Welfare system

I think you should have to take a drug test when you apply for gov't assistance.
And i think they should make a way so the checks cannot be spent on beer and smokes.

Recent regulations made it so that people can only get cash assistance for 5 years, lifetime total. If they haven't had a baby in the last 3 months, they have to be in school, looking for work, or have a job. If they're about to have a baby or just did, when baby is 3 months old, they have to go to school or get a job.

This sounds reasonable to me, and about the best bet we have for eliminating fraud without denying people who legitimately need it.

I think they should change it so that the more children you have the less money you get (not more like it is now). I bet that would be the best birth control! Some people just have babies to get more money and then don't take care of them.

Heather, I don't know you but I like you already! A drug test should be mandatory! Too many people abuse the system and take advantage when they can be working. I worked three jobs to raise my children and when I got injured and I couldn't walk, no one wanted to help me. I was even told I was too educated for assistance! It was my back not my brain that got injured! Thank God I had short term/long term and savings. My savings was wiped out quickly and after that we were on thin Ice but we made it. I hate it when people abuse the system.

It's a tough call on how to fix it without hurting the innocent children and stepping on rights. It makes me sick that my husband and I work two jobs to send our kids to college while kids who parents don't work at all can go for almost nothing. College is only affordable for the very poor or the very rich. Whew, got that off my chest.

I believe public assistance is a good thing for those who truly need it, and yes, there are those who abuse it.

I agree, the regulations Lune mentions above are very reasonable.

YOU ALL HAVE GOOD POINTS HERE. I'm ENJOYING THE DIVERSITY. I AGREE WITH ALOT OF THIS.

I don't believe the system should be abused, but as long as it is around, there will be people who will try do just that. The system is there to help those who really need it, and for those people, it is very important to have around. None of us knows when we may be one of the people who need help.

They should have a limit of how long you can be on. I know in my state they help women with daycare and pay for all of it so there is no excuse not to work.

You are right Angie

I have lived through and on the system, they have made a few changes for the better, but most for the worse. With the cuts they made to the system, it is the people who are barely scraping by that suffer the most. When something goes a little wrong, they no longer qualify for assistance, meanwhile, the ones that have been abusing the system for years, are still sitting there collecting their checks. I worked my way off of welfare, without much government help, and usually getting my feet cut out every time I made steps forward. When they did make good changes, I did not use anything I did not have to use. When they redid the regulations on Medicaid so you could make more and still get medical care for your kids, I didn't have either vision or dental insurance, but I did have regular medical. I always took the kids to my doctor, and paid the copay, not the state doctor for free. I used only the dental and vision parts of it for my kids. Why can't they come up with a way to break it down, so low income families who qualify can take advantage of what they need, without draining or offering what they don't need? Set up programs for LOWER incomes, that help, but not completely. Like a group dental insurance for people that qualify, with copays equal to what they can afford. They need to quit punishing the people that can't afford it by cutting off some of them to make up for the cheaters, and liars.

They did not have welfare, for us when I was younger. We had to fight to make things better for women and children. But we created a monster, now people expect a free handout. Not like the old days. Sink or swim. In the old days we took any type of work that we could find. We tried to make it any way that we could.
In some ways we must go back to redo welfare. We must make it a temporary handout. Get welfare for 3 months, we help you find work. Don't accept the job, cut you off from welfare for a year.

I'd like to see all the programs consolidated into one, which would really reduce bureaucracy and get more of the benefits to people who need them. Also get rid of ALL corporate welfare! Richard Nixon actually had the idea to create a negative income tax, so there'd be a minimal level of support for the poor. I guess it later became the earned income tax credit. But I think the best welfare program is a vibrant economy, empowered by tax reform. Give the money back to the people and let the chronically-unemployed work for the state -- instead of having those rich pensioners in Congress make out like bandits! Go Ron Paul Go!!

Tho I understand the various views what most do not recognize is that each state has their own method of operation within the guidelines set by the governement. Here in Missouri for a few years all who applied were treated as cheaters and liers and the benefits fell far too short for the hastle it brought. In other words many of those who "needed" it fell victim to the prevailing politically charged theory that if you asked for help you must be doing something wrong. For far too long the state was the one abusing the system yet had placed the blame on too many who simply needed the aid. Under the "welfare to work" program that went into effect several years ago with that 5 year lifetime limitation much was done by the state which left poverty stricken people in a serious bind. Lets take a look at one senerio. A women is recently divorced from an abusive husband. Hasn't been in the job market for years and suddenly is alone. Files for state assistance and is told to report regularly with a list of job contacts in her effort to secure employment. She gets no child care help but is expecte to get training and/or find a job. She finds a low wage job, leaves her children at a neighbor's because she can't pay regular day care cost. Then months down the road she is dropped from the books being charged with child abuse for leaving her kids at an unlicensed baby sitter. In the mean time any child support payments the state collects from her ex is tied up in the states god forsaken collection process. What is she to do? Too many of the outsiders are calling her a cheater and lier when all she needs is an honest hand up. I have spent the last 20 years or so as a counselor in my neighborhood and I could tell you some horror stories which belie what is commonly called liers and cheaters. For the most part the people who ask for assistance honestly need it. When our present Governor Blunt took office one of the first things he did was to cut the payments to doctors, clinics, optomatrist and dentist which the state paid for these medical services having the immediate affect of minimizing the number of doctors, eye doctors, and dentist available to service people getting various medicare, medicaid and other government paid programs. His action was to please those supporters who were yelling about all the cheaters. Now it has been determined that the cheaters are a minimal part of the system and the US Government has threaten to cut off aid to Missouri because the payments to these professionals was too low to be viable. He is now introducing another program which he claims will service more people but willcost far less. Right now my fingers are crossed in that he caused a lot of people to suffer needlessly for his political gain. I agree with Lisa in that it seems so easy for the states to set up group policies to help low income people who could make copayments based on their incomes. Many solutions I see are easy but get clouded in the trash of political decisions and do more harm than good.

I like the drug test idea. I bet ALOT of people would be kicked off for drug use.

I think it shoud be there for needy people who need it. Of course here you have to work so many hours I think for them if you don't have a job already here in Florida unless you are on disability.

It seems to me that the people who are dependent on drugs would be the most down and out of all. Why would they be denied any help?

Perhaps Elizabeth, because they make a choice to use drugs. Why should tax payer dollars help contribute to their continued drug use? Where's the incentive to stop using?

Not only that, many of them sell their food stamps for drugs.

Good point Lera

I love the drug testing idea!

I used to live near an apartment complex that was one of those government assist kind of things. The things I saw, let me tell you! Drugs, adult children living with their parents for the free or low cost rent, so many kids, etc.

When I did theschedules at the grocery store, I would have people complain that they had too many hours! They didn't want to get cut off the government dole and that irritated the heck out of me.

The whole tying assistance to child bearing scares me too. It is incentive to just keep having babies!

I live and do street ministry in Melbourne Australia, and yes, I receive a disability pension that I use to support this ministry, I allow myself $40AUD a month for Jeze and my needs. Fortunately my local pharmacy allows me to put my medications on my account and a church member pays about $7 a week off of that for me. I'm sorry people, but as I regularly associate with the street folk and homeless in Melbourne, drugs are not their problem. Yes, they do use drugs, but I think that many here who condemn them would do likewise when trying to cope with the frigid conditions or too little food and warm clothing. Are smokers going to be included in your dragnet...I know far more people who exchange food vouchers for cigarettes than for drugs...food vouchers don't buy many drugs after all, nor do they buy much in the way of food. Secondly few people without homes are able to collect welfare...they require an address to which utilities can be connected...the hole behind the third dumpster in the second lane on the left doesn't count as an address. So without an address (and in Australia, without a bank account for welfare to be paid into) there is no welfare, and thus no support whatsoever, which is why so many die during the colder months, or expire with heatstroke during the summer. You say ...'Get a Job'...ever tried to get employment when you don't have an address??? I can tell you its impossible in this country and I doubt it's much easier in the US or others. As far as having babies for more welfare, that's the biggest lie yet...the amount in welfare that is paid for each child is far less than it takes to support any child. Many women on welfare unfortunately are the victims of rape...they have no intention of becoming pregnant it is forced upon them...'Get an abortion" I hear you cry...why should any woman be forced to have a procedure that is against her deeply held beliefs? To require this is to head down the same road of the Hitler Nazi regime and others in more recent years? Is this what society really wants?? Even though I've been severely disabled for many years and raised three children as a sole parent, I have also worked, and fallen into the working poor trap...where what I brought home from working 16 hours, seven days a week was much less than the welfare payments I would receive, plus I received no help purchasing my medication, nor did I get any help with my children. Bear in mind, my medication bill then exceeded $400 per month, it is much higher now. Rent was no longer subsidised because I was working, so $200 per week was taken from my wage cheque leaving me with less than $50 to pay for gas/electricity, phone (a necessity for my employment and for my health), children's education and oh of course food. All this and working 16 hours per week to boot! Yes, many accused me, and still do of being a welfare cheat, they reason that if I can go out and 'soc ialise' with the homeless then I should be able to work...the thing they overlook is that my health can change in an instant, I can start out for a certain destination feeling okay, and be very ill by the time I get there...ok call it psychosomatic, but it isn't...sometimes I've been so ill by the time I've got to where I'm supposed to be that an ambulance has had to be called and I spend several days in hospital...a place I'd much rather stay away from, so I don't become sick to avoid going to work.
All I'm asking is...please don't be so quick to condemn those on welfare...and please stop labelling them as drug addicts. Yes there are some who use drugs but these are given them usually for sexual favours of the many gainfully employed predators roaming the streets. Many times I've seen people who've given a street person a job, threaten to call the police when the job is completed, so as to avoid paying the street person's wages. There is a lot of injustice in this world. Those on welfare...no matter what country they are living in...are not living the high life...and as far as welfare payments supplying drugs...dream on...when was the last time you heard of the price of illicit drugs...most would take over six months of payments, let alone a week's!

oh and to defer criticism...I worked a 16 hour day seven days every week, never taking time off...

Thanks Margaret. I am so tired of folks repeating untrue statements. It seems as long as its negative people grab it, wanting to believe it is true when the truth is far from it.

Definitely drug testing needs to be applied. This would stop some of the abuse. I have seen first-hand many instances of abuse from ladies making careers out of having a baby (different fathers) every 5-6 years to stay in the wlefare game to guys I know on disability for back pain that still hunt, fish and play golf. Usually during the week.

My contribution to Uncle Sam rivals $200 a week and I am sick of welfare abuse!

I was on it back in 1984 for one year, I went back to school and became employed..it helped me when I needed it.

they shouldn't because we end up paying for it

Well, it's too bad there are so many cheaters in the system. It makes people leery of everyone on it.

Margaret, I have personally seen people sell some of their food stamps to buy street drugs. They take food from their children's mouths and then visit the food pantries at the end of the month. Along with selling their stamps they give sexual favors, shoplift, and anything else that gets them drugs. It's been my experience that it's usually crack they're buying but meth is prevalent, also. They can buy a small rock for $10.00 dollars. If some of them get together they can pool their money and buy an eight ball. Believe me, they know what days their friends get their checks.

Spencer and Margaret, instead of getting so upset at us why don't you direct your anger toward those who cheat the welfare system? I sense some hostility, especially from Margaret, toward us. As if we're personally accusing you of abuse.

Also, Spencer, isn't the 5 year lifetime limitation a government wide rule? I believe that was put into law when Bill Clinton was president. And don't they help someone who gets a job pay for child care? And don't they go ahead and give a person a check and then try to collect child support payments? So, in effect they're just collecting repayment for what she's already receiving. You almost sound like they should pay AND let her have the child support they've collected on top of the assistance.

As far having more babies on welfare, I think there might be a cap on that now. They don't get anything extra if they have over a certain amount. But when their children are small they can get free food through the WIC program. Again this just gives them the opportunity to sell more food stamps for drugs or cigarettes. They can also get government subsidized housing. Most of the places are very nice. Of course I'm just familiar with my area in Illinois.

I would say that many, many people need their assistance but the cheaters and abusers of the system make it hard on them. They're the ones who cause a need for all of the rules and paperwork and delays. They're the ones who make people mad. It's too bad the honest people, who actually need it, are caught up in the publics general mistrust of all recipients.

yes Lena there are SOME who sell their foodstamps for drugs, but there are people not on welfare who deprive their children to buy the 'cool' drugs of cocaine etc as well. It is far more common to have foodstamps sold for cigarettes, after all, one can purchase cigarettes a lot cheaper than drugs. Any person with even a 'mild' drug habit requires several hundred dollars a week to support it and I don't know of any welfare system or food stamp quota that caters to that sort of value. What I'm saying is that screening out drug users will only harm their children. And yes, there are SOME women who believe that having children is a way to keep on welfare, but they are not making money out of it.
As for those who complain about the number of hours they are working being too much...I was one of the working poor who, because I worked a 16 hour day (had too, couldn't have survived at all without working that much once my benefits and rental and health subsidies ceased) I was actually in a worse position than I would have been had I stayed on welfare. So I fully understand those who complain that they're working too many hours...without the assistance they receive with rent etc they simply cannot survive.
There are a SMALL number of people who will abuse whatever system is in place to assist the majority, but it is extremely dangerous to go down the path of tarring every welfare recipient with the same brush. After all, the day might come when those who criticise the loudest may well find themselves on welfare through no fault of their own...and then they will truly know how the system works against them.
I never dreamed I would end up being on welfare when I was a young girl starting out but it happened and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. Remember folks, there...but by the Grace of God, go I.

Lena I bear no hostility at all towards you or anyone, if you perceive any it is yours , not mine, so please refrain from making me responsible for your emotion. It saddens me actually that there are so many out there who happily tar all welfare recipients with the same brush, that's all. Hostility is a futile emotion that only harms the person who is hostile. God bless

I'm sorry Lera, I misread your name, but the brain tumour is robbing me of a lot of my abilities, sight and speech are just two. I'm sorry you're tax burden is so heavy, perhaps instead of blaming those who are least capable of doing anything to reverse that, you question the Government instead, that has lightened the tax burden on those most able to pay, transferring it to those in the middle and lower income brackets instead. This state of affairs is true in both the US and in the country in which I live, Australia. Again, God bless. I am not going to engage further in this case of welfare bashing, it is like all such arguments pointless.

As a mother if a disabled child that DFS lately took her ONLY means of insurance away. She had been on Medical Assistance for disabled children for 8 years aand they are now saying that we make too much (which the income is the same as it always has been) and now they shut it off until we pay $285.05 per month. I do not have a problem with a drug test or what ever they want me to do to show that I am not a druggy, and alcoholic or anything. My child needs her medicaid, plain and simple. But they don't care what her disablilites are or whats going on in the home. The system is broken and that's it.
I have filed a hearing against them on how they can say that we need to pay that much. Her formula a month by its self is $829.92. That does not include her medicine, therapy, feeding tubes and syringes and everything else that she has to have each month.
I am not on food stamps, TANF, housing ass., day care ass. , nothing. I don't even want it. I just need my child to be on her medicaid. That's all.
But I will agree that there are plenty of people out there that don't work just so they can get all that stuff and they know how to work the system to be able to keep it all and yes I'm sure there are people out there that neglect their children and sell their food stamps and what not to get their drugs and everything else. There are people out there that get cs and then turn around and pay a huge bill on their cell phones when they could get rid of the cell phone because they already have a home phone and they could use that for their children, but they don't. They try and squeeze every penny out of someone else just so they can live the high life. I could go on for ever on that one but I won't.
Just wanted to give my side of how Medicaid is and why some people have to have it.