...Welfare The welfare of the people in America is put in the hands of the political leaders and public administrators of the government. These political leaders and public administrators are put into office to facilitate bills and propose solutions that will be in the best interest of the public’s welfare. When the topic of welfare is discussed the first though that comes to mind, is giving poor and needy people money to help them get out of a financial bind and temporary unemployment. While this is a true statement, the welfare of all citizens is a concern dealt with by our government. The welfare of the middle and upper class is not as prevalent because the fact that people receive financial support for free overshadows the fact that there are other policies to assist all people in America. There are several preconceived notions about the welfare program in America that leave the subject open for discussion. If one were to look at the various blogs on the subject of Welfare, the understanding of the general public will be determined. Many people argue that African Americans utilize the welfare program more than any other race. They assume that all people on welfare are scamming the government for free housing and free money for groceries. The majority believe that tax payers are losing out on this program because they are supporting the poverty stricken in our country with tax dollars that they do not have to pay. Welfare is felt to be a reason that the government raises taxes...
Words: 1984 - Pages: 8
...Welfare programs have been around since the 1900’s. Before then the local government paired with private charitable organizations to share major responsibility for the welfare of the “worthy-poor”. These people were usually identified as the aged, blind, severely disabled, orphans, and sometimes widows with young children. The first department of public welfare was organized in Kansas City, Missouri in April 1910 as a response to a proposed march on the mayor’s office by a large group of unemployed workers. By 1926, 40 states had established some type of public welfare program for mothers of dependent children. When the Great Depression hit, many families suffered. It is estimated that one-fourth of the labor force was unemployed during the worst part of the depression. With many families suffering financial difficulties, the government stepped in to solve the problem and that is where the history of welfare as we know it really began. Welfare history continued to be made in 1996 President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Under the act, the federal government gives annual lump sums to the states to use to assist the poor. In turn the states must adhere to certain criteria to ensure that those receiving aid are being encouraged to move from welfare to work. At the end of 2011 more than a hundred million people were dependent on welfare and that number as continued to grow since that time. In 2013 the Census Bureau the number...
Words: 371 - Pages: 2
...regarding drug testing welfare recipients before they are able to receive financial benefits. My paper will give a short description of what welfare is and when the first testing program was introduced. I will give reasons why some people believe it is a violation of their rights, how testing is not fail proof, and how the cost will be greater than the benefit. I will give the opposing sides arguments from those that are in favor of drug testing and believe it will benefit the welfare system, help the children and the parents if they are using drugs, and also save the taxpayers money. Government leaders and most of the general public are looking at it from a financial point of view while welfare recipients are viewing it from a constitutional point of view. It is a double edged sword because it is the governmental court system and the judges that are not backing the drug testing idea because of the 4th Amendment What is Welfare? Welfare is a public assistance program designed to help people who are not able to support themselves fully. The online site Welfare Information states that Welfare encompasses those government programs that provide benefits and economic assistance to no or low income individuals. It can also be defined as financial assistance to impoverished individuals which is supplied through the taxes paid by the working class. Improving the quality of life and living standards for the poor and underprivileged is one of the main goals of welfare (Welfare Information). When...
Words: 410 - Pages: 2
...GOVERNMENT WELFARE March 13, 2012 GOVERNMENT WELFARE PROGRAMS Government welfare programs tend to encourage dependence on government support by allowing recipients to remain on the system indefinitely and receive. Some feel that welfare is necessary to help those who cannot help themselves, to allow them a better quality of life with the main goal of assisting the children of needy parents. In 2008, FamilyFacts.org reported that $714 billion was spent on welfare. This included $42 billion for housing, $63 billion on food, $154 billion in cash aid, $372 billion in medical care, and $83 billion on other expenses. Many others feel that welfare distributes wealth to those who don’t earn it. To them, welfare encourages illegitimate births, the breakup of families, and discourages recipients from bettering themselves (Mankiw, p.429). Welfare provides the means for a lazy society that is dependent on hard working citizens for their support. Welfare provides the basic needs and allows for a better quality of live that protects the children from hunger and homelessness. The parents of these children often qualify because their income is at or below poverty level and they have met their state’s requirements to receive any benefits. But instead of the system being a temporary crutch, the system allows recipients to grow dependent on welfare and increases their incentive to continue participating in the program. Many recipients remain on benefits much longer than needed and continually...
Words: 1673 - Pages: 7
...Social Welfare Past & Present robert white HN300: Human Services and Social Policy Social Welfare Past & Present robert white HN300: Human Services and Social Policy 2014 2014 Social welfare began in England with the English Poor Laws. Poor Laws were a body of laws that provided relief for the poor, developed in 16th-century and maintained, with various changes, until after World War II. The Elizabethan Poor Laws, were administered through parish overseers, who provided relief for the aged, sick, and infant poor, as well as work for the able-bodied in workhouses. However, the modern welfare state was started by Otto von Bismarck, the first Chancellor of Germany, created the modern welfare state by building on a tradition of welfare programs in Prussia and Saxony that began as early as in the 1840s. Bismarck introduced old age pensions, accident insurance and medical care that formed the basis of the modern European welfare state. The United Kingdom, as a modern welfare state, started to emerge with the Liberal welfare reforms of 1906–1914 under Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Asquith. The passing of the Old-Age Pensions Act in 1908, the introduction of free school meals in 1909, the 1909 Labour Exchanges Act, the Development Act 1909, which heralded greater Government intervention in economic development, and the enacting of the National Insurance Act 1911 setting up a national insurance contribution for unemployment and health benefits from work. The...
Words: 1891 - Pages: 8
...The Welfare System Orsola Nelson May 16, 2012 Kaplan University Human Services and Social Policy – HN300-01 Michelle March The Welfare System got its start in the 1930’s under President Franklin D. Roosevelt following The Great Depression. It started with The New deal but it was not until 1935 when individuals saw welfare for them and their needs. This was the start of The Social Security Act of 1935. In this act provisions were setup to include Old Age assistance and benefits, unemployment compensation, aid to dependent children, maternal and child welfare, services for crippled children, child welfare, public health work and vocational rehabilitation (National Center, n.d). The Food Stamp Program started in 1939, but was ended because there was no longer a widespread food surplus or unemployment. However, the program resurfaced in 1961 after reports, studies and federal proposals in 18 years showed a need for the program to continue (USDA, 2012). The next set of welfare programs came during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency in the 1960’s. President Johnson had The Great Society that was like President Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Great Society included the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 which aimed at attacking poverty in America. The Job Corps, Head Start Program, Medicare, The Peace Corps, Omnibus Housing Act, The Elementary and Secondary Education Act and The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities were all created in 1964 under Johnson (U.S. History...
Words: 1762 - Pages: 8
...Social Welfare: Pros and Cons Melissa Pugh Post University Online Social Welfare: Pros and Cons The ever-winding tendrils of hardship are impacting individuals who through the ups and downs of life; have become disabled, unemployed, or perhaps senior citizens. Social welfare is available for those who may find themselves in these unfortunate positions. While working at a Milwaukee University, Julia Doyle’s mother was killed by a senseless drunk-driving accident in 1990. Driven by determination, Doyle saw to it that justice was served however this required many requests for leave and because of this; she was terminated although she had invested ten years at the university. Julia Doyle went on to have a total of three children with little or no support from the father; deprived of many necessities, she became a recipient of welfare. She also admits to drug usage during her fall from grace. Nevertheless, for many, social welfare provokes dependency and others like Julia Doyle (Pomeroy, 2008) utilized its benefits to gain a life of financial stability. According to Flynn (2013), “Welfare is a term used to describe systems by which government agencies provide economic assistance, goods, and services to persons who are unable to care for themselves. Welfare is a form of social policy. Welfare programs serve as social safety nets.” Provision is made for member via social policy, social programs, and welfare enterprises. Upon the transfer of...
Words: 1281 - Pages: 6
...Welfare programs in USA Abstract This research will provide information regarding basic welfare programs in USA. Welfare state is a government that provides for the total well-beeing of its citizens and is akin to socialism. However, very few true welfare states exist. The United States is a good example of this as it provides some social insurance or entitlement programs to its citizens but does not espouse socialism. As socialism and democracy cannot go hand in hand, therefore, it is impossible for the United States to be one of the true welfare states. The United States does make efforts to provide for persons in need through a myriad of social service programs known as welfare. Welfare encompasses those government programs that provide benefits and economic assistance to no or low income Americans. It can also be defined as financial assistance to impoverished Americans which is supplied through the taxes paid by the working class. One of the main goals of welfare programs in USA is to improve the quality of life and living standards for the poor and underprivileged. Welfare help is usually extended to people groups other than just the poor and underprivileged such as the elderly, the disabled, students, and unpaid workers, such as mothers and caregivers Welfare programs available in the United States include: Medicaid, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...The Welfare Reform Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August22; 1996. Other government assisted programs with different guidelines were replaced by The Welfare Reform Act. The eligibility guidelines for The Welfare Reform Act were somewhat stricter than other government assisted programs that made it more difficult for some individuals to qualify. A reduction in welfare fraud has been achieved through The Welfare Reform Act that is due to the responsibility the individual on welfare must exhibit. The individual enrolled in a government program has the responsibility to inform the government or state agency of any household changes such as household size or a reduction or increase in income. These household changes must be reported to the agency as soon as they occur. This requirement increases the amount of responsibility required of the program participant; if these changes are not reported as soon as they are known, the individual may lose his or her benefits. A cap was placed on the length of time an individual may receive benefits on the program as well as the amount of cash assistance he or she is allowed to receive (Ku & Coughlin, 2010). The Welfare Reform Act also places great emphasis on the importance of individuals enrolled in a government or state assistance program involvement in job activities. It is a requirement that the individual actively seek gainful employment or participate in job training. An individual has a right to...
Words: 750 - Pages: 3
...people feel about it, and this correlates directly with the kind of stakeholder an individual might be. People who think that welfare should not exist have a very good chance of having enough money to support themselves, while people who don’t have enough money to support themselves are a stakeholder that may think welfare is essential. “Middle-class” citizens in this situation can have many opinions, but for the most part, peoples economic statuses are going to ultimately determine how they feel about what the welfare system offers; too little or too much. These stakeholders don’t only have opinions, but they also have something to lose or gain with what eventually happens in the world of welfare. Citizens who are dependent on welfare have everything to lose, and people who use no forms of welfare and are “comfortable” have nothing to lose Factors to consider about a welfare system would be the spending, how many people receive it, if it takes the different economic statuses into consideration, and many other things. Over time, I will be able to analyze different parts of history to determine why things have or have not worked out, be able to propose solutions into the current welfare crisis. To start, I must ask myself “how did welfare get where it is today?” I eventually must be able to answer the question, “how can America fix welfare without repeating what has been attempted in the...
Words: 280 - Pages: 2
...Welfare Reform Laura Lee Niehoff POL 201 Instructor: Marion Rogers August 26, 2012 Welfare Reform Government assistance programs have been around for many years. The US welfare program began in the 1930’s during the Great Depression (US Welfare System - Help for US Citizens, 2012). The whole idea behind the welfare program was to give aid to families who had little or no income. The welfare program, in the United States, was originally designed to help provide a minimal level of aid to help maintain the wellbeing of citizens. Previously, the local communities would help the less fortunate. Social groups would give donations of food to struggling families. These groups would also donate clothing and other necessities. Now, the government is the largest provider of these programs. The programs were originally based on helping those unable to work or provide for themselves. Until the 1960’s only disabled, or elderly citizens were qualified to receive aid. Legislation not only changed the recipients eligible for help, but also the help available. Programs such as health care, food stamps, pregnancy assistance, and help for single mothers started to emerge. The next addition to the program was housing benefits. To some, the addition of these new programs made it more enticing to receive aid rather than work. The programs had now become considered easy money. If you were able to show need, you would most likely qualify for benefits. Over the last 80...
Words: 1407 - Pages: 6
...Welfare, it is on just about everyones' mind, whether it is Medicare or the A.F.D.C. Some believe there is too much and others think there is too little. As the years go by, the need for welfare reform increases. President Clinton had pledged in his 1992 campaign to "end welfare as we know it". Only time will tell by what extremes welfare will change. As technology continues to increase and jobs continue to go overseas, the United States must decide what direction the welfare system should take. As they exist today, welfare systems are an evolution of the thoughts laid out in the 19th and 20th centuries. Before the Industrial Revolution, the responsibility of helping the poor was mainly given to the churches or local communities. As machines took the place of workers, governments were looked upon to help the unemployed. In 1883, Otto Von Bismarck, the German Chancellor, setup the first form of Modern Welfare when he enacted a sickness and maternity law. He followed up this law with a work injury law and an old-age assistance law in 1884 and 1889 respectively. Today European countries such as Germany, Norway, and Sweden have highly sophisticated Welfare systems (Bender, 13). Welfare did not reach the United States, however, until shortly after the Great Depression with Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal." The New Deal brought on new economic and social welfare legislation. This is the first time that the United States Government used federal and public funds to finance...
Words: 1812 - Pages: 8
...According to welfareinfo.org, Welfare in the United States can cover 100% of monthly utility costs and child support for those who qualify. So what is the catch? Every family who does not need the welfare pays for the welfare. Welfare is a vicious cycle that must reform in order to provide benefits for not only those receiving it, but also those providing for it. For starters, the welfare system encourages dependence rather than serving as an opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty. When I was in middle school, I had a teacher who told everyone in the class to rewrite an entire packet of notes. At the end of class, the bell rang, and I proudly pushed my packet to the side of the desk, as I, along with a select few students, had finished...
Words: 712 - Pages: 3
...Welfare in the United States has been under construction since the day it was established and has made a transformation to make every attempt to encourage Americans to seek employment. Throughout U.S. history various programs were developed over time to assist the unemployed or those who were employed but still struggled to make ends meet. Welfare reform refers to efforts made by the government to limit the number of families dependent on public assistance. In limiting the number of families that are dependent on government assistance, changes have been made and continue to be made to meet the needs of the population. From as far back as the early colonial days, laws were established to differentiate those who could work from those who needed...
Words: 1451 - Pages: 6
...Was Welfare Reform the Right Approach to Poverty? Similar to a majority of children I grew up with in my neighborhood, my family had welfare. I, however, was not fully aware of the fact that what we had was any different than anyone else until my early teens. Food stamps, now referred to as the EBT card, is a center of controversy much like the selling of food stamps for cash was, years ago while growing up. Discovering that we were on welfare, and that we received handouts from the Government, became a secretive and embarrassing thing in order to ensure my sister and I to not get picked on within school. Today, neither I nor my younger sister use the Government for assistance in that way. Reading both of these viewpoints brought up valid arguments, however I feel that if I didn’t grow up on assistance from the Government, then it would be harder for me to decide who I side with. I feel that both viewpoints, one over the administration background and its shortcomings, and the other more detailed in what the Government has done to help the new system along, are extremely valid and if they could just both come together on a common ground overall, the outcome could be actual improvement. Menicmer’s account of Leoterra Clark’s life and struggle through the welfare system has a common theme within the Government. The Government has a mindset on doing what is most advantageous to and for the Government and thus the Government will ensure that everything is taken care of for everyone...
Words: 848 - Pages: 4
