Entitlement Programs Helping the People but Hurting the Country

To begin with handing out money is always a problem, it becomes even more of an issue when we don't have the money to give! For instance with the Chinese in 2012 we gave $28.3 million to china’s foreign aid. If we seriously are in debt to them about 1.3 Trillion dollars why would we need to give them financial aid? Its ridiculous to be in debt to them such a large amount of money and yet give them financial aid is simply ludicrous. To change this how about we start loaning money to china and stop buying into their loans, this would not only eventually cut our debt exponentially but it would also start to Increase the money we make as a nation.

In 1996 the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant was created as a way to provide assistance to needy families and to end the dependence on government benefits through encouraging job preparation, marriage with the formation of two parent families, and work. In reality, TANF has created a weakened safety net and provides less protection for individuals facing poverty. It grants less assistance than before to lessen poverty and the hardship that comes along with it. The policy has become more of a Band-Aid that is continually ripped off due to its sanctions and requirements revealing the same deeper issues that were there in the first place. Families are stuck in a hole of poverty where they cannot climb out of, and policies like TANF help to maintain it. Since the year 2000, poverty in the U.S has been on the rise, especially the increase in deep poverty. The number of families in deep poverty rose from 2.7 million to 3 million between 1996 and 2013. This is an extremely important issue that we are currently facing in our country. More time and effort needs to be spent on both the creation and reformation of policies like TANF to help combat this rising issue in our country.

Overspending on these entitlement programs are very rampant. These programs need to be seen as a danger. Just with the past few

Jason Comis Horton English 1301-363 27 November 2012 Testing One Two Three In the current state of the American economy, needless spending is something the government needs to avoid at all costs. With some trillion dollars owed to various foreign countries, the United States literally cannot afford to pump money into programs that do not benefit the country as a whole. Michael Tanner, who is the Director of Health and Welfare studies at the Cato Institute, reports that this year the Federal government will spend 952,000,000,000 dollars on programs to help the poor (10). While some of this money goes to people who truly need it, there are many people that take advantage of the kindness of others. Robert Rector, who is the Senior

Despite working hard to achieve the American Dream and to have a prosperous and successful life in America the rising costs of college and housing as well as lower pay in some states creates debt for many Americans. Although other people around the world come to America to reach the American dream, but are halted by all of the costs that reside to become a part of it.

One reform argument is centered on the ?burden? for taxpayers to support people who are not trying to help themselves. Gilens reported, ?The economic self-interest explanation of welfare reform is widely assumed to be true, and debates over public policy often remain on the assumption that the middle class resent paying for programs that benefit only the poor? (Gilens, p. 2, 1996). Reform efforts often focus on general stereotypes of welfare recipients not wanting to work and preferring to take advantage of taxpayer money. Conservatives and liberals refer to ?welfare spending? as excessive and unnecessary. However, prior to the popularity of welfare reform, the U.S. Bureau of Census reported actual money spent on AFDC was only 7% of the $613 billion spend on social welfare which included health care, veterans? programs, education, housing, and pubic aid (tables 579, 583, 1993). With government statistics contradicting claims of excessive spending, there is

Riff 1 “The federal government currently funds 126 separate anti-poverty programs at an annual cost of $688 billion. Of these, 72 provide cash or other benefits directly to poor families” (Tanner). Welfare is a broken system that needs to be fixed because it is teaching the current generation the wrong way to live, encourages people to not work for what they need or want, and lacks accountability for how or where the money is being spent.

These programs to aid the middle class require money that the government does not have. To create the necessary funds needed to operate the “Stimulus Package,” the government levied high taxation on corporations. However, this had the opposite result. The high taxation placed on large corporations took away jobs from the American middle class(Kent McDill). Middle class jobs are slowly bleeding out of America. The high taxation, along with strict corporate regulations are taking middle class jobs out of America and forcing corporations to take a different route for employees.

Role of Federal Government Federal Government has the ability to create positive change in many social welfare systems. The support of the government ultimately determines the success of a social welfare program. They play an important role in the decisions of how funds are allocated and the importance of these various vulnerable populations. The federal government is used as a tool, to help implement and support social welfare programs. However, from my own opinion, it is sometimes lacking in the proper support needed in many aspects. This is caused by a plethora of reasons, not to say that the government is completely unsupportive. Yet, there may be a gap in the perception of these social issues. The government puts in place laws, regulations, system structures, and so on. Therefore, because the government are the implementers of how our country is ran, it is their responsibility to be a main facets in the support of the gaps that inevitably occur. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to understand the needs of these population’s and the reality of their hardships. Most in a position of power, such as the federal government, have not experienced the severity of the many situations, that results in individuals needing assistance from these social welfare programs. Moreover, it is essential that there is outreach to these populations. All the same, getting a more realistic view of the life in these contexts. For instance, the time cap of being on assistance throughout one’s

Throughout history, there have always been people willing to work for what they want, and those who expect things to be handed to them as if it was a natural-born right. While the welfare system does positively impact some families in need, many people take advantage of it. With this being a well known fact, the government still continues to use ten percent of the federal budget on welfare (“Budget” 1).

In today’s modern society, the United States faces many public policy issues, whether those issues include social welfare, immigration or even environmental issues. Congress receives numerous issues on public polices every day, but they cannot handle and solve every issues that comes across their daily agenda, nor can they satisfy every person in this country. Congress prioritizes on those issues that are more important and relevant to find a probable solution too. A growing issue we see that in today’s society are issues in the social welfare system. Social Welfare has so many issues within some of those issues include the food stamps, and even in the healthcare system. The matters in social welfare requires every individuals help to resolve, not just congress. The second major public policy issue we face in American today are within the Public Assistance Programs. Those programs include the SNAP, SSI, and even the TANF program.

From reading the articles, the term that hit me the most was “poverty relief” what is poverty relief? From reading the articles and looking at the statistics, I always feel “they” the government is helping out the wrong people, 75% of the time. I want to use this example, when my sister turned 19-years-old, graduated high school, my sister moved in 1996, had her own place, and was okay. Yet, ten years later, when I turned 18-years-old, graduated high school, could not move out. Where was the relief for me? Why are there apartments just for 65 and up, shouldn’t there be apartments for students who are going to school, and trying to reach this American Dream. Also, to point out these “poverty relief” programs, why are there a lot of crimes happening

The government put our money into their programs just to see them fail. Do we not want people out of poverty? Do we not want everyone to have the opportunity to prosper? As it stands, the government has created a worse environment for those in need like Congressman Paul had said. Government interference will do harm to those that come in contact. However, voluntaryism is the solution that grants people the freedom to be generous rather than the mandatory taking of money for a seemingly failing cause.

It isn’t to give everyone a set budget from the government and what you do with it is yours. We Need to educate our children that are going to later be in the work force, that are later going to be our society. If we keep going at this rate, they will be poor. They will be in a state of poverty we haven’t seen since the Great Depression.

Theresse Weigand-Watkinson Bethany Gallant and Stacy Vocasek English 10-5 16 December 2015 The Positive Government Did you know that the government has helped over 306,804,000 (Jeffrey) people and families just from the last four years alone? Since 1789, the government has been finding ways to try and help citizens deal with poverty and other economic crisis’. From creating the Constitution and abolishing slavery, the government has started to create programs to help certain people and families overcome other rising issues. The government has been successful in creating these programs that support the needs of the citizens who require them. People would suggest that the government has affected society in a negative way but, different credibilities would beg to differ. The government has influenced society in a positive way by creating programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Public Assistance (GPA) and Social Security to help citizens conquer poverty.