Why do so many liberals support the welfare system but don't collect it?
It has come to me that one of the major differences between conservatives and progressives is empathy, or the lack thereof. Progressives feel a need to help those less fortunate than themselves, even if they themselves had never been in that person’s situation. Conservatives come from the school of everyone is equal from the standpoint of just being born and should be self sufficient and should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, supposedly as they believe our Founding Fathers had envisioned. Until that conservative has to personally experience the pain or misfortune of those they formerly looked down upon. A classic case is of this is Republican Senator from Ohio, Rob Portman, formerly one of the most anti-gay politicians in the Congress, until his son came out of the closet. And do you think hard core conservatives Lynne and Dick Cheney would support gay rights if their daughter Mary wasn’t gay?But the conservatives that really get me are the ones that have personally benefited from progressive policies that still campaign against them. There have been several cases where Republican politicians have expressed their support of appealing the ACA, only to have children of their own with preexisting conditions that have benefited from it. And in the most outrageous case of hypocrisy, Republican congressman Scott DesJarlis from Tennessee is a family practice physician and had been very vocal about being being pro-life. Yet this fine formerly married, upstanding representative, has had multiple affairs with patients, coworkers and a drug company representative. Not only that, but he encouraged at least one of the women he had an affair with AND his now exwife to have abortions.Read that, progressives or Democrats do not have to walk a mile in somebody’s shoes in order to be motivated to care for that individual. They do it because it’s the right thing to do.
What is your opinion on our state welfare programs?
I am writing a term paper for my history class over poverty and state welfare. I'd like to know others' opinions on who they think should qualify for welfare and if such programs are even needed. My mom, being a career transition specialist for Job Corps has come into contact with lazy well able teens who are sitting at home dependent on welfare and we are paying for them.
Why do so many people in this country bash welfare?
I live in the state of Washington. It appears from what I have learned is that a person has to be severely ill, single jobless mother taking care of kids because pops has disappeared, or elderly to get assistance. Most times benefits only last 6 months of a persons entire life. Many times people build a stigma around social services so that people would rather starve themselves and their children than go out and get on "welfare". Europe seems to be the one that gives free hand outs. They have a motto that says that a person can work if they want to. No one questions it and they have nice mass transportation systems, better educational systems, and some of those countries are ranked ahead of us on quality of life. Why are so many Americans complaining? How do you cheat the government to get lots of money? The amount of money I have seen from the lists and college classes looks like just enough money to live out on the streets with for food and clothing. Should we defund it some more?
Is poverty the fault of the rich or the fault of the government?
We all share in the blame one way or another.
Describe how antipoverty programs can discourage the poor from working. How might you reduce this disincentive
In most countries, antipoverty programs are more often than not some variation of "food for work" (or minimum wage work that is provided to the unemployed) kind of programs. under the antipoverty program, employment-generating projects are initiated with the specific aim of providing work for the poor/unemployed. it is very difficult to see how this would "discourage" the poor from working! In America, "welfare" doesn't always mean you are handed out some money just like that, often you work for the absolute minimum wage. and the irony is that companies who hire such "welfare workers" get tax benefits for it!