Is it time to call welfare a failure and dump it?

Question

Today I attempted to teach my kids a great life lesson, we delivered food to a people in subsidized housing. We started early this morning and picked up all the boxed meals and then went to a government welfar community and knocked on each door to personally give them the food. Both boys 11 and 14 went to each door. It was a miserable failure, houses had plasma screen tv, satalite dishes even luxery cars in the driveways.

Both boys came away thinking that these people milk the system for handout so they can spend their money on toys.

Today was a horrible failure.

Worse I was unable to defend these people we were trying to help.

Answer 1

The "poor" in America have TVs, Internet, cars, housing, and more. Poor is a social term with loose meaning from one country to another. Obama wants nationalized health care, and that's the main reason I'm against Obama (alright enough with my politics). Yes I agree with you, studies have found that a vast majority of Americans abuse the welfare system, to some extent, either by having more kids, lying, or hiding assets.

Answer 2

I don't live in the US.

However i believe that without moral values and pride in self worth, people will abuse systems designed to help the helpless

I know many "poor" live better than some richer people who contribute to the poor.

It seems we live in a TAKE ALL WE CAN SOCIETY .

Answer 3

You don't need to defend what you saw today. It is a fact of life. There's nothing to defend. It's indefensible. And a joke.

The welfare system is rubbish and has been for years and years. It doesn't help anyone. What it does do it cultivate incredibly skewed values as well an envy, anger, resentment, jealousy, helplessness and hopelessness. It also encourages woman to increase the size of their families in order to increase the size of their checks.

The problem you saw today is about values. Your values and the values of the folks in the housing project are very, very different. Plasma screen televisions, luxury cars, bling, designer shoes and purses and acrylic nails are thought of an entitlement and necessity. And they want you to pay for their food, education and medical care.

There's not a country in the world where the "poor" people live like they do in the U.S.

So yes, the system is a failure and needs to be dumps. However, if you listen to Obama, the system is a failure and needs to have billions more dollars dumped into it. How's that for reasoning?

Answer 4

When you started out today to allow your children to act in a compassionate way, i am sure you didn't want them to have to be exposed to the way that people can really be. Remember that i your heart you had the right idea and your children will always remember that about you with pride. The real world is full of things that we are disgusted by, we can only do what we know is right and know that we make an effort. Funny how the government doesn't see the flaws in their  system. No matter what controls we put on a program, someone will cheat it and the people that require assistance suffer for it. What Can you do? We can only do the best we can and god bless you for placing ex samples of good actions in the children that the Lord has blessed you with. They do live what they learn from their parents.

Answer 5

Why do you think they want Obama to be president? My boss is an astronaut and has adopted a family which are members of a charity drive called the "box family." She was sending the woman new sheets and several other things for her children. But she received a letter from the woman stating her son didn't like the books and would rather have a nintendo and games. This has been going on since Katrina.

Answer 6

Maybe it comes down to this: As a parent do you think we should spend money on babies or bombs? In any system there are jerks, often-times its the parents, but never the babies. I know my tax dollars will be wasted often; but I choose babies over bombs. That  baby may need the welfare stamps his Mom gets and does use it on food for them, otherwise her children would be starving while big shot Uncle still buys his wide screen TV.  Explain to your children that, poor people often make poor choices, but it shouldn't be the babies that suffer. Being a parent means sacrifice and face it most people today are from the me generation.  I know alot of friends that have nothing saved for their own retirement or their kids educations yet they spend money on expensive electronics that are worth squat in 3 years. Their parents saved and made due w the old black n white set and sent them to college. Choices. This experience can be a life lesson for your kids to make the right choices, not poor choices.

Answer 7

It is admirable what you tried to teach your boys.. Rest assured that it's not that way everywhere. I am in Low income housing and on food stamps etc. due to disability and yes, I have internet access and cable but I am in no means living in luxury.. I live from day to day and I struggle. I do not milk the system in anyway.. believe me.. I do work when I get a chance..My car is 11 years old. I could have it a lot worse and I am thankful for what I have.. It is unfortunate that your boys saw the "worse" side of things..and most people do not realize that people on "assistance" do not always cheat the govt and are not just lazy bums who want something for nothing. I hope in time that your boys can really understand that there will always be people who can and WILL cheat the system but there are the rest of us who appreciate people who do things like what you did this morning. Thank you.