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arubz15 said 04/08, 08:04 PM
There are several major issues involved the welfare system in America. First, it often rewards those who are abusing the system with money, while others who struggle to work several jobs make the same amount of money. It is unfair to those who are trying to work to see able bodied people on welfare who avoid work by cheating a system which was created with good intent. Having lived in a city known for its poverty (Forbes Magazine just wrote an article about how disgustingly corrupt and poor it is), I have noticed firsthand this abuse all my life. There have been kids who are supposedly on welfare who have nicer material possessions than those whose parents work multiple jobs to support them. Second, welfare is provided to the families, not to individuals. A son or daughter of a welfare recipient is discouraged from working due to the fact that their family will lose the money they make while working. Say for instance a kid makes 5,000 a year working; they will have that 5,000 deducted from their welfare. This deters young adult from working. Finally, welfare creats a group of Americans who are dependent on the system for survival. We should be trying to inspire work.

arubz15 said 04/08, 10:30 PM
Those who "abuse" the system may not be responsible for their acts, however, it still happens. The TANF program requires states to allow welfare for 60 months, with the exception of special cases. In many states, such as Florida and Connecticut, welfare recipients continued to receive welfare after their time period expired. Also, by the statement "struggle to work several jobs to make the same amount of money," I was referring to the time it takes to acquire the amount a welfare recipient receives. A lower middle class family working at minimum wage must work 599 hours to make the $4344 a year made by welfare recipients. ($4344/7.25 $/hr. = 599 hr.) It is proven that providing less welfare creates a higher employment rate. Mississippi, which had the smallest welfare package, decreased its welfare dependents by 73% since 1996. Providing more welfare takes away the desire to work, as evidenced by welfare trends during the last 15 years. Rather than simply handing out more money, I propose a policy which subsidizes the necessities of life: food, water, shelter (such as section 8 welfare housing). With subsidized living costs, the wages earned would be sufficient to survive.