Government Aid

1/25/2012

From the New York Times blog, Economix

Positive economic statement: Government assistance has increased over the past three years regardless of educational attainment.
Normative economic statement: I'll leave this for you in the comments section.

How do you interpret this graph? Has the increase in government aid been equitable to all groups? Should it be? ,

R#10461966

1/25/2012 04:03:50 am

To be honest, I feel like the government now is almost playing "Parents" to every single situation whether big or small. I'm no extreme right or left wing, but honestly the government is not going to solve every single problem there is. That being said, I don't feel that they (the govt) needs to "hold the hands" of the poorest people. Granted some do need help to get out of a rut in their lives, but when they know that the government is helping them out there is no motivation to elevate themselves in society. Most people on welfare just accept the fact that they are going to be on it for most of their lives. If we put a limit on how long someone could be on welfare (or something along those lines) that could act as a motivation to rise out of the slump that they (the people) got themselves into.

R#10432564

1/25/2012 04:21:02 am

I agree that our government needs to stop babying people that are too lazy to take care of themselves. Why would someone put forth the effort to stop relying on government assistance when they can just sit at home doing nothing and still be taken care of? That's not to say that everybody needing government assistance is lazy because there are people who truly need the help, but I do agree with the statement that there should be a time constaint as to how long you stay on this government assistance considering a person's particular situation. It's also no suprise that the most people receiving this government assistance is people without a high school diploma. Stay in school longer and you will have a better job and that will hopefully lead to making more money.

R10379616

1/25/2012 08:06:25 am

I feel that many of your points are valid and that much of the population that has not received a high school diploma may be on government assistance, but who is too blame for why they haven't extended their education. I think that it could be both a lack of parental support and a lack of goals for the student themselves. I think that to fix the problem it needs to be taken one step at a time. By the allowing students to have the option to quit school at the age 16 gives adolescents the easy way out especially considering that the government offers multiple assistance programs. Many people believe that an educated country is an economically strong country, so if education is going to fix our economy than education should be the focus of it (not like inTtexas where the budget was dramatically cut). If you are going to require that a student go to school why give them the choice at the age of 16 to drop out? They are not yet an adult by societies standards, so why should they have the right to make such an adult decision that will potentially affect their entire life and leave many tax payers angry that they support people who openly gave up while they had the chance at a free education. I agree that there should be constraints on government assistance and on many there are, but I think if you begin from where the problem is brewing and work from there it might be an easier task to decrease government assistance rather than putting in more constraints where people can find loop holes.

Logan Johnson

2/1/2012 01:06:06 am

I agree that we should not be bailing people out of there economic situations. Well fair does help the overall economy of our country but I believe it contradicts what our country was founded on. The united states was founded on capitalism where anyone could succeed with hard work, I believe we are shifting over to a more socialistic idea in our society today

R10368811

2/10/2012 12:27:32 am

Yea I agree with both of you! An education is what leads to success and what determines your success in life for the most part. If the people on welfare remain uneducated and recieving aid from the gov then they will never attempt to stand on their own feet alone. There should be a time limit for welfare.

R10386241

1/25/2012 06:39:19 am

I think its ridiculous that people actually rely on welfare for a living while the rest of us are working hard to support ourselves and our families. The government does a lot of babysitting, which only encourages more laziness. That fact that government assistance has only increased is absolutely ridiculous to me.

R10412296

1/25/2012 11:50:43 am

This is a EXTREMELY narrow-minded and offensive statement. Yes, it is true that some of those people are lazy or (as the person who commented after you pointed out) are on drugs, but not all of them. There are plenty of people out there who aren't lazy and who work for a living but whose parents didn't make enough money to send them to college resulting in them not making enough money to completely support themselves. There are also plenty of people who are unemployed, not because they want to be or because they are too lazy to get a job but because they literally can't due to the competitive job market and lack of education for the reason I stated previously. I mean, don't get me wrong, I DON'T think that all the people receiving welfare, food stamps and Medicaid really deserve it, especially those who didn't graduate from high school seeing as high school is free. I mean there are special circumstances that could halt graduating from high school, but there is always an option of getting a GED. I think that those who didn't even go out of their way to get a GED should not be receiving financial support by the government because, like you said, they are clearly lazy or just don't care. So, although in some aspects your statement is judgemental, it is also true to a very limited extent.

10411251

1/29/2012 12:16:40 am

Coming from a family of Hispanic decent and having neither a mother nor a father who graduated from high school, I understand how hard it is to get food on the table and clothes on your back. My parents couldn’t because they had to help their family make some income when my grandparents were working for less than a dollar an hour. Back then the discrimination was also a big issue, not every employer wanted to hire a Latin, so job searches are scarce, and even now when you look at the stats, Latin people still are not afforded the same opportunity as many of the other races. Many college students these days expect everything to be given to them and because their mommy and daddy have the means to afford to send them to college and that does not make them any better and also does not make them understand many of the circumstances that we face as the poor. Many kids don't graduate because they have to help mom and dad pay the bills and put food on the table, they have to start working at the age of 16. The little bit of food stamps that is given and the little bit of medical help goes a long way for the people that cannot really afford it. Now I agree that there are many people milking the government, but that should not be the basis of your judgment for all food stamp/Medicaid people. Unless you have been standing in their shoes and have experienced what life has thrown at them, don't judge the rest of the world, but appreciate that you have never had to suffer like many of them.

R10409494

1/31/2012 08:58:47 am

I totally agree with the statements made by the response comment. I agree that there are some people that are using the system but there are some people that really do need it. I do not agree with the fact that the governemnt aid is ridiculous. Some people are just not able to get a job to support themselves even if they are trying and those people need to governement aid. I Just think that the system should be more closely monitored.

10370591

1/26/2012 11:26:49 am

I agree with this statement, but there are people during these down economic times that need short-term assistance.

R10390341

1/30/2012 02:16:31 pm

Even though the economy hasn't exactly headed in the right direction, I agree since a lot of the people are taking advantage of this system. I believe other citizens recognize the benefits these people are receiving, and it causes them to become less beneficial to society knowing they have welfare to fall back on.

10368003

1/25/2012 11:13:22 am

This seems pretty crazy. Our Government should not be supporting people at this point, especially when a lot of the people it is supporting are very capable. I feel as though many people who live off of unemployment, food stamps, and medicaid are on drugs. This is why I strongly support drug testing in order to receive any help from the government. The only problem is would it cost more to test than to just give away the money.... testing is not cheap.

R10430929

2/2/2012 09:30:07 am

I completely agree with the idea of drug testing in order to receive government aid. Yes, it would cost a lot of money but I feel sure it would end up saving a lot more money in the long run.
I had a friend who applied for food stamps and literally all she had to do was make a call and send a copy of some pay stubs. Granted, she sincerely needed the help and it was food stamps not a check, but I felt it was way too easy for her to get so much money without having to prove she was a reliable source.

R10430292

2/2/2012 09:38:45 am

I posted the above comment under the wrong R number.
R10430292 is actually correct instead of R10430929

Jamal Atwell

2/18/2012 06:21:52 am

I second that drug testing idea. I had a discussion in a POLS class about the same subject and a lot of people believe drug testing would be a good idea. It sort of shows that those who are receiving federal aid are at least making some sort of effort to keep their life on track, because living in low incoming areas surely has lots of pressures to become an addict.

Lindsey Maloy

1/25/2012 11:55:59 am

Americans are getting lazier everyday. No one want to work for a living because free handouts are so easy to obtain. The mind set of too many American people is to take the easy way out. Government assistance was created to help those in need, but now it is just being used and abused. The hard working citizens are supporting lazy people who choose not to get a job. The creation of this assistance was not to develop more lazy people who refuse to get a good education and a good job. If we have a society that chooses to free load off of the working class pretty soon there won't be any financial support left. What do we do? Take away government assistance? Make it harder to obtain assistance?

R10375157

1/25/2012 01:06:46 pm

I believe that many people take advantage of government assistance. Sure, there are some people who ACTUALLY need assistance They may have too many kids and both parents have full time jobs, but their income isn't enough to support their family. There are others who actually have money in their bank, but in order to have extra spending money they rip off the government, and in turn most of Americans.

R10440115

1/29/2012 01:28:30 pm

I definitely agree that in most welfare cases, the system is being taken advantage of. The chart shows that the amount that the government is giving out has only continued to rise. Obviously, our current welfare system is not solving long term problems contributed with poverty levels in the US. There is no incentive for people to go out and better themselves when cash is being handed right to them. The government cannot continue on this track of frivolous spending that only benefits those involved short term. Those with lower end education levels are the ones who are increasingly receiving more welfare. Reform is needed now more than ever. There has got to be a more efficient way of helping those in financial need in our country.

R10462776

1/26/2012 08:47:40 am

Honestly, in the town I grew up in, most people that were on food stamps were living beyond what they brought in. It was kind of funny to see some one pull out food stamps in the checkout line then pull away from the store in their Cadillac. Too bad the many will ruin it for the few.

10310218

1/26/2012 10:00:28 am

I agree, people do tend to ruin it for others. For me it is just frustrating. To know that there are people out there that file for welfare and sit around doing nothing all day while I'm working a part time job to get through college is beyond aggravating. They make more on welfare than they do actually working so why not be a bum and have Obama pay for your habits? I do know there are people who truly need the help and I understand. I think the requirements should be stricter and greatly enforced. We end up paying for most of these people to sit around and smoke dope. There is something wrong with that.

R10300144

1/31/2012 05:07:47 pm

I just wonder where people are getting their stats that MOST people on welfare smoke marijuana. Where is the evidence to back this up?
Secondly, I believe that of course there are people taking advantage of the system, but isn't that with any system?
Lastly, a lot of people who complain about welfare being pointless or making people lazy need to look at the situation that the people who are on welfare are in. They have children who need to eat. You may say that welfare teaches the kids not to have initiative or drive in life but have you ever tried working at your full potential when you're starving? And by starving I mean the last meal you eat every day is the free lunch you got from school. Instead of criticizing them, I volunteer at one of the at-risk schools in Lubbock twice a week and help the kids see that there is a better way, that they don't have to take handouts all their life and that they can be successful. But most people don't do that. Most people just complain, complain, complain. Well perhaps if we stopped complaining and channeled that energy in being a part of the solution, things would get better: more kids would graduate from high school and not depend on welfare. Oh, but of course, MOST Americans are too selfish for that.

R10375157

1/29/2012 08:09:56 am

I agree with you completely. In my hometown many of my friends parents were on food stamps and they for the most time always had spending cash, and nice clothes. I know there are some people that actually need the help, but I believe there needs to be some kind of way that when they are applying for food stamps we can know if they actually need them or not.

R#10449686 link

1/30/2012 03:04:14 am

I agree with you all completely as well. Where I am from its so interesting to see ladies in the grocery line with 7 kids with them and they are using their food stamps to buy the food but then spending money on alcohol, cigarettes, and other unnecessary items that welfare doesn't cover. That person could be using that money to buy their "necessary" items such as food for their children. People abuse the system and that isn't right.

R10373875

2/7/2012 10:09:29 am

I agree with you, I use to work where there was a WIC office and people would seriously roll up in a nice 2012 Chevy Avalanche and getting food stamps for their kids. I mean come on spend your money on the right things. It's sad to see people abusing the system that is supposed to do good and not bad.

R01948411

1/26/2012 10:53:15 am

I agree with many of the above statements. I think it is unfair to be living off the government when so many people are working hard and long hours to support their family. When I was working at a grocery store I would see people come through my line with hundreds of dollars of food and only pay a few bucks. This wouldn't have bothered me if I hadn't of seen them drive off in their luxury car. But I have also known people that have lived off the government assistance but are truly grateful, and it shows. And based upon the graph, even people with doctorates are finding it hard to get good paying jobs unless they just don't care too. But that is hard to determine without going into more details.

R10370591

1/26/2012 11:24:16 am

It is not equitable because it subsidizes the lower socio economics groups at a greater rate than those with higher education. Although, those with a higher education may not have as great of need for government involvement.

Jacob Page link

1/27/2012 01:10:56 am

Our country is going down the drain. With the welfare hand outs, we are not teaching those that need help the skills they can use to better them selves, but we are aiding them with just collecting a pay check to sit at home, have more babies, and be lazy.

R10480114

1/27/2012 08:07:26 am

I think they should end the welfare program entirely. It'd do our nation a huge favor by decreasing the population of uneducated fools. The benefits of decreasing the population of the U.S. are immense. If there's no drive for them to do something with their lives let them suffer for their poor choices. There's no reason people who are not on welfare should have to pay for the bums who are. Let nature run its course... Survival of the fittest

Nicolas Northcut

1/31/2012 02:36:18 pm

I agree. If I feel like helping those who have hit a hard time, let me choose where my money is going. Instead, the government taxes me and then throws the money into a broken system.

R10409494

1/28/2012 07:00:37 am

I don’t think that the government aid has been equitable to all groups. I think that there should be a limit of who it is available to though. I do agree with other statements that some people take advantage of the aid. When they could be out working making their own money, they don’t even try to get a job because they are receiving money for free. On the other hand though, some people just aren’t able to get jobs or have certain reasons as to why they need government aid. This group of people, I think, should still be able to receive the help. So all in all I think that the system should be monitored more closely so it is only given to individuals who truly need it.

R#10427556

1/28/2012 12:45:24 pm

The government should create more job opportunities, not only for the educated people but also for the non-educated. This will increase their standard of living and decrease their need for government aid.

james 2242900

2/2/2012 02:00:16 pm

If the government creates the job, then the government signs the check. Still government aid, just a different kind. Not to mention our budget is already strained enough as it is.

R#10424321

1/29/2012 06:44:48 am

I think that the Government Aid programs are a good idea in theory because there really are people out there who need the assistance and don't take advantage wherever they can and for those people the government supporting their everyday lives is a great idea, however, there are those in the world that like many have already said take advantage of these programs and figure "if the government is going to support me in my everyday life, there is no incentive for me to better myself." I think that this is mainly the reason why in the past few years governmental aid has increased especially for the people with not as much education as others because there are a lot of jobs out there now where degrees and higher forms of education are required. The economic downturn also may have played a part in higher demand for aid from the government with many loosing their jobs, money or businesses and needing a little extra help which is something that no one can control.

R10458209

1/29/2012 03:29:10 pm

I believe that providing government aid is not equitable at all. It just can't possibly be good for the economy to provide aid to people for doing nothing. Sure I believe morally it's a good thing to provide for those who can't help themselves but honestly, how often is it being given to those who truly need it? I have seen too much first hand of people taking advantage of the system and getting government aid when they truly don't need it. Government aid is also an incentive to not work because who would want to go get a job when they can just sit at home and get wellfare check. I honestly believe it is killing the economy.

R10436673

1/30/2012 11:36:57 am

I feel that providing people with welfare is only encouraging them not to take a initiative in improving their life, whether that is furthering their education or getting a job. In what way is it fair for people for the work force to pay taxes to people that don't seem to have a purpose in society. I think that if the population who needs welfare shows initiative in getting their lives on track that we can then think about giving welfare to them. Other wise it is not good for our economy as bad enough as it is, to waste tax payers money on something so unimportant as opposed to paying for health care, education, or defense of this country.

R10390341

1/30/2012 02:06:46 pm

I highly disagree with the huge amount given to the "No high school diploma group," and this is because the government gives everyone the opportunity to work for at least an high school education. In my opinion everyone that chooses to receive welfare should have to go through some type of interview process ever so often. The government could benefit from this by only giving money to the ones that honestly deserve it and show they're attempting to make progress. This way it will somewhat motivate the people that take advantage of the system to hopefully be more helpful towards society.

10413789

1/31/2012 07:06:23 am

In this graph, every single category has increased its numbers from 2007 to 2010. You would think that when one category goes up another would go down, but obviously that didn't happen. Therefore there are two things I get out of this graph: America's population is growing rapidly, and government aid has not greatly differed through the three year period since all categories increased at a consistent rate.

R#10403506

1/31/2012 10:49:13 am

This graph shows that it all has increased. Of course many people talk about how people take advantage of the system while others argue that it is fair because sometimes you really are in need. I know of someone who takes advantage of the system, but I also know of people who recently have become unemployed who need help. If I had to chose a side on whether the government should shut it down or keep it going, my opinion would be to simply make it harder for people to obtain welfare. Maybe give it a time limit, question people who apply for welfare on a hardcore level, and even not allowing young, able people to live in projects off of food stamps. When I am at work, I see ladies roll up with a Dooney and Burke or a Louis Vuitton and pay with foodstamps. I then have to walk them to their cars with their groceries and load them into a new Escalade or Navigator. That's just not right.

Nicolas Northcut

1/31/2012 02:30:09 pm

I find the fact that government spending has increased in this area disconcerting. While I do believe that a welfare system is required, I also believe that the current system is broken. The entire system should be funded by private donation, rather than from the government.

Blake Chandler

1/31/2012 03:00:47 pm

I would have to agree, but I do think there would not be enough donations to satisfy the overwhelming, undeserved amount of money being handed out to people who simply don't try. I mean I have had numerous jobs that pay well and I'm only 20. There should at least be a stricter policy on granting MY MONEY to other people.

David Yeary

2/1/2012 12:36:27 am

I feel like the people receiving welfare should have to take a drug test before hand since we, the hardworking Americans, have to take one to make the money that they receive. There has to be a more strict policy of some sort to make the system less abused.

Wesley Hayes

2/1/2012 12:47:51 am

Yes it is equitable. Government aid is set up for those who can't provide for themselves. On average the higher the education the better opportunity a person has to provide for themselves. People who didn't graduate high school have a very low chance at getting a job at a law firm than one who has been through law school.

R10461071

2/1/2012 01:05:55 am

I feel like the goverment should stop trying to fix each individuals problem, i feel like America itself has already to much to deal right now to deal with personal problems with each individual. If the goverment helps in something it should be in education rather than that each person fabricates their own future

james 2242900

2/2/2012 02:04:05 pm

I think it would be interesting if the government required some sort of public service to pick up a unemployment check. Read to children after school, pick up trash off the highway, help feed homeless people. Make it less then 24 hours a week so they still have plenty of time to find a job but we get something from them in exchange for the check. Also a big fan of drug tests for anyone picking up welfare checks.

R10457422

2/5/2012 02:01:14 pm

This was probably the best solution that I have come across while reading these comments. I have family (whom I don't assoiate with) who have and still are taking advantage of the system. Although they aren't homeless nor even close they still lie to the government about their situation and recieve government support. They didn't finish high school nor try to get thier GED and are still on government support. Not only did they get caught by the govenrment for this illegal action, but they are still getting qualified for government support agian! This shows how easy it is to lie to th govenrment just so you don't have to work.

10412481 link

2/3/2012 03:39:29 am

Welfare is for people who work their butts off every single day to try to support their families, but just can't. Getting rid of welfare completely would not solve the problem, however. In my opinion, we should reduce welfare, and our government should watch over it more carefully, so that the lazy, uneducated people in this country don't cheat the system and get what they want without working for it.

R10457422

2/5/2012 01:40:00 pm

I have literally sat here and read every comment that has been posted about this subject and although it may seem that we don't all agree on the exact situation under these circumstances but in reality we all seem to understand that with evey "good" thing the government tries to provide for us, there are some (maybe even most) people out there who abuse the system. According directly and only to this graph, it blatanly states that if you higher your education, there is a less chance that you will end up with government support. This may be true in SOME situations but not in all. I do agree that if you are furthuring your education in anyway, you are at less chance to end up on any kind of government support. It makes sense.

Nathan Clayton

2/5/2012 11:38:07 pm

Honestly I have grown up in a household that has received government aid i.e. Food stamps, free and reduced lunch, medicaid, and Fasfa. I have seen first hand the situations that people are born into and have no control over. I am friends with former high school students receiving government aid because they are homeless. I have seen my mother, a single parent of four, struggle paycheck to paycheck making under what the government defines as the poverty threshold merely because she was born into the same environment and family structure I was. It is a never ending cycle. Why not allow the government to help you out, help me out? Give me a fighting chance in the world I was born into with an unfair disadvantage. Without the help from the government through programs such as these i would not be in college, let alone be alive. So I do believe Welfare is equitable and the government should continue giving disadvantaged people the opportunity to prosper.

R10372587

2/9/2012 01:53:39 pm

Yes I completely agree. Why not help out those who are in need. but there are those who try to cheat the system. Because of this I believe their should be more regulation. They should be able to show more proof that they really do need government assistance, and not make it so easy for any person to obtain help. Help those who truly need it!

Nathan Clayton

2/5/2012 11:45:03 pm

Almost half of these comments on here are pure ignorance on behalf of those that clearly were born into upper class families and given everything. It is upsetting to sit here and read comments from people who have never worked a day in their lives but chastise the people receiving government aid. Put yourself in my situation or in the shoes of someone else who is a person fighting and struggling everyday to not only achieve their goals but to also prove ignorant people like you that not everyone in the hood is a crackhead, drug-dealer, and or prostitute.

R10416464

2/7/2012 03:12:04 pm

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU! The thing people do not understand is that, although welfare is misused and abused; there are people who truly need government assistance. In today's economy, people with degree's are losing their jobs left and right and government assistance is the only the option they have of survival. Most of these comments are only looking at the negatives of welfare verses the positive; and its truly upsetting/ embarrassing to hear how selfish American's have become towards one another.

R10382294

2/9/2012 04:31:14 pm

I feel that someone who truly need government aid should seek it however not rely on it as a sole source of living expenses. People who abuse the system are basically living off of others hard earned money and the tax dollars they are paying to the government.

R01962697

2/9/2012 11:07:51 pm

I think the goverment should cut back on aid. We are obviously spending too much tax dollars on this issue. When America was founded, it was said any man can suceed with hard work determination. Now people can just live off goverment aid. I find this pathetic. However i think there still should be goverment aid to those who really need it. However we must regulate this must better to it is not exploited.

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