A modest proposal on Welfare.
A modest proposal on Welfare.
The United States national poverty rate in 2011 was 15.7 percent (1), we are failing with our campaign against poverty. 46.2 million Americans are below the national poverty rate. (1) There are currently 70 plus federal programs to assist our poorest individuals. To combat poverty President Johnson launched the War on Poverty in 1965. We currently spend 927 billion dollars each year on these programs. Some of the programs here in Washington are : Emergency Food Assistance, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Cash), Basic Food Program, Mercy Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Section 8 Housing, just to name a few. (2) Let break that down, if the government stopped all programs, 61,830 dollars a year could be given to a family of three. (2) The uneducated poor make about 7.25 an hour (national minimum wage), so 7.25 times 40 hours is 290.00 a week before taxes. The average two bedroom apartment runs 850.00 a month without utilities. Lets imagine taxes are around 100.00 a month, so 290 times 4 equals 1160 minus 100 leaves you with 1060 in a given month. This is if you have the fortune to work fulltime. 1060 minus 850 equals 210, so you now have 210 dollars left for food, utilities, transportation, and clothing. This is way the war on poverty is unsuccessful. Why work when I can sit back and collect Welfare? In the state of Washington you can collect food stamp which is around 260 per person, so a family of four receives around 700 a month, Section 8 gives vouchers for housing where the family can be responsible for a co payment towards the rent which is very reasonable. Let’s not leave out medical insurance, which automatically covers children and pregnant low income or no income individuals. There are programs that will pay your utilities. You can even get a cell phone with 250 minutes a month, and free internet too. Welfare is very attractive to people who don’t plan on ever
The United States national poverty rate in 2011 was 15.7 percent (1), we are failing with our campaign against poverty. 46.2 million Americans are below the national poverty rate. (1) There are currently 70 plus federal programs to assist our poorest individuals. To combat poverty President Johnson launched the War on Poverty in 1965. We currently spend 927 billion dollars each year on these programs. Some of the programs here in Washington are : Emergency Food Assistance, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Cash), Basic Food Program, Mercy Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Section 8 Housing, just to name a few. (2) Let break that down, if the government stopped all programs, 61,830 dollars a year could be given to a family of three. (2) The uneducated poor make about 7.25 an hour (national minimum wage), so 7.25 times 40 hours is 290.00 a week before taxes. The average two bedroom apartment runs 850.00 a month without utilities. Lets imagine taxes are around 100.00 a month, so 290 times 4 equals 1160 minus 100 leaves you with 1060 in a given month. This is if you have the fortune to work fulltime. 1060 minus 850 equals 210, so you now have 210 dollars left for food, utilities, transportation, and clothing. This is way the war on poverty is unsuccessful. Why work when I can sit back and collect Welfare? In the state of Washington you can collect food stamp which is around 260 per person, so a family of four receives around 700 a month, Section 8 gives vouchers for housing where the family can be responsible for a co payment towards the rent which is very reasonable. Let’s not leave out medical insurance, which automatically covers children and pregnant low income or no income individuals. There are programs that will pay your utilities. You can even get a cell phone with 250 minutes a month, and free internet too. Welfare is very attractive to people who don’t plan on ever