What is your opinion of welfare monies: food stamps, medicaide, and free schooling?
102152
Entitlements are the number one killer of the us economy.  We pay so much more in taxes because of the programs. When you make it easy for people not to work the inclined they are not.  Our government should cut these programs agressively but a majority of the congress doenst have the guts to do it.  You look at the best economy as far as capita per person it is Ireland. They have a flax tax of 16 percent and very few social programs.
1113195
Cost of Welfare FOR illegals\n\n\nThe High Cost of Cheap Labor\nIllegal Immigration and the Federal Budget\n\nExecutive Summary\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThis study is one of the first to estimate the total impact of illegal immigration on the federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on the state and local level and have examined only costs or tax payments, but not both. Based on Census Bureau data, this study finds that, when all taxes paid (direct and indirect) and all costs are considered, illegal households created a net fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in 2002. We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.\n\nAmong the findings:\n\nHouseholds headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government in 2002 and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household. \n \n\nAmong the largest costs are Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion); food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches ($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to schools ($1.4 billion).\n \n\nWith nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services.\n \n\nOn average, the costs that illegal households impose on federal coffers are less than half that of other households, but their tax payments are only one-fourth that of other households. \n \n\nMany of the costs associated with illegals are due to their American-born children, who are awarded U.S. citizenship at birth. Thus, greater efforts at barring illegals from federal programs will not reduce costs because their citizen children can continue to access them.\n \n\nIf illegal aliens were given amnesty and began to pay taxes and use services like households headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual net fiscal DEFICIT would INCREASE from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a total net cost of $29 BILLION.\n\nCosts increase dramatically because unskilled immigrants with legal status -- what most illegal aliens would become -- can access government programs, but still tend to make very modest tax payments. \n \n\nAlthough legalization would increase average tax payments by 77 percent, average costs would rise by 118 percent.\n \n\nThe fact that LEGAL immigrants with few years of schooling are a large fiscal drain does not mean that legal immigrants overall are a net drain -- many legal immigrants are highly skilled. \n \n\nThe vast majority of illegals hold jobs. Thus the fiscal deficit they create for the federal government is not the result of an unwillingness to work. \n \n\nThe results of this study are consistent with a 1997 study by the National Research Council, which also found that immigrants' education level is a key determinant of their fiscal impact\n\nMy note: These figures were from several years ago, it is worse now. The Federal Government does not know how much more these criminals make under the table (cash). So they don't figure that into these equations. Many do not report all their earnings in order to remain in the low income bracket and still be eligible for the tax paid services legal immigrants and legal USA citizens pay for. Also, they do not KNOW how many are in this country ILLEGALLY. No one documented WHEN they came here, many are here that are keeping a low profile.
1121845
Lazy!! You mean the people who pay the price for "free enterprise".  Over 90% who get assistance are handicapped, children and the elderly! THEY ARE LAZY???\n\nYou are a Bunch of sick people!!\n\nThe REAL lazy are the rich, who gets $93,000 of my money put in their pockets by Bush's tax cuts to the wealthy!!!\n\nI have never seen a bunch of self-righteous pathetic bunch of people in my life!\n\nAnd what would you know about a homeless Vet, suffering from PTSD, among other things? NADA!!\n\nFifty percent of the Budget goes to the Military and to PAY THE INTEREST on Bush's 8 TRILLION 400 BILLION dollar deficit!\n\nYea, lets build another sub! We need that more than we need to end poverty and homelessness in our own country!  Oh hell, lets give Congress another pay raise!!
801486
Nice! \nDemocrats all the way baby!!!\n\nRe: Mei-Lin...You have no knowledge of assistance programs if you are going to make the claim that people that receive assistance simply are refusing to work. Taxes fund lots of programs such as social security and Medicare--do you want to take that assistance away from your grandparents? If not why then are so programs people deserving of and others they are not according to you? Are you aware that the large majority of people seeking welfare do not actually get it? In 1996 the nation had a major welfare reform. Welfare is no longer an entitlement program. If people seek welfare and they are able to work they typically receive no cash assistance. These programs are not easily accessable. So, that FAMILY may go without food or housing or heat until that parent can find a job. Is that ok with you? Do you want children going hungry? And, the majority of people receiving welfare are on it short-term, an average of 1-3 years. Also, people receiving welfare overwhelmingly have major life problems. A large percentage of recepients have a history of domestic violence, learning disabilities, mental illnesses...and the list goes on. Thus, these are not parents refusing to work these are parents with significant barriers to healthy life functioning, which includes maintaining employment. There will always be people that need help in any society and if those people do not recieve adequate help it will negatively effect the society. \nSecondly, in your republican mantra you stated that people should get their money back because they work hard. Question...city services among many other things need to be funded do you understand that that requires taxing people? It always seems that conservatives fail to see that taxing is necessary to provide citizens adequate services. You get something in return for the money you pay.
1102290
I do. I have worked hard all of my life on this Earth. I have never needed welfare or any assistance from the government to raise my child or my family for that matter. Isn't it amazing that people who don't work have refrigerators full of food that the government pays for ,i mean hundreds of dollars in food and I can only afford to fill it up not even close to full. They are lazy and I don't appreciate my precious money coming out of my check every time i get paid, taking care of these louses ,who use the money to get their hair and nails done. Lazy people absolutely disgust me and I pray that the welfare system will soon be gone and they make those people who can work, work. \n\nEven the bible says:\nII Thes 3:10:\nIf a man will not work, he shall not eat."
422291
I'm a Republican, and I've always been against public health care.  I've always thought that if I had to work for a living (and insurance) then everyone should have to.  No freebies.  Well, after actually having to use my insurance, and along with paying deductibles, co-payments, and 20% of all other bills, and having racked up medical bills in excess of $1,500 (which I most definitely cannot afford!), I have changed my mind and would love a public health care system.  No necessarily along the lines of Canada's health care system, but at least something to help those without insurance, and those who are low income.  Maybe have government run clinics set up in each county where anyone that is below a certain income level could receive full healthcare, including MRI, CT Scan, X-Ray, vision, dental, etc at a reduced rate.  Something like that anyway.  I got a bill from the emergency room for $1,400...for two shots.  That's it.  If the government isn't ever going to offer free healthcare to its' citizens, it should at least put a cap on what physicians can charge for their services.  I understand that most of them went to school for 8+ years, but charging $180 for a 5 minute office visit or $1,000 for ONE shot in the emergency room is just plain robbery.
1043758
To all those right-wingers who suggest that welfare does things to people and that they don't bother to get out of poverty, I would like to inform you that yes, it does happen, but please don't generalize and suggest that a great majority of them do so.  I have a college degree and my family had to use welfare for a short time, because I was unable to find a job.  It helped us get by and be able to put some food on the table.  However, I was in a better position, in the fact that I actually do have a degree.  Many people on welfare don't and can't get anything more than a $8 an hour job.  If you think you can support 2 children on $8 an hour, I suggest you go try it.  I've known several people that have to work 2-3 jobs just in order to pay their bills.  It doesn't mean they're not "trying" to get out of poverty.  It's that they can't.  It's a vicious cycle.  To suggest that they're not "trying" to get out of poverty is extremely selfish and insensitive.  Sure, there are people that take advantage of the system, and the government should do a better job of punishing those that do.  But, don't blast the entire system just because of a few bad apples.  Throw out the bad apples.
173652
Welfare is welfare, corporate or social EXCEPT for the following facts:\n\n1) The Goverment gives WAY more to Corporations then it does to the poor and needy. This is just plain wrong. It helps wealthy and powerful corporations become even more powerful and rich. These corporations then fire a bunch of rank and file workers and then ship their jobs overseas. They use the our tax money to help THEMSELVES out and screw over the American tax paying public. As for the poor they get peanuts. Has anyone out there tried to live off of Food Stamps or other public assistance? If you have then you know that the money the goverment gives doesn't really do shit for you. Most working poor need public assistance just to keep their heads above water. Aren't we a "Christian" country? We're obilgated to help the poor not help the rich get more wealth!\n\n2) Whenever the rich gets a break (in getting out of paying taxes or free money) they use it to expand themselves first and then maybe they might throw a few dollars into the American public by spending it for the good of the many,\n\n3) CEO's and other power players get rich off grants while the rank and file (Joe public) get shit!\n\n4) There are lots of idiots out there that think that the poor have it easy and just get fat off our tax dollars and the FACT is that most of them are barely making it and are an inch from joining the homeless.\n\n5) The working class and the working poor pay more taxes then the rich because the rich can afford expensive tax lawyers and find the loop holes in the tax laws while the middle class and the poor pay more then the rich do. That's fucked up!\n\n6) Remember ENRON and the S&L scandels? Who made off with the money (a bunch of rich CEO assholes) and who got screwed (all the working class Joes and their families)?\n\nWhy should my tax dollars go to rich asshole and big corporations that DON'T need the money?!?!?\n\nAn ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It takes less money to help the mentally ill in an out patient center then it does to lock them up in prison (the same goes to drug addicts and other criminals) But the corporations that keep building the prisons get richer off the goverment grants and they love it.
818609
It ought to be mandatory to get food assistance in 3rd world countries where they are producing babies as fast as they starve to death, but it's not a bad idea here, especially if they are 3rd generation welfare recipients. I'm one of the working pooor who gets annoyed at people on food stamps driving better vehicles than I have, have their rent paid for, who whine about not getting more money and spitting out babies to get more benefits. Gee, I guess I'm developing an attitude :P
53834
Welfare is essentially a negative tax, which goes right in hand with the ability-to-pay tax principle. They so lack an ability to pay that they are instead paid by the Social Security Insurance tax that everyone who can pay does.
119064
The Brookings Institute did a great study called Work and Marriage: The Way to End Poverty and Welfare by Ron Haskins and Isabel V. Sawhill. September 2003.  Some of the ideas they had were really great.  They said that by increasing the numbers of hours that people living under the poverty line worked to 30 hours the poverty level is lowered from 13% to 7.5%.  This plan did allow for people living under the poverty line to pursue higher education instead of work, which lowered poverty 1.9%. They also said by giving incentives for people living under the poverty line to marry, that decreased the percent of people living in poverty another 3.5%.  Lastly, limiting the benefits to 2 children lowered the poverty level another 1.7%.  All four of these things together lowered poverty 9.3% from 13% to 3.7%.  Where doubling welfare benefits only lowered poverty by 1.1%.  The study also listed benefit to these programs.  For example, the money spent on these programs would be recouped in tax dollars earned from the new taxable income that is created by the 30 hours of work that people formerly living under the poverty would be performing.  They also cited an increase in public approval that tax payer would have for paying for programs that encourage work instead of discouraging it, as the current system does.  The article was very interesting and has some very good ideas.  Although people who prefer living off government handouts may not like it, a hand-up or a helping hand is always better then a handout.  I am a single mother who has used various government assistance (such as daycare assistance, Pell Grants, Medicaid, and WICK) to earn a bachelors degree and move my son and I out from under the poverty line.  The money that tax payers and the government spent helping me is definitely paying off, as now I am a hard working, taxpaying citizen. Unfortunately, I believe I am in the minority.
379120
On both sides yes!  The $$$ spent will be much less than what we're spending on schooling, healthcare, legal system,...etc.\n\n\nThen, abolish welfare and those lazy @@d Americans would have no choice but to work!
464112
Welfare recipients that get off welfare and get employed do repay what they used - they pay taxes.\n\nWelfare benefits generally are a pittance - in Indiana, TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) generally is not enough to pay bills - many people have to find other help in addition to TANF to pay any outstanding bills while they try and get employed.\n\nSince the 90's, when welfare reform was passed, all states require that TANF recipients attempt to find work or complete eduction that will help them find work. They may only receive TANF for a limited amount of time.\n\nGenerally, people that abuse the system will go for other programs - typically Food Stamps and SSI (Supplimental Security Income - often referred to as disability). Even still, most people who are on Food Stamps or SSI desperately need it - many SSI recipients truly cannot work, and many Food Stamp recipients work at such low paying jobs that they cannot make ends meet.
1108717
There are very few people on welfare who actually need it to survive. \n\nI was a police officer in Indiana for 15 years, and worked in a poor part of town. I've known several 2nd & 3rd generation welfare families. One scam that they do is a mother may have several children. She will let her mother (the grandmother) adopt some of the children. That way the birth mother, and now grandma, both get welfare. They all live together and it increases the amount of money they get.\n\nAnother local scam is a place called George Junior Republic. I'm not exactly sure what they do, but I do know this. It is funded by taxpayers, and they pay children to be good. We had a woman who had 6 kids; all of whom were on probation. The mother was paid to keep her kids in line by this organization. She was also on welfare. We sat once and estimated that she made betwen $3000-$4000 a month between welfare and the "keep your kids good" money. More than I made working 40+ hours a week as a cop...\n\nI couldn't begin to tell you how many people I had to fight who were on "disability" while making an arrest. Too "injured" to work, but they can sure run and fight...\n\nWelfare needs to be terminated. It breeds laziness, incompetence, and the inability to provide for yourself.\n\nLook at how New Orleans descended into chaos...what would people do if the national government collapsed? Would people who have depended on government assistance their entire life be able to survive? I doubt it...
972731
My family received welfare when I was a child, but my mother worked 7 days a week in a low paying job and had 4 children to support. My father was of no help. He was only court ordered to pay $65/month! Now, how is that going to help 4 children?\n\nAll four of us grew up to be very productive members of society--I have a Master's degree, my 2 sis have BA degrees and my brother is a HS grad. Each of us hold professional positions, and we all earn good livings. Despite what people think who do not know any better, many people on welfare only need it as a temporary life saver, and work very hard to be independent of it.\n\nAs far as the Iraq war goes, my old BF and cousin served, but they are the only people I know with any affiliation to this war. Most of the men in my family have been in the military, however.
928482
Welfare is meant to help people that are on hard times. I believe in a compassionate state where no one should be hungry, be without shelter, security, education. I do not believe in handouts to the lazy as it is a tremendous drag on society and is a major reason for high taxes. \n\nI therefore advocate a system where people that are unable to support themselves receive welfare in a different format.\n1-safe and secure housing (very basic)\n2-food vouchers (healthy food only)\n3-free access to education and job training that is of a very high caliber\n4-vouchers for consumer goods at thrift stores like goodwill and value village\n5-health care\n6-mass transportation\n\nThis spartan existence should not be preferable for people to live off so there is an incentive to get to work and improve their lives.\n\nNo one should get cheques to squander on cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, junk food and other wasteful things. Not everyone is able to care properly for their children so welfare should not be a pay raise for people. On this note, there should be excellent boarding houses (akin to those used by the wealthy) where children can be brought up in safe and healthy environments and afforded the best education. Transforming future lost generations into productive members of society.
559807
are you judging someone is my q? but to answer you , welfare is there for anyone whos entitled to it and not for us to decide who gets it and who doesnt , and homeschooling isnt that easy u know and i applaude anyone who does that verses sending them to public school which will corrupt thier minds