Welfare Nation

Welfare in this country needs a major overhaul.

Take a look at these statistics:

• Total amount of money you can make monthly and still receive Welfare....$1000
• Total Number of U.S. States where Welfare pays more than an $8 per hour job....39
• Number of U.S. States where Welfare pays more than a $12 per hour job....6
• Number of U.S. States where Welfare pays more than the average salary of a U.S. Teacher....8
• 26.9% of welfare recipients are on welfare for 2-5 years. 19.6% are on for over 5 years.
• The top 10 hourly wage equivalent states have a range of $11.11 to $17.50 an hour. For doing nothing.
• Total government spending on welfare annually (not including food stamps or unemployment)....$131.9 billion.

That's $131,900,000,000


As someone who has worked since 15, this is appalling. There NEEDS to be changes. One of which is mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients. There needs to be mandatory drug tests similar to what Maine Gov. Paul LePage is pushing. Piss hot? No check. Drug use is 50% more common in households that depend on welfare. It's a sick cycle of cashing a check and spending it on drugs and we tax payers are footing the bill.

There needs to be stricter policies regarding work. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) requires recipients to be working within two years of receiving benefits. People need to take personal responsibility for their well-being and the well-being of their families.

Now, I do understand the need for welfare. Some people legitimately need assistance and they should get it. There are a select few, however, that take advantage of the situation and that needs to be addressed soon.