I ask myself why our system is set up in a way that penalizes those of us that work hard, and rewards those of us that do the bare minimum. Why is it that the richest among us get richer, while the rest of us tread water to stay afloat? Getting health insurance and other state benefits would be a breeze if we would just stop working and apply for state assistance. I have actually had people tell me that a state caseworker has told them to take some unpaid time off to bring them to with-in the income guidelines! This is not an isolated incident; I have heard many people say that they have gotten the same advice. This advise is, of course, “off the record".
Off the record or not, this is a persistent and serious problem. The middle class is constantly bombarded with this type of issue. When kids go off to college, they are left wondering how they are going to pay for it. Again, there is a gap between those of us that get full funding and those that get nothing at all. It is this gap between the poorest and the richest that many of us fall into and can’t get out of without going backwards. It is an "all or nothing" system.
Many of the poorest people stay poor because they are content “playing” the system, while the middle class is stuck because they make too much to qualify for benefits that might help them get ahead. Of course if you were born into money you would be set because it is true what they say, “it takes money to make money.”
Don’t take me wrong, there are poor people out there that truly need the help that our welfare system provides in its current state and that don’t abuse the system but there are many on state assistance who go around bragging about how they get all this help and don’t have to do anything. Many of these same people are buying “toys” like snowmobiles and ATVs, all while drinking, doing drugs, and smoking a pack or two of cigarettes a day. I was recently behind this guy in a convenience store that literally bought them out of his brand of cigarettes. While cashing out he said, while laughing, that he should get a discount for buying so often. After he left the store the cashier muttered under her breath that she couldn’t believe that he asked for a discount on cigarettes when he was spending food stamps in the store every day!
It is people such as that that give the welfare system a bad name. We need to figure out a way to discourage this type of person from staying perpetually in the system. We need to revise the system to provide incentives to move forward, not backward and that rewards those of us that work hard everyday to stay off the system. We need incentives and encouragement for those of us that take a leap and start a business; maybe offer more grants to get started. Of course, a grant shouldn’t be offered unless there is a solid business plan in place and the entrepreneur has invested their own time and money into the venture.
Maybe the welfare system should be set up so that benefits go out in the form of a loan, rather than as a free “no obligation” benefit. If there was a commitment to pay all or even part of it back once you got back on your feet, maybe there would not be “career” welfare recipients dragging the rest of us backwards.
Another idea, maybe have a prorated benefit system so that if a family needs just a little help they can get it. On the other extreme, some of societies richest have found admirable ways to spend their money on charity and for the good of society such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Bill Gates started The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Warren Buffett donated almost 40 billion dollars to the foundation. "I don't believe in dynastic wealth", Warren Buffett once said, calling those who grow up in wealthy circumstances "members of the lucky sperm club.” I recently heard an interview with one of his sons where the son stated that his father had never given him any money and he knew better than to ask because it was his father’s belief that his kids should grow up independent of him and make themselves successful of their own accord.
Of course, it is a very small percentage of the wealthy that think in this way. There are many more that try to buy seats in Congress so that they can work on their own agendas, like cutting taxes for the rich, putting more of a burden on middle-class. There are even a few such as Rupert Murdoch that have bought a large percentage of the media sources such as newspapers and TV stations in order to control what news the bulk of people hear.
Our welfare system in the United States has many issues; I think that we can all agree on that. We need to work together, revise the system and make it so that it allows everyone more equal opportunity. I do realize that we will never have a perfect system, but I hope that our system can be changed to better help those of us that are “stuck” in the middle.
As I read this Dan all I could think of is the fact that there needs to be a more progressive welfare system. The black and white line of qualification does not help those that are on the fence. What about the single mother who needs health insurance for a heart condition but is forced to quit her job because it doesn't offer health insurance and she now makes a few hundred dollars more annually than the state allows? Why not institute a copay system for that person instead of 100% state paid insurance vs. nothing at all because you are $2 over the cut off.
ReplyDeleteScott, that is exactly what I am saying. It shouldn't be an all or nothing set-up. People that are close to the line need to have something like a copay system so they can still have coverage without quitting their job and going on 100 percent paid state insurance. I do think that people that are "milking" the system though need to be weeded out.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing we need to do with welfare is weed out the ones that don't need it or abuse it. If we spent money on private investigators to follow a few leads here and there, I'm sure their small cost would be justified by the savings and it might even put the fear of God in some. No one wants to be hung out to dry. The problem with any type of government program is that there will always be someone there to take advantage of it. If the penalties were stiffer for the crimes, I believe we would have less crime. The ones that play the system, not all, but a good percentage, are smoking cigarettes at $7 pack or more, drinking beer like it's water, and living on fast food. We have all seen them and feel sorry for them and disgusted at the same time. Because they have made poor decisions in their lives, WE PAY. I have no problem helping someone that is down on their luck, I try everyday, but take some personal responsibility. There are families that I would consider 'breeders'. They have numerous children that 'we' have to pay for. Some of them will give the religious argument of not believing in birth control. OK, fine. What about abstinence, isn't that a part of most religions (at least before marriage). It boils down to people being selfish and having little to no sense of responsibility.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the politicians go, if you want to be in the public spotlight, you should be held to a higher standard. You will have the power to create and change laws and the way we live. If someone is given that much power, I would like to be sure that they have the best interest of the people first. Lobbyists are there to benefit the sector of business that they are in. To make sure the laws help them in the long term. I do not know much about politics, but why do we needs lobbyists? To make the politicians happy?.......
Lobbyists are just big business trying to "buy" votes...definitely need to have more supervision and reformed campaign donation laws...maybe a good future topic. Many of the politicians that are in office were lobbyist in the past or will be in the future after they get kicked out of politics. They are very close-knit groups that know all the politicians and the ins and outs of getting what they want accomplished.
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