One of my coworkers sent me an article today, and as I read it I got a little aggravated. Imagine that, me aggravated. Basically it was a letter sent in asking why a person getting welfare does not have to pass a urine test to get money from the government? For any of us with a job we have to do these things called "RANDOM URINE TESTING". So since our money from taxes goes out to programs like welfare it should only be fair for people receiving government funding to have to pass the same kinds of urine test.
It is really annoying for me to look at my pay check which I work hard for and see money getting pulled to support those that do not deserve it, or do anything to receive it. What is so special about these people that they can collect money for doing nothing but sitting on there butt all day long. And don't get me started on the single parent that does not understand the concept of birth control and has 4 kids and all of them have a different father. Did I mention that this person receives more money for each kid they have, and I am pretty sure most of the money does not go to provide clothes for the kids. I don't know how many people have seen the parent at Walmart with there kids in the middle of winter with no jacket to put on. There are many places that provide clothing and jackets for underprivileged families, I know I donate to them. Now before you start thinking well, the mother cant afford to buy her kid jackets or clothes, let me go over what I normally see. The mother usually has designer clothes on, there hair all nice and done up, new shoes too match there outfit, and a new cell phone they are talking on instead of paying attention to their children. So I do not feel sorry for them, I do feel sorry for the children being raised by a person who only takes free handouts and thinks for themselves. These kids are the ones that truly need the money but hardly ever get it, so I have a plan to help or prevent these situations from happening.
1. I think some things in life happen and a person can find themselves a parent without any preparation. I know from personal experience! So after a single mom has a child and they have no job, they get placed on birth control, this prevents them from getting pregnant again. If for some reason the mother does not have a job, gets free birth control and gets pregnant again. Well then after the child is born they go to a family that wants to adopt and can provide for the child. Maybe send a few to the child farm Angelia Jolie has built up. Basically the point I am making is the single parent should not be able to take guardianship of another kid if they cant support the one they already have.
2. I agree with the article start drug testing those that get government funding. If people are abusing the system and using the funds for drugs cut them off. First time offenders either get a job or they don't get any income. The government cuts them off and makes them ineligible to get government support again. Oh yeah if they have kids, then take their kids away from them also.
3. By now your wondering, what are we going to do with all of these kids being taken away from unfit parents. Well, I am glad you asked. With all the money we save from taking funds away from the undeserving that can get a job if they want we can establish orphanages and schools to house and educate these children. You put the children into a stable environment and teach them how to function in society. If you don't you keep on with the cycle of children becoming parents and living off the government. That is all they know because that is all they have seen.
I think it is time the government stop spending money on bums, illegal aliens, and other free loaders. We need to start spending more money on making quality schools and arming the next generation with a good education. We need to start relying on hard work and dedication and not others in this technologically advanced era. We need to produce a generation that can rely on there knowledge and intellect not just the power of weapons. If our children get smarter, our future gets brighter, till next time "Have a Nice Day".
Me
Me and My Boy
18 comments:
I agree that perhaps there are some people out there that abuse the welfare system, but remember welfare helps people to survive while they are trying to support their families and themselves. If we want to help these individuals become a more productive members of the society, we need to stop criticizing welfare recipients.
So many myths have been created about welfare but the most disturbing to me is that welfare mothers are lazy and need to get a job! Or, to feel good about themselves, they must become self-sufficient. In the 90s the congress implemented welfare reforms that encouraged work and discouraged welfare. When these changes pushed many of these women into work force, their economic status moved up from poor to working poor. Moms who left welfare are still poor because they work for low-pay jobs and struggle to make ends meet. Childcare, transportation, medical expenses take big part of their pay and leaves very little to pay for life’s essentials. Don't think that the money they receive all goes for booze, cigarettes, and drugs. Studies show that these moms who receive public assistance actually use their money wisely and are responsible parents. You are pretty ignorent about the welfare program and need to get yourself educated. Did you know that there are so many rules, sanctions and regulations attached to the program. welfare assistance usually doesn't provide these moms much lift, so when they get part-time jobs just to make ends meet, they have to report their outside income and when they do, they receive reduced welfare payments, if they don’t report it and get caught, they get charged with welfare fraud.
There are many reasons why these women are on welfare. If they ended up on welfare as a result of their own poor life choices, we still need to offer a helping hand. We are the nation of wealth and our country has a moral obligation to do whatever it takes to help these poor individuals get off their feet. The main issue here is the children. In order to help children get out of poverty, their moms need to get out of poverty. How can any child prosper and do well in neighborhoods infested with drugs and bad schools? If society failed these children then society needs to help these children.
As for your comment of welfare recipients dressing in designer clothes and such, in reality welfare recipients live far below the poverty threshold. And if they once in a while do splurge on nice clothes, well... good for them. these poor people need an occasional treat to boost their self esteem. If they didn't splurge, they'd go crazy. Emotional needs are just as important as financial needs.
This kind of unjust stereotyping, prejudice views and myths about welfare are the causes of ineffective welfare reforms. This is exactly why our welfare system sucks!
I actually do know about the welfare system, and too say someone is ignorant is just immature. Welfare does help those that need it, but it also helps tons of others that dont need it and are capable of working. And you have some real problems if you think I was being prejudice and stereotyping. I guess you could go on to say that I am being racist again even though no where in my writing did I mention a minority. And any parent to say it is good to splurge on themselves before taking care of their children has there priorities all messed up.
Are welfare system does not even come close to being effective, millions of tax payers dollars are spent for those abusing the system. There is no need for any person that has no physical or mental disability to be on welfare. If a person is in need of money that bad, they can work for their country and join the military instead of feeding off of it.
I dont agree with the theory, oh this person keeps on screwing up, lets give them money. There comes a time when you need to stand on your own two feet and provide for yourself.
And using a single mother with multiple children was one example, and one of the main reasons I know how welfare works is because, when my wife got out of the military she collected unemployment until she found a new job. She used the system the way it is supposed to work, she needed help until she got a job. She did not stay on it.
Also if you would have read on my blog describes how to educate and get those children affected by drugs and poverty out of that environment and into a stable environment where they can learn and prosper.
When you read a blog read it subjectively and get the real point out of it, not just the points you want to argue about. Yes I could have used a dozen other examples but I used a single mom, why? Because that is what was on my mind. If I would have used the alcoholic using his government check for boo's I'm sure you could have found something to argue about. The point is welfare does work for those that use it right, but we need to find a way to find those who abuse it. One of the main points was to drug test those receiving it, I dont see how anybody could argue with that point.
Someone needs to pull the statistics that measure the amount of people that use welfare constructively vs the amount of lazy shits that abuse it. (Oh wait... they don't exsist.) I'm tired of hearing people defend these systems when they are just plain screwed up. Much like the judicial system; there's always someone that feels sorry for the guy that dropped out of school to pursue a career in drug abuse and now needs welfare to support his problem. The system is PATHETIC. There are no REAL guidelines of eligibility. The hardworking union-worker that got laid off because some American company decided to outsource its production requirements to Mexico gets the same check the piece of crap druggie bum gets for sitting on his ass, filling out a job app a week (if even that is required anymore) and smoking crack. Real Cute. The system NEEDS to be geared for people victimized by cruel circumstance; not stupid focking decisions. If your dumb ass can't afford to support a family, keep your pud in your pants; or your legs closed. It's pretty simple.
Call me mean, ignorant, whatever you want... but in this society, opportunity is ALL AROUND YOU. It's up to you to take it.
I get sick of people taking the easy way out. It's easy to apply for aid. It's easy to stand around and bum money. It's easy to steal. It's not easy to work... see the trend here? I lived in Atlanta for some time, and it cracked me up to see the bums that would walk right past a help wanted sign and bum money. They're full of excuses. No, not ALL of them are turds; but a convincing percentage are. We as Americans need to stop bending every damn direction because our gut tells us to... Stop feeling sorry for everyone (don't get me started on Iraq). It's ok to lend a helping hand; but not to be a crutch. People are far too inclined to use it. It's called self pride; no-one has it anymore... "Why work hard for something when I can just get it free somewhere else?". What a crock.
Can you answer this question? What standards of living do welfare benefits afford single mothers? Did you know that food and shelter alone cost more than what these mothers receive from the government? Which leaves no money for uncovered medical expenses and other household expenses. There is not a single mother in this nation can make ends meet on her government check alone. They experience serious material hardship and they rely on family and friends in order to make ends meet.
I have done an extensive research on welfare for one of my class assignments and just to let you know, virtually all welfare-reliant mothers purchase their clothing at thrift or second-hand stores or yard sales. Here's a good example of what I am talking about (true story by the way): 40 year old single mother of two, I will call, Susan, is on welfare. She also takes care of her disabled father. Her monthly expenditures are about $925 a month. One-third of that amount goes to rent, utilities and another third goes to food and the rest coveres her children's expenses, her transportation and the other things family needs Her combined benefits from AFDC and food stamps are only $475 a month. You tell me how anyone can survive on that amount of money a month! The poverty level is way over $12.000 a year! So I think it is pretty clear that a family of 3 cannot survive on just welfare or a low paying job.
Being a single mom is a very tough thing. It is very difficult to be both fully committed to your children and fully committed to a job at the same time. A single mom MUST make a trade off and decide which comes first -- time for her kids or money for her kids. If she puts money first, she is labeled selfish and neglectful. If she puts time first, which typically results in extreme financial penalties, she is labeled lazy and irresponsibleipients. If a welfare check makes single mom's lives a little easier, let it be! Trust me most of them would much rather not be on welfare.
Here are some welfare facts for you:
the majority of people on AFDC are not African Americans nor immmigrants who can't speak English.
The average size of a welfare family is 2.6 persons and most of them hold 2-3 jobs.
It is impossible to stay on welfare for extended periods of time.
Most people stay on welfare 5 years or less.
I encourage you to educate yourself on welfare. The more you know about it, the less likely you will be to make sweeping generalizations that have no basis.
The real welfare cheats in this country are corporate America. Rich are getting richer while poor continue to suffer and are blamed for our economic problems.
Here we go again.
WHY is it necessary to point out that African Americans are not the majority of people on welfare? Not once in my comments was race ever mentioned one way or the other. Refer to my other blogs, it is not a race thing until a minority makes it a race thing.
Now, if you read my comments at all, I have stated numerous times that I agree welfare works in some cases but not all of them. Like any free handout, welfare is abused.
I too have taken sociology classes and have studied about welfare and government housing. So yes I have been educated about it. It is a generalization that I am not educated because we share different beliefs on the subject. That is your ignorance not mine.
Once again you make an excuse for why people are poor, Corporate America. Does corporate America father another child for a single mom who already has 3 kids? Does corporate America turn a person into a gambling, drug, and/or alcohol addict? Why is it necessary to put the blame on anybody?
Now if you want to talk about unfair. Lets look at the 20 year old soldier over in Iraq that barely makes enough for his wife and kids to get bye, so they have to rely on food stamps. Yes there are many out there like this. And my wife knows what it is to be a single mom, she does it everytime I deploy. That does not stop her responsibility to provide for her family, she works and spends time with our kids when I am gone. It is all about priority, if your child has a financial need it is your responsiblity as a parent, not mine to provide for them.
pointing out the fact about african americans and welfare has nothing do to with the race issue. most people's image of welfare is the way the media portrays it: an uneducated, single black mom who pops baby after baby. I wanted to bring this to your attention because this is a sentiment shared by many americans and this image about welfare couldn't be further from the truth. Actually, more white families are helped by the AFDS program than blacks or hispanics. Again, this is not a race issue, just another simple fact about welfare.
You comparing your wife to a single mom doesn't make any sense at all. I have been a military wife with 4 children for many years and trust me what we go through when our spouses are deployed doesn't even come close in comparision to the life of a single mom. Military spouses have several tangible benefits such as medical and dental insurance, paycheck every two weeks, tax-free earnings for the deployed member and the support of the base community. How can you even make such a comparison. You are missing the point I am trying to make. yes, there are some who abuse the program, but many single moms who are welfare recipients are responsible and do their best to provide for their children. They just can't make it on their earnings alone and need assistance in addition to meet their basic living needs.I think what these women need is that a decent paying job with health insurance and free childcare. On the job training, better financial aid programs, free childcare, and healthcare would help these women succeed. And our state or federal government should assist these women with job training and better benefits. This is not only a sensible thing to do, but it is the most humane way to help welfare recipients and eventually lessen welfare enrollment altogether.
Well, how about some comments from a real single mom? I would like to point out that not all women who have more than one child are out screwing every Tom, Dick and Harry. I am a Christian farm girl who was a virgin when I got married. My huband cheated on me after we already had two children. I had no job experience because I had been a stay at home mom with my sons. I am the youngest of a family of ten. My parents never received assistance. My father worked out and farmed and my mother worked like a dog taking care of the kids, the garden, the animals, laundry and cooking all without modern conveniences. I was not brought up to go on welfare. I took 3 jobs to support my boys and my mother thank God babysat for me. I could barely make ends meet. If I would have had to pay a babysitter, I would have been forced to seek assistance. Mike, I love my children so much and it really hurts me to hear you say that children should be taken away from their parents and put in orphanages. That is not the answer. Every circumstance is different. What if I had been pregnant when my husband cheated on me? Should my child have been sent to an orphanage? Over my dead body! There are changes that need to be made in the Welfare system for sure. I think there are many people who do not deserve to get money from hard working people's pockets. I also think there are people who need help to get back on their feet. I don't care if they have 500 kids, life sometimes deals curve balls and you can't lump everyone who is on welfare in the same group. I didn't go on welfare but, if I would have needed to, its good to know that it would have been there. The problem with Welfare is that it allows alcoholics and drug addicts to feed off the system without forcing them into rehab. Everyone is not an alcoholic or drug addict by choice. Some people act like they have never made a mistake. We all make mistakes and usually someone else pays for our mistakes with money or in other ways. Let's say a man loses his entire family in a fire. He starts drinking and losing his job. He becomes an alcoholic. I for one do not think this man doesn't deserve the chance to rise out of his bad choices. Give him a choice, rehab for help. I think that every case is individual and in reality if America concentrated more on morality we wouldn't have to worry about excess children, millions of drug addicts and alcoholics. Birth control as far as I am concerned is not having sex unless you are married. It's funny how that is not a particularly hot topic in America. All of these problems came stemmed from moral issues. I am sure that if I thought hard enough and long enough, I could come up with some pretty good ideas about welfare reform. But in the meanwhile, I try not to judge too harshly. Sometimes the cover gives us a different impression than the actual book if we would have read it. I agree Mike, I have seen women who do put themselves before their children. I think it is unthinkable for a mother to put herself above her children. I also know what it is like to be so tired that all you want is a few hours sleep and your children to hold. It would have been nice to have a nice long bubble bath, but that would have been a luxury. But for my mother babysitting my sons, I would have had to go on welfare. I would be one of the people who are looked down on because I had two kids and no husband. It is easy to see the weaknesses in the welfare system, but not easy to see what families go through. Until you have walked in those shoes, you have no idea, the mental and physical stress. I could tell you about the time we lived in the back of a cargo van my brother gave me. I worked minimum wage jobs and couldn't afford rent. But my kids were kept warm and with me. I worked my way up the ladder and got experience to get better jobs so I could provide for my kids. My sons today are both hard working men. They are responsible and respectful and they would tell you that they would rather have been with me, than anywhere else in the world. We called ourselves the Three Musketeers, All for one and one for all. They never went hungry nor cold but it was only my sheer determination that made it otherwise. So to say welfare needs reform, I agree. To say that children should be put in orphanages or adopted out, I disagree. All those who abuse the system, keep people who really need the help, feeling like they are undeserving low lifes. I know one of the reasons I didn't try to get help was because I knew I would be labeled a welfare mom. There shouldn't even be such a term. The funny thing is that the people who shouldn't even be on welfare find no shame in sucking the systems tit. It is not easy to pull yourself out of a situation. When you are working minimum wage jobs, you have no medical care, you have no dental care, you have no childcare. So how do you pay rent, childcare, medical and dental on that kind of money. The answer is, you don't. You do without many things and have to choose over food and the electric or gas to go to work and gas for the furnace. Not easy choices. While I think your heart is in the right place with thinking we need reform, try to keep in mind, everyone's situation is different and there but for the grace of God...
I think you guys are not reading the fine print. In some cases welfare works! I do not know how many times I have to say it. I am talking about the cases in which welfare is being abused. I was not talking about the mother of 2 who's husband cheated on her. I was talking about the single mom that has children just to make money off of the government. I dont know how many times i have to point that out.
Yes a military spouse is a single mom emotionally while their husband is deployed. I was making the point that a mom can work and spend time with her children in response to your comment about chosing either to work or spend time with your kid.
If you know about the military then you know that dental insurance has to be paid for, it is not just given out.
Bittersweet, I dont know how many times you have to bring race up, even when I made a blog about how race should not be brought into things you brought racism into it. People blaming things on race is a sign of their ignorance. I judge people for who they are, not what color of skin they are made of, but last time I said that you just accused me of being racist.
Once again I understand welfare works in some cases, but the people I am talking about are the ones who ABUSE it. The single mom was just an example.
My next blog will be about fathers who dont take care of their children and don't pay child support. I'm sure that you can find a way to defend them.
Mike if your next post is about dead beat dads, I will have lots to say, but not in their defense. It is one more reason why some mothers are on welfare. If the dads were to take responsibility for their children's needs the same as the mother, the welfare system would get a facelift. The women are the ones who are sometimes forced to get assistance because the men (if that's what you call them)are out living life to the fullest. But it is always the women who are tagged with "welfare mom". Last time I checked it took 2 to tango and 2 to make a baby. I am not arguing with anyone, just pointing out, I have plenty to say on dead beat dads.
I agree with you Pat. His options and ideas for solving the welfare issues regarding to single moms are sickening. I have never heard such heartless and inhumane comments, well solutions as he puts it from anyone before.
He needs to realize that in reality, welfare recipients do not spend their lives raking in benefits, cheating the government or having more children in order to increase their benefits. The majority of recipients receive assistance for less than two years and,have the same number of children as other women. Not to mention they have worked both before and after receiving benefits.
Even if someone was abusing the system, how can you force anyone to go on birth control or take their kids away from them? We live in a democratic society where every citizen has democratic rights. How can you threaten anyone's indiviual rights with comments like that!
How quickly this has become a freakin sob story.
Look, some people should be able to get some sort of help. No argument there. Some more than others even..
Those same people should vote. I sure hope they do.
What pains me here is how it's the governments RESPONSIBILITY to help people. Huh? We can only be so lucky to even get to talk like that. It's every individual's responsibility to have a contingency plan, in the event your little white picket fence and poodle life gets shattered. Do I feel sorry for people less fortunate, or people that fell victim to circumstance? Yes. But at the same time I have a plan. I'm not setting myself up for failure. If my wife spreads her legs for some other corn-dog; so freakin be it. I take with me what I entered with and start over - to include the savings I have put aside in the event that she does something like that.
I'm so bored with everyone making unconscious decisions based on the fact that they can just ask the government for help if something goes wrong.
Is America now nearly so dependant on it's government that she can't think for herself? Afraid so.
I'm done.
You guys can sit here and argue about how blacks are still slaves and single mothers are mistreated all you want; I'm going to work.
I'm done too because it is apparent that some people only see things their way. I see both sides of the good and bad in the welfare system. Let me end by saying this jdhuegel1, you were never asked to feel sorry for me. I did what I had to do and because I was a stay at home mom (which more moms need to be, thats why America is so screwed up), I didn't have a savings account to fall back on, he did and he didn't share. Go figure. So you see, I wasn't planning on failure. I was doing the right thing. It is not about feeling sorry for people, it is about compassion and although you say you have compassion, I seriously doubt it. I didn't depend on you or the welfare system to get me out of my bind, but I can relate to others who have to use the system to get back on their feet.
Actually whether you agree with me or not the point is we our entitled to our own opinions and we are aloud to disagree no matter what the facts are. With that being said taking a kid and putting them in an envirnoment where they can make a positive change and get the things they would not get in a gov't funded house is not inhumane!
And this is my last post on this matter so listen/read carefully...
I said numerous times welfare does work in the cases where it helps the person get back on their feet, the people i was referring too are the people that make a career off of government funding.
I never said the mother could not have contact with her kid. I said put them in a better environment, and even though any good parent would be hesitant about this, sometimes the parent needs to put their feelings aside for the child to benefit. I think this would be better then just giving money to a mom that may or may not spend it on the purpose it is provided for.
I am done debating this issue with you too, but it is so disturbing to see comments like yours that I feel obligated to respond.
Let me say it one.more.time.for.you. People do not make a career of government funding. They can't stay on welfare for extended periods of time. Most people stay on welfare no more than a couple of years. And you think you know all the facts about welfare. just because someone has children while on government assistance doesn't give anyone right to remove the child from his or her parents unless the child's live is in danger. Let's say,you got laid off and can't provide for your family on a minumum wage paycheck with no benefits and health insurance, so you sign up for government assistance. Could you let go of your children until you got your feet off the ground? Do you know what kind of psychological effect that would have on your children.
CAN YOU NOT READ?
I have posted 4 times that the people I am talking about are the ones that ABUSE the system. I am talking about the mom/dad that does not use their check to provide for their children. I am not talking about the parent using the funding to help them while they get back on their feet. I am talking about those cases that involve parents who only see a life of living off of the gov't! I cannot say it anymore simpler then that. And I think the psychological effect of leaving a kid in a home where they are neglected and emotionally abused is a lot stronger then removing them and putting them into a stable environment. Well that is what all the classes on Child Psyc/ General Psyc/Sociology/Family Sociology have taught, but I guess some people know more then the professors that have studied this behavior.
Now if you cannot except the fact that some people do abuse the system then you are very naive, just like my mother. She believes my sister cannot do anything for herlsef so she stays on gov't support. Yes I have seen both extremes with the way welfare looks, and I do support it in some cases. I have said this before you just dont want to listen. DO you support the 25 year old single guy that is perfectly capable of performing work but collects money from the gov't because they want to be lazy? These are the types of people I have been talking about, it was just my example that made you disagree with me before you even took into account what I was talking about. We could agree on some of the things I say but just because I used a single mother as an example you jumped to a conclusion before you even finished reading any of my post.
I do not agree with taking a child away from a mother that nortures and provides for her kid, that would be inhumane I agree! I do think that if a mother is not looking out for the best interest of the child then the gov't should intervine. Just think of the money that could go into educating those underpriviledged children in the inner cities and rural trailer parks by taking them out of a home that neglects them and putting them into a boys or girls home. There are numerous success stories for those that get accepted into these homes, why not give those less fortunate the same oppurtunity. By educating those caught in these envirnoments where welfare is getting abused(DISCLAIMER: This means individuals which ABUSE the system; not the single mother left by an assclown for an excuse of a man!)we teach them the proper ways to function in society and turn a negative into a positive.
I don't see how anyone can argue that point. It is not inhumane to take a child away from a parent that is not functioning as a parent!
you need to go back and reread your original post, especially your option 1. If those are not the most inhumane, disturbing comments then i don't know what is. You kept rewording your original comments as you responded to my comments.
Anyways, no respond is necessary as it is not possible to carry an intelligent, rational debate with someone who is very tunnel-visioned and narrow-minded in the worst possible way.
Bittersweet,
It is simple do not read or post on my blog then. Believe me those who know me, can tell you I am far from narrow minded. But I guess that is your opinion and I dont have to reword anything I have said because my opinion never changed. So go back to whatever make beleive world you live in where everybody on welfare is a saint and the only people on God's green earth that are treated unfairly are African Americanz. Maybe one day you will wake up and realize that the world we live in is not some Disney movie.
Whoa. I don't think I've EVER gotten 17 comments on my entire blog, let alone one post. Good for you!
I never really thought about drug testing those on Welfare, WIC, Food Stamps, etc, but it seems like a really good idea!!
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