WELFARE: A HELPING HAND OR A HANDOUT

Welfare: A Helping Hand or a Handout

Abstract

The welfare system has been a hot topic on political agendas for many years. Many Presidents have tried to reform the system, including our current President. In this last year, President Clinton's welfare reform law expired allowing President Bush to create his own plan. This plan has made some radical changes to the current system. However, this new system is still not working as was intended. The welfare system was originally designed to get people off the streets by offering health care, housing assistance, and assistance finding jobs. Unfortunately, the people who are unable to help themselves are no longer receiving the assistance that they need to sustain a healthy life; children are growing up in desolate homes or no home at all, where they go to bed hungry every night. Young mothers, who should be educated and nurtured, are having doors shut in their faces so that the cycle can repeat itself in future generations. The current welfare system does not work any better than the one previous. In this research we discuss that Welfare laws must change. We must find a way to effectively give support and educate those people who so greatly need our help.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION5

Overview5

Purpose of research7

Problem Statement7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW9

Introduction9

History9

Welfare Reform Focus11

Social welfare policy12

Poverty Cause Debate13

Work-participation19

Welfare rolls plummeted21

Largely Single Mothers22

Poor Solution25

CHAPTER 3: WELFARE SYSTEM PROMOTE DEPENDENCY29

Introduction29

Defining 'welfare dependency'31

Ageing population31

Mushrooming welfare budget37

Dependency Culture40

Summary44

CHAPTER 4: 1996 WELFARE REFORM GOALS47

Introduction47

Welfare Reform and Devolution: Looking Back and Forward49

TANF Structure50

What's the Story?52

How Has Devolution Mattered?54

Devolution and Funding55

Devolution and Measurement Issues57

Devolution and Federal Signaling60

Summary62

CHAPTER 5: WELFARE SYSTEM REFORMATION65

Introduction65

Can Welfare Be Changed?75

Congressional Proposal78

Biblical Principles80

SUMMARY83

Introduction84

Overview of Fraud Function85

DPSS Background86

Welfare Fraud Prevention & Investigation Section86

Internal Affairs Investigations88

Management Information and Reporting89

Summary92

CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS94

Conclusion94

Recommendation99

REFERENCES102

BIBLIOGRAPHY112

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Overview

Welfare is a highly debated issue and it affects all of American's lives; one way or another. Whether you're a recipient or “forced” tax-payer welfare impacts you. This system is a highly debated issue, which impacts all American's in some way or another. 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. 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 (Mel, King, 1981).

Welfare is destroying out culture. Many argue that welfare is necessary for many families, and that it must not be ...