for those who abuse the privilege by not working hard as it is. Like you mentioned, why should our parents work hard for others who make no effort in trying? They don't deserve the hard work of our families if they're too lazy to try and earn a living. If there was a job requirement, we would all be assured about where our parents' money is being sent. I also liked how you stated that welfare was a privilege so it would not be considered slavery if they were required to work.
DeleteI agree that it is okay to help the people who really are struggling, and that it just isn't fair to the people who work hard for their money to pay extra taxes to support those welfare recipients who simply take advantage of the benefits. Your points greatly helped to support your opinion, and I like that you related the issue to yourself and your family. I also agree with the fact that requiring these people to work a certain number of hours per week is not considered "slavery" or "unconstitutional".
DeleteI happen to disagree with you on this. I don't know if you are aware but welfare is not some huge check that people can just easily live off. It is only a small sum of money that can be used for basic necessities. So it is almost like charity in a way, you are donating a little money each month to the welfare program to help support the needy.
DeleteI completely agree with you! If our extra taxes go into help those people who don't make any effort, then our effor can be considered unworthy. If you want to help a people, teach him a skill of catching fish is somehow better than send him fish everyday.
DeleteHonestly this blog has changed my view as I favor the democratic side, but there are many points that can be brought up by someone who is more preservative. To begin, Ill start off with the moral points aka the con . It is of course very sad that some people are unemployed and have to receive welfare, and according to the intro to the blog 100,000,000 are receiving some type of welfare. People may argue that they don't need to work a certain number of hours because they're already trying there best to support themselves. For example if a single mother is housing 10 kids, and cant find a good job then it would be necessary to give them some money so they can support their family. So in a sense some people could be "KUMBAYA" and wouldn't mind giving up some money to help others, that's why we donate to charities right? Now for the pro side of the question that people should have to work a certain amount in order to receive welfare (which is the side that I favor). Of course helping unfortunate people is morally right and good but we have to look at this from an economic standpoint. Hearing my mom complain about taxes is not fun (especially since she is an accountant) but not only that its hurting the majority of our nation! Everyone strives to make money and be successful but I shouldn't have to pay extra taxes for those who don't, especially those who are drug addicts or alcoholics who need money from the government to live because they are lazy and cant find a job. If I know that someone has to work a certain amount of hours a day to receive welfare I can be reassured because I know my money is going to people that actually care about their well being and are not just relying on the government to bail them out. Also something that wasn't necessarily expressed in the blog that I just wanted to add was that there should be background checks for those people applying for a job. If we tighten up and establish these rules other countries will follow, allowing our nation as well as others to become more efficient and safe
ReplyDeleteElijah I completely agree with your opinions on welfare; your post was very well developed. When I was writing my own answer for this blog, I had not thought about the different aspects that welfare could be viewed on. You said that a single unemployed mother that had ten kids should be an exception to the job requirement suggestion, and I couldn't agree with you more. Like you also mentioned, there should definitely be background checks for everyone applying for job since they could have criminal history or could be drug addicts and may not be fit for the position, and I think this should apply to situations such as the single mother you talked about as well. I liked how you said "Everyone strives to make money and be successful but shouldn't have to pay extra taxes for those who don't..." It also definitely isn't fun listening to parents complaining about all the taxes they have to pay!
DeleteElijah, great post and I agree with all of your points. The background checks is a great idea, which the government should take the time in enforcing this regulation. Also, it is true how you said that having people to work for their welfare benefits will ensure all of us and our families that the money is going to the right places and not to those who are waiting for the government to bail them out.
DeletePoint of clarification, the term is conservative. Anyway, I agree and disagree with you. You basically have two arguments in one. I agree with your point about the mother of 10 statement, and i am going to expand on this. If she does receive welfare, and she would have to work say... 60 hours a week to receive welfare, how would she have time to take care of her children. If she's working overtime to receive this extra money, it is almost having a second or third unnecessary job. The idea of making people work x amount of hours for a little welfare money doesn't really make sense, so I do mostly disagree with you.
DeleteElijah you made many valid points on why people benefitting from the program should work for an x amount of hours. It is definitely absurd that the middle class is responsible for giving a portion of their money to those who don't work at all (who are sometimes drug addicts, lazy, ignorant...). In a nation like the U.S. with millions of people working hard for their money, a welfare program hurting the middle and wealthy class doesn't seem right at all. I also agree with your point that we have to look at this at an economic standpoint and that there should be background checks on a person to ensure the validity of this program.
DeleteHey Ian sorry about the conservative word I couldn't think of it while I was writing. I also stated that I was going to say some of the pros and some of the cons since I was a little on the fence about the topic. I wasn't trying to make two arguments in one just trying to support both sides. Another point is that most people are taking advantage of that welfare! I bet you the amount of lazy people who don't want a job and just allow the government support them outweigh the amount of single mothers. Maybe there could be some exceptions to people who are single moms or dads because I can only imagine how hard that would be to care for kids without money. The fact of the matter is that people who are indolent or just don't care they are making the middle/upper class work for them should be required to work certain amount of hours.
DeleteI completely agree that it is extremely unfair that your mom has to pay for alcoholics and drug addicts and overall, lazy people. Also, you stated that you would be reassured if it were going to people who actually cared. That is very caring of you but I would still feel "iffy". Also, speaking of the mother trying to support 10 kids, it really depends on the situation. For example, lets say her husband left her because she was maybe a cheater and lazy. This is primarily her fault if she cant support the kids because she would be getting some sort of additional money whether it'd be from the govt or her ex husband. She should've thought logically before having 10 kids as well, and shouldve found a substantial job and ensure herself that she would be economically stable and prepared for a situation like this.
DeleteI agree a lot of your points. The background check is very neceserry. Because different people have different situations, and some of them really can't help themselves but receiving aids. Good Points!
DeleteWelfare is intended to help those in need, to contribute money to citizens living in struggling living conditions. However, if those who are able to earn money are being forced to pay for those who make no effort in working and being paid, welfare has no major benefits. Those receiving welfare should at the least be required to work a minimum number of hours per week. As Kushali had mentioned in her post, our families go to work every single weekday to earn a living and maintain themselves. Unfortunately, my parents cut out a large portion of their salary on college fees for my sister, car bills, phone bills, electrical bills, water bills, needs, wants, and most importantly, taxes. Like Hava has mentioned during our “heated” discussions in class, where our contributed money is being distributed is unknown, whether they’re drug addicts, criminals, business-owners that are dishonest about the amount of money they earn, etc. Our parents need to be assured that the money they are providing and removing from their hard-earned salaries are being funded to those who are making efforts in earning a living, but still find themselves not being able to provide for their families. Most people understand that it is ethically generous to aid the less fortunate, but to a certain extent, mostly because giving up money that should be dutifully yours could be sent to people that are way less deserving than others. I find that middle class citizens are usually the ones who gain the most disadvantages in this particular situation, since they are not needy enough to apply for welfare or financial aid, and therefore are forced to contribute towards them, but they are not rich enough to casually afford this. I agree that while everything has its disadvantages, one of the major flaws in this system is not setting up minimum job requirements to guarantee the potential and correct use of the portions of money being set aside for such a huge cause.
ReplyDeleteI agree FULLY on your opinion about the Middle-Class suffering more than any other class. They work dutifully, and still are forced to contribute a portion of their paycheck (weekly taken through taxes) to others that potentially do not work. " but they are not rich enough to casually afford this. " -this statement stands true, because Middle-Class workers must support themselves before they worry about anyone else first.
DeleteAnshul, I completely agree with your opinion on the subject. Our parents work hard to pay off bills and taxes, and it is not fair that more and more of their money is going to welfare recipients who are unwilling to find jobs because they're basically getting a "free ride". The people of the Middle Class definitely receive the most disadvantages in cases like this. Overall, I agreed with everything you had to say.
DeleteI completely agree with you! No pain, no gain. We shouldn't give help to people who eat the bread of idleness all day. But if the money we help the poors can really help them to survive in the society by themselves, then the money is worthy
DeleteFor this blog topic, I will combine personal opinion, and facts. Firstly, Welfare is given to those who are struggling with money, and/or need assistance. However... abusers have become more-and-more associated with the term. Some choose to use welfare to its limit, while never having intended to search for a job. I feel personally, that you should be forced to work for welfare. You are receiving money, so a service must be included with that money. This is not considered "slavery", because you are receiving compensation. Simply: no work = no money. America's economy is struggling each and every day. The more money it sends out, the more work is needed to balance it out. However, this brings me to another personal opinion... Example: "A single-Mother with 2 children, and both are infants who do not attend school yet. How will she be able to go to work and watch her children at home?" Some may argue that she may have relatives to watch her children, but in some cases this does not always work out. Should she be inclined to spend money on daycare? Or should the government pay for her? (*note: The government is already in severe debt.) .So, after looking at it from an economical point-of-view, and a heart point-of-view, I still feel welfare-receivers SHOULD be forced to work. It's the only way we can both satisfy the civilians, and the nation as a whole. On a side note : Anshul's opinion on the Middle Class I agree with fully. if the Middle-Class is the most hardworking class... why should they have to give a portion of their paycheck (through taxes) towards those that do not work? It truly isn't fair, and those on Minimum Wage can barely make it as it is.
ReplyDeleteTom, I liked that you included some facts along with your personal opinion on this subject. As you stated above, I completely agree that a service must be included along with receiving money. Plus, I thought that it was clever including your example about a single mother with two children to further depict your opinion on the subject.
DeleteTom, I agree how you said that the middle-class is the most hardworking class so they should not be forced to pay taxes that go to those who do not work for their money. If "forcing" people to work for their welfare benefits is being considered as a form of slavery, that is completely absurd! It would be considered as slavery and unconstitutional if they were not receiving anything in return, but they are gaining something from working, just like everyone else.
DeleteTom, I believe that your blog comment was well constructed and held some legitimate facts to support your argument. The welfare program should only benefit those who work an x number of hours due to the fact that is unfair for others who find it hard making a living and have to deal with a portion of their money going to the "needy". For all we know, that money could be going to drug addicts or ignorant lazy people who are at fault for corrupting their own lives. Your point on single mother with two children is spot on and really shows why the welfare program should only benefit those who work in turn. It isn't fair at all for the hard working middle class and wealthy people to pay a portion of money for those who don't even work.
Delete"Simply: no work = no money"
DeleteAmong your other statements, this one stood out to me. We have extremely similar views regarding welfare and this sentence hit it right on. You have to earn for what you get, as I stated in my other comments. No one should get something for free, regardless of whether you are jobless, homeless, or anything else!
Tom, I liked the information you included in your post in supporting your statement. I agree that the welfare privilege is growing to become abused unfairly. Your reality example perfectly evaluated this situation. It is unjust for the middle class to have to work hard and provide those that don't deserve it. Also, having to be forced to work is nothing like slavery because they are in turn receiving benefits.
DeleteTom, I like how you combined personal opinion and facts to create a really valid argument. I agree that people on welfare should work a minimal amount of hours to receive these benefits because if we just kept giving money away our economy would suffer tremendously. As you stated "Simply: no work = no money" which is very logical and true for anyone in this world. Great post!
DeleteThe government provides welfare to hundreds of thousands of citizens living in the United States who are less fortunate and struggling to find work. I do realize that, unfortunately, there are some people who are just unable to find jobs. At the same time, however, there are also many people all over the country who ultimately take advantage of this privilege by not bothering to find work and relying on receiving taxpayers’ money- and this needs to be stopped. There are hundreds of thousands of citizens who work so hard and can barely support themselves and their families, and it is completely unfair to make them pay extra taxes to go to the people on welfare that are reluctant to find jobs. For this reason, I firmly believe that the people on welfare should be required to work a certain number of hours every week (whether it be picking up litter, helping out in soup kitchens, etc.) in order to qualify to receive these benefits. In life, nothing is free. Having welfare recipients work for a certain number of hours per week would show them that they can’t be getting free rides anymore- they need to work. Furthermore, in no way is requiring welfare recipients to work unconstitutional. In this case, having these people work to qualify for these benefits wouldn't be that much different than having an ordinary person work hard to receive their money.
ReplyDeletePaige, I like how you said "In life, nothing is free," which is absolutely true. People cannot just recieve the welfare benefits for "free." The must work for it. I also like how you mentioned that people working for welfare benefits is the same thing as people working hard to receive their money. There really is no difference. Requiring people to work for their welfare benefits is actually consititutional, rather than unconstitutional. If there are people out there who are in desperate need of welfare benefits, they will work. Those who do not want to make the effort would not be eligible for welfare.
DeleteHey Paige, good job we have basically the same view points on the topic. It is only fair that we work x amount of hours so they have to work x amount of hours its as simple as that. This would also mean a better economy because more people will pursue jobs and will work a certain amount of hours. Also in my opinion it is fair and constitutional because like Kushali said in her blog "Those who are in desperate needs of the financial aid welfare provides, will have no problem in working to receive those supplements."
DeleteAlthough you have good points, I have to say i disagree with you. You stated that people take advantage of their benefits, but there is not a lot of money given to them in the first place. Usually its only hundreds of dollars a month, which is usually not enough or just enough to pay rent.
DeletePaige your argument was valid i especially liked the quote you used "Nothing in life is free" this quote is very true and serves as a good example for this topic. I too believe that people must work hard for stuff nothing should just be handed to you. Things are accomplished through handwork. Good job
DeletePaige, I agree. Nothing should go to anyone for free. People have to work for what they get.
Delete"...welfare recipients work for a certain number of hours per week would show them that they can’t be getting free rides anymore- they need to work."
I completely agree with this statement. Everyone else is working to earn a living, and they should be required to contribute in a way.
Paige, your argument was very valid and you supported your opinion. I really like the quote you used " In life, nothing is free" because it is very true. Welfare recipients should have to work instead of freeloading off others because everyone else in the country works hard to earn their money. Great post!
DeleteWhen it comes to welfare, I tend to fall on the more conservative side. The US Welfare System is a program where the government provides aid to citizens in need. Lately, instead of people actually using welfare for the better, many have been abusing the system. Both my parents work everyday to help and support them, my sisters, and I, and the fact that my parents have to give some of their hard-earned money to people such as drug addicts, alcoholics, and selfish people hurts me deeply. My parents don't fight the fact that they have taxes to pay, and don't mind having their money go out to help people, but they feel skeptical about the welfare screening process. No hard-working person should have the government take away their money, and give it to lazy, inconsiderate people who feel its alright to just do as they please. If you're not working, you're not getting work experience, and if you are paid for nothing, you don't go and get more skills. Eventually, your value as a worker is almost nothing because you tend to abuse the system. States such as New York, Illinois, Kentucky, etc. have more people on welfare than actually working, which is sad. Some people even lie about being unemployed just to secure welfare checks and if they are hiding it all, there is no way to track their finances. Some food stamp recipients also sell their coupons for a profit. All these actions are illegal, yet none get caught. The middle-class suffers greatly because of the taxes going to welfare, so a change should be made. I believe in order to receive welfare, they MUST work a certain amount of hours a week to actually earn it. When I say work, I mean a job that will contribute back to their community, DPW, or any other type of employment that their community has. It may be considered unconstitutional, but everyone must realize that those receiving welfare are taking money from other people who ACTUALLY work and have others to support. If they are forced to work, they will not be able to abuse the system and get a free ride, just like I have chores, if I don't complete them, I don't get paid. I understand there are those who are truly incapable of working, or have kids, they do deserve welfare up to a certain extent. Yet, why must my parents go food shopping and have to pay cash, when the person in front of them who has their keys to their BMW out, for say, and is all dressed is paying with food stamps. Its not fair how people are abusing the system and making it harder for those who have taxes and bills to pay, and a family to support. If people want to receive welfare, they should have to work for a government organization, and get drug tested prior to picking up every check. The idea of random middle-class people having to pay for others who can support themselves is wrong.
ReplyDeleteHey Hava I was waiting for this post and I agree with where your coming from! I like how you included the facts about the states having more people on welfare than actual jobs that was very interesting. It just goes to show that certain people don't care that the middle and upper has to pay for them. If citizens get a job and work x amount of hours its so much more reassuring
DeleteWow Hava! These are some really good points! Especially the drug-testing part, I feel that Should definitely be implemented. The Middle-Class working people deserve to know where the money is truly going towards. Also, if illegal acts, such as selling food-stamps is becoming more and more of a problem, why aren't we tracking it? I feel the government SHOULD care since money is very important in today's society.
DeleteHava, I will strongly agree with your points on welfare and how the middle class is the one losing in this case. The fact that people's hard earned money might be going to drug addicts, selfish and/or lazy people is completely absurd. Without a doubt those who benefit from the system should work for their living and show that they have what it takes to support themselves instead of benefitting from doing nothing. Furthermore, I am surprised with the fact that there are more people on welfare than there are actually working in some states. All in all, welfare should only benefit those who are willing to work in order support their families.
DeleteHava your argument was both clear and excellent wow you made me convert sides i believe strongly in your point of view. I never imagined you felt so strongly about this subject your use of examples and the attack of drug and acohol abuse by means of the money received through e=welfare was incredible good job.
DeleteThank you so much David. I'm glad you were able to understand where I was coming from.
DeleteHava, I agree 100% with your opinion. Why should the middle class be paying for lazy people, alcoholics, and drug addicts? One thing I did not mention in my blog was what type of job/work would receive these benefits. You mentioned community service as a job and I fully agree that helping out the community is a job and people who do so should receive these benefits. Overall, your blog was great and the points you brought up were well argued.
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ReplyDeleteThe whole point of the welfare program is to provide financial support for families that are less fortunate and find it hard to make a living. But is this controversial program working in reverse and only wasting the hard-earned money the middle class and wealthy make? Like Hava said in her blog comment, there is a major downside to implementing such a program due to the simple fact that people are abusing and taking advantage of the system. Of course those that receive welfare benefits should be forced to work x-number of hours per week in order to qualify to receive the benefits. This is primarily due to the fact that there are people (my parents for example) that have to work tiresome hours each day in order to earn hard-earned money. But for those who are in need that would receive the benefits of welfare without even working is absolutely absurd because it just unfair to the others. It is vey simple and shouldn't be considered slavery at all due to the fact that you will receive money for only putting in the effort to work. In a struggling and crippling nation like the U.S. where there are millions of people working hard for their living everyday, you would understand that they should get paid. However, when you look at the arguments that the welfare program benefit people in need that don't even need to work it is just absurd to know where the middle classes' money is going. Simply put, those who benefit from the program should work a suitable number of hours, not only to support their families but also to get their lives back on track. Another important reason that those who benefit from the program should work x number of hours is that most of the time the hard-earned money average people make is going to those who are just too lazy and/or unwilling to do something for their lives. In the long run, the system is deteriorating the middle-class stripping them of their hard earned money. Imagine working ten hours a day to support your family but in the end you have to give away a portion of that money to those who don't even work. The answer is simple and clear, those need to receive the benefits of welfare should work in turn for their money, or else this program is just going to corrupt the nation even more.
ReplyDeleteNader, you made great points and I 100% agree with you. When you said "It is vey simple and shouldn't be considered slavery at all due to the fact that you will receive money for only putting in the effort to work.", I couldn't agree with you anymore. You are correct in saying if you put effort and still get paied, it isn't considered slavery.
DeleteGreat points Nader. I agree that it is to a high extent unjust if people working hard for their money pay for those who don't attempt to be employed. On top of that, some receive welfare benefits from spending their money on something that is not a necessity and leads to only negativities. Having to be employed to get the privilege is also no where near slavery in many different ways.
DeleteWelfare helps people in need. The homeless, JOBLESS, and most of the lower- class fall under this "welfare category". But I think that people on Welfare should not be forced to work x-amount of hours in order to receive their benefits. Honestly, I think this blog post is sort of a contradiction in itself. If the homeless and JOBLESS people are receiving welfare, you cannot force them to work. If a person is out of work, they usually can't find a job, so how would they be able to work for x-amount of hours to receive their benefits to support themselves. The homeless don't even have a house to live in, they could use any money they could get to rent a hotel room or something like that, but i highly doubt that someone who lives on the streets can get a job. Also, many people on welfare already have low paying jobs so we would make them work more. I just think that it would not make sense to make people on welfare work a certain amount of hours, despite the fact that some of them throw the money away on drugs and alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree with all the points you made.Finding jobs wouldn't be so much of a problem if a person full-heartedly tried. Also, don't you care that your parents work hard to have some of their money go to someone who is possibly abusing the system?
DeleteIan, the money for welfare is collected from income taxes - taxes paid by the working folks. I do agree that Welfare is a program that helps people in need - but where does it end? How is it policed? So are you saying that a percentage of our population gets carried by the the rest? Is that fair? You state that a person on Welfare can not be forced to work? Why not? The working folks are "forced" to work to earn money to pay for food and shelter......it is my opinion that people taking advantage of the Welfare program should be required to earn that benefit through some sort of work program.
DeleteI disagree with your viewpoint on welfare. People in search of employment can find countless jobs that would be willing to hire dealing with their circumstances. Like others have stated, nothing is free. It would be completely unfair if someone were to receive money for being a drug addict or lazy from those who work hard to earn the money.
DeleteI agree with you ian, but I was puzzled at what you had stated in the middle of your blog post. People that are "unable" to find a job have no excuse as to not working. Why does this mean they can't work for x-amount of hours? I mean they don't have a job anyway. I was just a little confused at that.
DeleteIan, I have to say that I disagree with you on your viewpoint. There are definitely enough chances and opportunities for a job for everyone out there. Do you think it would be fair that people who use their welfare money as a way to continue life as a drug addict or criminal from the families of people who work countless hours year after year to support themselves? I agree that welfare is for helping the homeless and the needy, but any adult under most circumstances is capable of at least one job available. People are jobless because they choose to be. There are so many opportunities for jobs out there that it wouldn't be logical for someone to apply for welfare if they were looking for jobs already. As many have stated, welfare is a privilege, it wouldn't be considered slavery, so "forcing" people to work isn't as harsh as it sounds.
DeleteGenreal Welfare has helped the lives of those who cannot afford the commodities we take for granted today. Welfare help parents and families and needs of food and supplies. However there are some people that commit welfare fraud. This is taking money when you don't need it just because you don't want to spend your won money. this is extremely selfish and can cause a lot of problems to those who really do need welfare. I believe that one way that can lower this is the establishment of a rule that a person must work a certain amount of hours to be eligible to keep receiving welfare. This action will help lower the amount of people that commit welfare fraud. Also a lot of key points have been brought up about people using the money for drugs and alcohol, this may be true however at least the person has worked hard for that money now it is his/her decision to either use it wisely or spent it on dumb stuff like that, that will not benefit her either in the short or long run. So i believe making people work for a thing like this is very beneficial and will prove to be so.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I disagree with you. Welfare should be counted as a privilige and should be taken away from those who abuse it. Also, I'd like to make a point of clarification and say when we talk about alcoholics and stuff, we mean they are using money from welfare to continue those things. They don't earn money from welfare by working, so its wrong if they use it for bad things.
DeleteI see were you are coming from and i agree with you i believe your point is very valid and thank you for that point of clarification and i too agree that it should be denied to everyone who does not use the welfare money responsible
DeleteDavid, I too agree with your opinion. Welfare is indeed a beneficial system for those who need it, however it can be improved upon. Unfortunately, there are individuals who seek to use this helpful program for their own selfish purposes. As you said, if they did this with their own money, then that would be there problem. However, the problem is they are using up money that other poor families need and are willing to work for. The simple logic used to explain this post makes your point if view coherent and easy to believe. Well done!
DeleteBy definition, welfare is a government program for poor or unemployed people that helps pay for their food, housing, medical costs, etc. The key word in this defintion is helps. This program has become synonomous with abusers, freeloaders, if you will, who conveniently forget that this program is funded by taxpayers as a resource for the less fortunate. The program is designed to assist citizens during their time of need. This time of need is not permanent, nor should it be. This assistance MUST be earned, each welfare recepient should MUST be REQUIRED to work. The work could be community service, it doesn't matter, so long as it is worked designed to help the community and support the folks that are paying taxes to support the welfare program. The reason the exisiting program is filled with abuse, is because no one is monitoring it. In reality, the government is offering free money. Who wouldn't stop taking it?
ReplyDeleteI like how you said the unemployed should do something like community service to at least help out the people giving it to them. However, I disagree that they should have to work. Some people actually have disabilities and are unable to work. What about them? Its not all about drug abusers, some people have legitimate reasons to be unemployed. The program is being monitored. Some people just feel it is unfair.
DeleteGiving money* to them.
DeleteKaitlyn I completely agree with you. People are definitely taking advantage of the welfare funds and people don't care about how much hard work goes into getting that money. How should we know how people are using the money?? I mean our hard earned money is just going away to people we don't even know. People in this world have became extremely selfish and lazy, they want others to do everything for them. The people who want welfare funds should work and show us that the money is going to the right place. For this reason, we should make people who want welfare work for an x-number of hours
DeleteKaitlyn, I completely agree with you opinion. Unfortunately, (as I stated in a different comment) there are selfish people out there willing to accept welfare for the wrong reasons. Fortifying the welfare program in the manner suggested (in the blog topic) would be a clear cut solution in dealing with this. And as you stated, the type of work these recipients of welfare did would be irrelevant. Just the fact that they would be contributing to society in some fashion would be enough. Lastly, ending your post with a rhetorical question really helped prove your opinion on this topic.
DeleteFor this idea, you should take it by a case by case basis. It is hard to make a general rule because there are numerous types of situations of the jobless, it just depends on the person and/or the amount of effort they put into finding a job. But this is an inefficient system. People should NOT be forced to work. What if a man was injured in the army and cannot work? Then again you have your drug addicts and couch potatoes. It seems to be an even distribution of people actually trying/people that are mentally/physically disabled, and the lazy. I feel you must only qualify to not be able to work due to a disability like a serious neurological problem. There is no excuse for someone physically and mentally able to functiom properly to not be able to find a job or way out of their situation in about 6-12 months, being somewhat lenient. It just takes hard work, and maybe they shouldve thought of that beforehand because their are many jobs that always have openings, like teachers or doctors. It is a tough economy for everyone in the country, it doesn't just apply to the unemployed. This would be an easy way to sort things out. It is an unfair system in my eyes, but looking at it logically, this would be the biggest impact you could make if you were actually going to try to make a change.
ReplyDeleteWelfare or social assistance is a statutory procedure designed to help aid the physical and material well-being of those in need. Huge controversy has arisen around the world about whether people receiving welfare should be forced to work persistently in order to achieve the benefits or not. I stand to my strong opinion on this topic and say it is obligatory to work assiduously to benefit from welfare. Think about the situation: My parents put hard work into their full time jobs and in result have to pay for someone who could be a possible drug addict or just lazy. This is unfair and preposterous to a high extent. Additionally, they fully support me and my siblings and pay pricy college fees for my sister. Like most others mentioned in their blog posts, middle class is known to be the most hardworking class and it would be unjust for them to provide to those who do not deserve it. Now, if the money was securely going to someone who potentially works to the best of their ability to try to support their arduous lives, my family would be glad to provide assistance for these measures. People who receive government assistance of any kind should have to earn it to make the situation just. As stated in the excerpt prior to the blog question, “Those that disagree with this approach argue that "forcing" people to work would be the same as slavery - forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do and that doing so would be unconstitutional.” I disagree with this statement. Welfare is a beneficial opportunity or advantage and ranges nothing close to the term of “slavery”. There are countless jobs that people receiving welfare can approach. Also, less than 15% of welfare recipients are multigenerational. In simple terms, money should not be prearranged to those who put in no effort or overall do not attempt towards employment for welfare.
ReplyDeleteWelfare has provided money as support to millions of people in the US. However the whole system in my belief should be reevaluated. I agree with providing financial aid to families during the tough times, but why should you be paid if you did not work a single minute of they day? Those that receive welfare should be required to work a minimal number of hours to receive those benefits. The hard earned money my parents earned ends up being given to alcoholic, drug addicts, or people who are lazy and don't want to work. These people are just abusing the program and making other hard working people pay. Also, I do not understand why some people think it would be considered slavery or unconstitutional. People who work the minimal hours would receive benefits and working for your money is no where near being slavery or unconstitutional. Welfare is a privilege and I do think it's morally right to help the less fortunate, but they must put in effort to deserve those benefits. If we just keeping giving welfare away the economy of our country will be very unstable. By implementing the new rule of working a number of minimal hours to receive welfare, it would be more logical and still help people in need.
ReplyDeleteAkshay, I completely agree with your opinion. Those who do not work hard, should not receive benefits of any kind, regardless of what class they fall in. I also liked how you talked about those who consistently abuse the program and the fact that you provided specific examples. Welfare is a an extremely helpful system, but it is being abused too often. However, working for it would greatly reduce this occurrence.
DeleteAkshay I completely agree with you and also I like how you said that we should help in a time of need. Why should our hard worked money be going to people we don't even know??? Additionally, I completely agree with you about saying it is not slavery. People should show us that they will use the money in the right way and aren't just lazy. People are taking advantage of the welfare funds and using it to buy whatever they want. They are continuously provided with money and they use it the wrong way. this is the land where we work hard to make our money, nothing is given to us!!! Also we don't even know what these people are going to do with the money. People should definitely have to work an x- number of hours to get their welfare benefits. Great points Akshay!!
DeleteOriginally, (when I had seen the comparison of work to slavery) I had immediately thought that making people work for their benefits was a bad idea. However when I give the matter some thought, I realized that it was in fact, only fair. After all, those who needed these benefits would have no hesitation toward the idea working. This is because if they TRULY needed them, then working to sustain would be absolutely no problem. Of course, there would be exceptions to this rationale. For example, those with mental and/or physical disabilities may not be able to work for their benefits. Both my parents and I feel that paying a little extra in taxes to help those less fortunate, is our duty as citizens of this great nation. However, those who receive this aid should not have to sit back and do nothing. Like every other citizen of America, they should have to work (in some form or another) to receive welfare benefits. Lastly, in the background for this week's blog topic it was stated that "forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do and that doing so would be unconstitutional." HOWEVER, if people were required to work in exchange for welfare, then this would make welfare an exchange, not an unconstitutional act!
ReplyDeleteSai i completely agree with the arguments you made. Why should we give people's hard worked money away to people who are lazy and can't get off their coach. However, I like how you said, those with mental and/or physical disabilities may not be able to work for their benefits. I think this should be the only exception since they aren't lazy and just can't work. If people can work they should, but I think that is a great point. Additionally, this is the land where we work hard to make our money, nothing is given to us!!! Why should our parents be paying these people?? Also we don't even know what these people are going to do with the money. People should definitely have to work an x- number of hours to get their welfare benefits.
DeleteIn this country, no such thing as welfare should exist. Why are the people who work hard to make a living forced to give money to others who don't??? Also, we don't even how these people are going to use this money. For example, as Hava always says… How do we know if these people aren't using this money to spend it on things like drugs or video games… What is the point?!?! Although I entirely think people shouldn't earn welfare money I think they should work for x- number of hours to receive benefits. If they do work a certain amount of hours it well show people that they deserve the money. Also, if people began to work, they may get in a habit and be able to pay for themselves. The main thing the working shows is that the poor people who will work aren't lazy and are probably going to use their money in a good way. Others have to work hundreds of hours a week to make their money and we are giving a large percent of their money to lazy people who can't get up and help their family. People should show they are willing to work. I think the welfare money should completely get taken away, but people should definitely work and x-number of hours to qualify for welfare. I don't really think it is considered slavery because other people are forced to do work to support their family. If they don't do their work they will grow poor and lazy. For these reasons we should make people work an x-number of hours to qualify for welfare funding.
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ReplyDeleteYes, i think that the people who receive welfare benefits should be forced to work x-number of hours per week in order to qualify to receive the benefits. People are supposed only to receive a harvest in proportion to what you’ve sown for. However, in this country, welfare should exist in order to reach a more harmonious society. If everyone can live happily, then there will be less conflicts and violence. But, I think the way that people should help the poor is not only give them the money to live, but provide them more job opportunities and teach them the skill to survive. If you really want to help a people, you will teach him how to catch a fish instead of sending him free fish everyday. If the moeny of our extra taxes can really turn a unskilled man to a "self-reliance", then i think our money and effort is worthy.
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