Generational Welfare
Generational Welfare
For most of America’s history, farmers, entrepreneurs or shop owners could live their entire lives without getting any assistance from the federal government except maybe mail. But those days are long gone. In 2012 the total number of Americans on government assistance or welfare reached 4,3000,000. Many of which are 4th or 5th generation Welfare recipients. For whatever the reason, we have become a culture of dependency in which poverty is a trap. Long-term recipients loose job skills, work habits as well as work contacts. For this reason the government should require recipients to work as much as they can. It could be called “workfare” and could help recipients increase potential long-term earnings.
Generation poverty is defined as children of parents in poverty grow up to live in poverty themselves in a continuous cycle for at least two generations. All too often this is a result of a traumatic event-taking place such as a illness or divorce that alters the family structure
Hard working, self-reliant men and women built this country, but these work ethics began to change during the great depression in the 1930’s. A federal welfare program was introduced, it granted monthly cash and food coupons to assist with basic living needs, it was established to assist those who were living below the poverty line. This system went virtually unchanged since 1930, and was due for a much-needed reform. In 1996 President Bill Clinton made great strides to give welfare a long overdue facelift. He gave the duties of welfare to the states by implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This act restricted aid to most legal residents. The bill had a 5year lifetime maximum for cash assistance and, required recipients to search for employment among other requirements. This welfare reform law was very successful. More than 60% percent of recipients were able to get off the welfare program. However, the core of this
For most of America’s history, farmers, entrepreneurs or shop owners could live their entire lives without getting any assistance from the federal government except maybe mail. But those days are long gone. In 2012 the total number of Americans on government assistance or welfare reached 4,3000,000. Many of which are 4th or 5th generation Welfare recipients. For whatever the reason, we have become a culture of dependency in which poverty is a trap. Long-term recipients loose job skills, work habits as well as work contacts. For this reason the government should require recipients to work as much as they can. It could be called “workfare” and could help recipients increase potential long-term earnings.
Generation poverty is defined as children of parents in poverty grow up to live in poverty themselves in a continuous cycle for at least two generations. All too often this is a result of a traumatic event-taking place such as a illness or divorce that alters the family structure
Hard working, self-reliant men and women built this country, but these work ethics began to change during the great depression in the 1930’s. A federal welfare program was introduced, it granted monthly cash and food coupons to assist with basic living needs, it was established to assist those who were living below the poverty line. This system went virtually unchanged since 1930, and was due for a much-needed reform. In 1996 President Bill Clinton made great strides to give welfare a long overdue facelift. He gave the duties of welfare to the states by implementing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This act restricted aid to most legal residents. The bill had a 5year lifetime maximum for cash assistance and, required recipients to search for employment among other requirements. This welfare reform law was very successful. More than 60% percent of recipients were able to get off the welfare program. However, the core of this
Cited: Axelrod, Norman. "Chicago Tribune: Chicago Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Weather and Traffic - Chicagotribune.com." Chicago Tribune: Chicago Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Weather and Traffic - Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. . Bowen, Barry D. "1996 Welfare Reform Facts." 1996 Welfare Reform Facts. N.p., 1996. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. . Gaiser, Elliot T. "Obama Guts Welfare Reform." Heritage.org. N.p., 8 May 2013. Web. McLeod, Saul. "Bandura - Social Learning Theory." Albert Bandura. Simply Psychology, 2011. Web. 01 Aug. 2013. .