Millions of Americans are signed
up for welfare; the program designed to aid poor and
needy families. Unfortunately, it has now become a
way of life for many. Many argue that welfare is not
destroying our culture and creating a dependent people
who have learned to abuse certain privileges that
come with living in America, but history has proven
that this is not true. (Hoehn, Richard, 1995)
Former President Clinton signed the welfare reform
bill, he said "Today, we are taking a historic
chance to make welfare what it was meant to be: a
second chance, not a way of life." Welfare was
designed to give a boost to the poor-to help struggling
families make it through the year while they got back
on their feet. What it has become is a target for
gluttonous people and others who have no values. Many
people who are on welfare have become used to it,
and instead of using the money and aid to stay alive
while they look for a job, they are sitting at home
waiting by the mailbox for the next check to come
in. In the meantime, many people are having more kids,
because-more kids more welfare money. These women
relish the thought of getting free money in the mail-for
doing absolutely nothing.
Welfare is destroying out culture. Many argue that
welfare is necessary for many families, and that it
must not be cut. Some argue that it is giving starving
families the boost they need to make it one more year.
This is only partially true. Yes, we need welfare,
but we also need to limit the amount of time a family
can stay on it. By letting families stay on welfare
for extended periods of time, we are only creating
a lazy, dependent culture. People figure that the
welfare check will come in the mail, so where's the
motivation for going out and getting a job? There
isn't one. That is why President Clinton signed the
welfare reform bill. He knows that the welfare laws
need to be refined, and he has chosen himself as the
apostle for this chore.
Many people are abusing welfare in more ways than
one. The most common form of welfare abuse is just
staying on it too long, and using it as an income,
instead of a boost. There are worse cases, though,
which clearly show the need for reform. Many people
are using welfare as an income, and using the money
for purposes other than survival. Many are using the
money to buy drugs. Inevitably, these drugs lead to
an even more destructive way of life. Many of these
people become even more promiscuous, having babies
for the money that will be added to her monthly check.
(Kaus, Mickey. 1996)
Welfare is destroying our society. It is creating
and encouraging a slothful and idle culture, and it
needs to stop. In the past, honest, hardworking people
who just needed a push used welfare. Quickly though,
welfare has become something that too many depend
on. Many of the families on welfare are poor and lazy.
Satisfied with their monthly check, many of the recipients
use it as their only form of income, and do nothing
else. The government is only encouraging and enabling
their idleness by paying these people to sit around
doing nothing. These people, if not for the welfare
reform bill, would have spent their lives avoiding
work for as long as the government would allow, which
is usually a lifetime. (Schiller, Bradley, 1995)
There are the immigrants. Not the immigrants who
come to America looking for freedom and a new life-I'm
talking of the ones who invade our beaches and our
borders, and head straight for the welfare sign up
desk. These people suck up tax dollars from the honest
and hard working, and give the society nothing in
return. No more. These people will all be cut off
with the new bill. US News and World Report.1995)
The greedy people, the lazy families, the leeching
immigrants-they all signal that we need to change
the system. So we begin anew. Starting over with a
new plan, and a new attitude, destined to succeed,
and not likely to fail. No, it is not harsh or discriminating,
and yes, it is very necessary.
Works Cited
Hoehn, Richard. Blueprint for Social Justice: Let's
Get Real About Welfare, New Orleans, 1995, pg 60.
Kaus, Mickey. “The Revival of Liberalism.”
New York Times. 9 August 1996: A27.
“Say You Want A Revolution.” US News
and World Report. 9 Oct 1995: 11-14
Schiller, Bradley, “Why Welfare is Still So
Hard To Reform.” Challenge, New York, 1995,
pg 16.
