bubosquared | (no subject)

Somone linked to this thread, and um. Can I just say I don't get the (seemingly? apparent?) attitude that welfare is a waste and too many people take advantage of it.

Maybe it's just that I've always lived in Belgium, always known about social security, always known that if I needed it, there would be money enough for me to live on, if not luxuriously, as long as I would try to get myself out. (Because I don't know about the States, but over here, you do need to actually try to get a job to stay on welfare. Details available upon request. I have assimilated way too much of my mother's job. Argh!)

Maybe it's just that I'll always be a child of social workers, and raised with fairly socialist beliefs anbd principles, and always socialist/scommunist at heart. I just don't see anything wrong with the government helping those in need. That is, imo, one of the things they're there for, and I don't care in the least that I'm paying heavy taxes to support this and other government serivces in this country.

Yes, in an ideal world, people would pay this contribution voluntarily. But this isn't a perfect world, and I do think sometimes the government needs to do something that maybe people won't like, but which will benefit everyone in the end.

My parents have worked with poor, homeless and/or unemloyed people since I was a toddler. I have absorbed a scary amount of knowledge about the subject over the course of countless dinner conversations, if there is one thing I've learned, it's this:

You could be next.

There is no telling which way the wind will blow you. Looking at all the people my parents have worked with, there are people who never finished high school, but also people who have sometimes multiple university degrees. There are (some, very few) lazy bums, and people who just cannot get a break. Single mothers, single fathers, families, anyone.

You're not paying to support lazypeople taking advantage of the government. You're paying to help keep alive people who've hit a rough spot, just like others will be paying if and when you hit a rough spot. You're paying to fight generational poverty by giving kids a chance to study what they want, to find better-paying jobs, jobs they want, instead of jobs they're forced into because they need to start earning now. You're fighting poverty on the long run as well as the short run.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*doesn't go to the length* I understand that bent though. A lot of people abuse welfare. No, they don't try for jobs... but the more kids they have the more money they get so guess whose ovens are always busy?

The thing is, I know several people who actually needed welfare for awhile but were denied. Somehow, they managed to get by. But, the fact that they were denied rankles when so many people are just taking the cash. No, they're not trying... at all. And that's the sad state of the USA.

Uh... LINK... not length... Where the fuck did LENGTH come from? KAT!

http://zompist.com/welfare.html

Oh yeah, stuff like that is great and all. And they do have a point. But, seeing it up close and personal gives you a whole different opinion. So I still stand by what I said.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think welfare is bad. It's just got problems, that's all.

You may have seen a few cases "up close and personal", but his facts came from those who've ALSO seen welfare up close and personal, not to say that you're wrong. I'm well aware of those who simply leech off of it. However, Those who have many kids or squander it are actually in the minority and as for the former, they only get enough "extra" to starve on. The only reason why people think they're the majority is because THAT'S what gets in the media.

As for problems, indeed, welfare has problems. People will indeed take advantage of it, but the curent reforms do nothing to change the abusers nor will it stop those who keep having children. It just punishes those who do neither.