By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil –
Do our nation's children and grandchildren take the United States’ prosperity, freedoms, and way of life for granted? Most likely they do, often because they have never experienced anything different, such as most of us have not experienced the pain of being hungry because we have so little to eat. But even if such a situation should develop, we do have family members or neighbors willing to help in time of financial trouble. We also have both short-term and long-term government welfare programs that provide assistance for struggling families in need of food and/or shelter.
While agreeing to help people in need is an admirable thing to do, many of our citizens are unaware of the huge price tag of this compassion and generosity. For instance, how many American citizens know that our government spent a whopping $349 billion in fiscal year 2018 on Federal welfare programs. Even more astounding is that officials expect there will soon be a large increase in welfare payments that are anticipated to reach at least $1,118 billion, including $650 billion for Medicare alone.
Why then are there still thousands of children in the United States who go to bed hungry, when there are numerous welfare programs and state hospitals that offer help to those in need of both physical and mental help? The same applies to people living on our city streets. These people might need professional help to regain their lives, but their illness or drug dependency often prevents them from seeking or accepting the type of help that will last.
It can be easier for such people to get help from caring relatives or neighbors. That works well if the problem is temporary. However, those whose problems are more likely caused by an underlying illness should be urged to consult with local or state officials for a professional evaluation and possibly hospitalized until they are physically and emotionally healthy. By asking the right questions, a professional health provider can determine what must be done to help these people regain the life they want.
One of the despicable weaknesses of mankind is laziness. The welfare/food stamp program was designed to assist people who are unable to work and earn a living without assistance.
Today, too many able bodied people – Americans and illegal invaders – just take take take from hard working American taxpayers who must not only work to support themselves – they also are carrying the load of the lazy.
God said: ‘Consider the ant thou sluggard and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6
As one who had worked as a volunteer in a charitable organization for several years, I have seen what welfare does. Welfare has created an unproductive, government-dependent underclass. But what was left out of the article was the biggest problem created by welfare: the explosion of fatherless families. Who needs husbands and fathers when Government pays the bills? (That was a rhetorical question. Fathers are irreplaceable for so many reasons.)
Children in generational welfare homes have no concept of normal family life with a married father and mother. This skews everything. Truly, they live in a different world.
What’s needed is 5 years to eliminate welfare. Start with a blitz of commercials and advertising: “‘WED BEFORE YOU BED!’ No new welfare enrollees are being accepted starting next month.” Maximum 5 years to get newborns to school age and parents employed, with gradually diminished payments. Government money can be diverted to churches and local, proven organizations like Salvation Army and Society of St. Vincent dePaul, who can help people learn life and employment skills better than government can. Then gradual tapering down of those funds too. The only people who should get long term government support are those truly disabled, for whom the cost of care is more than family and community can handle.
Maybe if we get rid of government welfare and return to churches the role of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, more people will turn back to God too. Bring back God and family, and the nation will prosper.