Welfare Reform Essay

Improved Essays
“If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost”- Barack Obama. Interprets At Issue: Government Programs, from the SIRS data base, government programs have raised taxes and placed more of the economic burden on the states causing an increase in dependency amongst Americans. Recognizing the offense taken and desire for welfare reform, I do my best to empathize. Nonetheless, the amount of people that would be impacted negatively by the eradication of government programs is sizably larger than the amount of people wanting to do away with them. Public government programs are essential to America because they increase education, earnings, and …show more content…
Programs providing nutrition assistance, Medicaid, and early intervention by the government lift millions out of their simplest daily struggles. In proof, SIRS data base speculates, “in 2013, income and nutrition assistance programs lifted 46 million people, including 10 million children out of poverty” (SIRS). Correspondingly, knowing that you or your family will not have to be hungry every day is a burden lifted. Secondly, Medicaid has also provided a blanket for millions to take refuge under. Points out SIRS data base, “…while health programs have benefited tens of millions more” (SIRS). Beyond that, research has concluded that Medicaid not only helps millions now, but will also help millions in the future. SIRS data base emphasizes, “recieving Medicaid in childhood makes it substantially more likely that a child will graduate from high school and complete college” (SIRS). Undoubtedly, Medicaid provides care for people to live a healthy life, but also allows many the opportunities at a more preferable lifestyle. Lastly, First Signs: Early Intervention has shown that involvement by the government in admissible households serves many purposes. In detail, First Signs claims, “A network of professionals offer services including: screening and assessment; family training, counseling, and home visits; speech therapy; occupational therapy; psychological services; audiology services; vision services; social work

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Just as society is concerned about expenses and profits, elected representatives needs to have the same assessment of costs and benefits in regards to attaining savings through cuts in existing Texas aid programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is mostly funded by federal money. Even though it provides nutritional aid, policymakers should tighten the controls on the program because it is non-taxable income, has loopholes, and increases government spending. As stated in the article The Next Welfare Reform: Food Stamps by Jason Riley, “between 2000 and 2013, SNAP caseloads nationwide grew to 47.6 million from 17.2 million, and spending grew to $80 billion from $20.6 billion (15).” As the Texas House and Senate look for ways to reduce the deficit, it would be wise to review the costs, potentially to reduce spending, as well as the savings associated with the program.…

    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In 1996, Bill Clinton signed a welfare reform act which sought to terminate welfare. Examining the act’s harm on the working class - and especially the poor working class - Barbara Ehrenreich lived for three years working low-wage jobs. By both taking on low-wage jobs and receiving no welfare, in Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, Barbara Ehrenreich learns about the physically and mentally tolling aspects of these jobs, the costs of living with little income, and the barriers to entry of these jobs. Because she must work long hours in order to salvage money to live, Ehrenreich’s jobs deteriorate her health and motivation.…

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    We need to see Americans growing, not completely depending on the government. I believe food stamps are a great help to many Americans, although to illuminate the abuse of the system, restrictions must be made now. These restrictions will encourage recipients to work harder for the benefits they receive, and drop the rate of obesity greatly. Now, if we don’t stop the fraudulent use of food stamps and the heightening of obesity; the result will be, more deaths because of obesity, over dependence on the government, and American’s tax money wasted on recipients ringing in the benefits but not willing to work for them. Although, if we work together to solve this problem, there will be more working resulting in more spending that will boost the economy, more recipients will be moved off food stamp benefits because of the work requirement, and ultimately less abuse of the system because of the new software in the EBT cards.…

    • 1528 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On Welfare States

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages

    A welfare state is defined as: “a system whereby the government undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need, by means of grants, pensions, and other benefits.” Both the United States of American and Iceland are considered welfare states, however the role each government plays in regards to healthcare is monumentally different. The dissimilar approaches to healthcare can be explained by the regime each country follows. Iceland is a social democratic welfare state that has a high degree of de-commodification. This means that citizens of a democratic welfare state are given certain services regardless of the economic situation.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Welfare has always been a major point in today’s politics; every election the debate is brought forth once more and again when the Federal budget comes to the floor. It is assumed by many in the population that the program is for the lazy and encourages the poor to not find work or continues to have dependents to increase the amount of benefits they can receive. Many argue that it is the “right” of the individual to receive aid from the government when they cannot support their family. Others agree help is warranted but there must be limits set to avoid fraud or the program becomes not an aid but a way of life. Over the course of our nation’s history welfare reform has taken on many new faces and gone through many struggles.…

    • 1418 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the United States of America, unlike in some other countries, workers pay income taxes to the Federal Government. The Federal Government then allocates some of that money to programs that support the lower income earners in the form of Welfare payments. Contrary to popular belief, receiving public benefits is not a right but a privilege. Individuals who pay taxes and support Welfare programs deserve to know their hard earned money is used to support people who want to become productive members of society.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The most effective solution to fix the problem of the disparity in the Medicaid system is to reform the Medicaid program. By mandating that all states participate in the Medicaid program, many people who rely on Medicaid will have equal opportunities to receive Medicaid no matter where they live. Equally important, the federal government will be able to manage the funding to ensure that no one is left out due to a state’s lack of funds. In short, this reform can benefit both the state and federal governments. As an incentive for full participation by the state, the funds by the federal government would increase in order to help each state.…

    • 204 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Research has shown that the food stamp program is an extremely valuable investment providing large returns for every American, not just the low income. When food stamps get used, everyone benefits. The spending of food stamps creates an increase in the local economic activity resulting in an increase in both farm and retail jobs and beyond. For every five dollars of food stamps, nine dollars of economic activity is generated. Every one billion of retail food demanded by SNAP recipients’ results in 3,300 farm jobs.…

    • 1243 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In these harsh times of rising prices, and shrinking job markets, making a living has became increasingly complicated. Welfare is a system that provides a minimum amount of economic security to people who maintain an inadequate lifestyle. It takes money from hard-working tax payers to distribute and supply America’s less fortunate. Although welfare supplies the ones in need; others take advantage of the system. Welfare benefits should require stricter laws such as drug screenings, thourough investigations and follow ups.…

    • 573 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Welfare assistance programs need to be reformed again, in order to make them effective. In 1996 the Welfare Reform Act was enacted and it changed the entire program for the better, but it still isn’t doing enough to prevent fraudulent behavior. The programs have become abused and need to be reformed again. America's welfare programs are tautological and repetitive. The current welfare state encourages dependence instead of lifting people out of poverty.…

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lately, social programs have become a subject that has been discussed extensively throughout the media; One example is the massive outcry from the public when the…

    • 1296 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In fact, there are not enough welfare programs, which exist today, that can sustain the population’s continuous growth (Green Garage 4). Major programs such as food stamps, public housing, and Medicaid continue to reward idleness and penalize marriage (Welfare Spending 5). If welfare could be turned around to encourage work and marriage, persistent poverty would quickly turn around (Welfare Spending 5). This was exactly what was meant while bring welfare reform together. If a recipient has to…

    • 1487 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Benefits Of Medicaid

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Matthew 26:11, Jesus said the poor you will always have with you. We can not eliminate poverty, so what can be done to minimize it and help those who find themselves there. The Federal government has established many programs to assist those in poverty. According to the Congressional Digest (2009) the federal government funds the following programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), School Meal Programs, The School Breakfast Program (SPB), Special Milk Program, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Head Start, Tax Credits, The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, and Community Development Block…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Stigma and discrimination against those who utilize government assistance programs only add to the poverty issue in the United States. Furthermore, those who abuse government assistance create that stigma. The resolution to this issue is complex, but policy reform and reducing dependency is the first step towards breaking the…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The welfare program in the United States is abused by many Americans. Citizens in the program get their sense of responsibility muted causing dependency on the government. The government does not give its users a limit of how many people they will provide for, causing them to have bigger families in return for more money. There is a misuse of government grants and aids, and many abuse the money received. Welfare is intended to be an aid for the citizens who have an actual need for it while they become financially stable.…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics