Should unemployed people be made to work for their welfare money?

Topic:
Society Debates

25 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
60% of users

  • What do they do all day long? It does not instill a work ethic.

    Many second and third generation welfare recipients think they are entitled to it and have been conditioned not to work. The cycle has to be broken or the welfare rolls will continue to spiral as people see that it is easier to have kids and just rely on the government to take care of their every need!

    Yes Anonymous

  • Those who collect welfare should work for their money just as everyone else.

    If someone absolutely can't find a job and needs money then the government must help that person. Instead of giving away money however, the government should provide a job for that person picking up garbage, digging ditches, cleaning graffiti, etc. In this way the government can give assistance to a person while also helping out the community.

    Yes EminentBennett93

  • needy

    Some people,like ill and handicapped or who need temporary work should b helped,there are so many fakers out ther also pretending to have health issues and selling their pills and making nore $ than hard working people...no respect that's what I say about them,utter lazy losers.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Unemployed people should be made to work for their welfare

    I do NOT want programs to end for the needy, the truly needy or education obviously (I am an educator), BUT...there are sooooo many programs that are bogus! And I mean h...elping the needy and giving aid to those who need a temporary cushion while they are building themselves to become independent. I believe in the ol'adage...give a man a fish, feed him for a day...teach him to fish and he can feed himself forever, plus all his friends. There is a difference between enabling and truly helping. We also have too many programs that are just studies...we need to spend other peoples money more wisely. OUR hard earned money should NOT be just handed out like FREE money. Maybe the rules should change...if you need welfare (money out of my pocket because you don't have any or can not afford to live on your own)...why don't you do mandatory volunteering to help in other ways? Why do we allow so many in our society to just mooch for nothing? Go to Walmart right now , tax time.... I saw a family in raggy clothes with 4 kids smoking with wine in their cart (they can afford that)...know what was in their cart? TWO...yes... TWO flat screen big tvs...a Wii...games...snack food....and videos. Fun night at their house tonight! Why is the tax check just free money?? Why not give a gift card at the end of the year for the doctors office , or the grocery store? Guess if they can shop, put up a couple tvs, play wii etc...they can probably volunteer some time at a school helping a teacher, or being a helper at a hospital or nursing home etc....give me a break...truly needy is disabled, or handicapped or elderly...just POOR is not needy...you can contribute to society without those working just handing it out. This is a society, EVERYONE needs to contribute in whatever manner they can! Oh I am mad about it....I wanted to ask that family in Walmart for my thank you card. I know that we couldn't afford it and my husband makes good money, too much to get a tax check, but enough to pay for someone elses. We have ONE tv and it is not very big...good thing we don't drink or smoke...couldn't afford it. Every school could use help....any teacher needs help copying papers, cutting things out, bulletin boards...etc...if you are on welfare or get a big "EARNED income credit check" YOU should have to actually EARN it, just being poor is not earning it. Things need to change.... I was hoping for big CHANGE...I am not seeing it. The only change I have is in my pockets and we earned every penny of it.

    Yes Anonymous

  • OF COURSE THEY SHOULD

    I think that having to do public servive work such as repairing our infrastructure is a two-pronged win. They get the satisfaction of contributing to society instead of being a parasite and they get valuable training to help them in the future.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Welfare receipients should work for their money...the system is overly abused by lazy people.

    I have seen first hand how this system is abused over and over again and it makes me sick that I work so hard for money so that my tax dollars to go to people that are more than capable of working and choose to stay at home, be lazy, and keep having children to increase their monthly handout. If they are made to volunteer in return for their welfare check I am positive that you will see many of them out looking for paying jobs because they will feel that picking up garbage or handing out food at a shelter is beneath them. I am just so tired of how our goverment has let this go on.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Unemployed people should work for welfare money, because nobody should get a free ride.

    Think how clean our highways and city streets would be, and how many volunteers could be produced for worthy government and state programs, if welfare recipients had to contribute in order to receive a check. Of course, for some, it would be an impossibility because of the fact that daycare for children is five times the cost of what they'd receive. By and large though, it's an idea worth exploring.

    Yes N3vinFace

  • Yes, and if they have to work for it, they might be more apt to look for a better job.

    If an unemployed person is getting welfare and has to work in order to receive it, they might be more inclined to look for a better paying job. If they only stay at home and collect, it's money for nothing, basically. If they are made to work for it, they might appreciate the money more, and they might have more incentive to look for better employment.

    Yes PinkMych

  • Yes, unemployed people should be made to work for their welfare money since that is one way to teach them that you don't "get something for nothing."

    People on welfare should be made to work to earn that money. It builds their self-esteem as well as pride in an accomplishment. Never having been on welfare I guess that is easy for me to say, but I do believe it. Back in the "Great Depression" people worked in the WPA and helped build parks and maintain our highways and other infrastructures which was for their own good and the good of our country. Too many people seem to think the government owes them a living for some reason which I don't quite understand.

    Yes BMaritza

  • Unemployed people should be required to contribute in order to earn money.

    There are many ways that people on welfare could contribute to society in order to receive welfare money. They could perform duties that could be done outside of the house or in their house. They could perform litter patrols or clean offices. They could also perform paperwork duties. There are even duties that mothers could perform from their home. They could fold laundry or things of that nature.

    Yes VasilBuddy

  • Too many people are abusing the welfare system.

    It is ridiculous the amount of American tax dollars being given out to undeserving moochers. My belief is that the welfare department should hire career counselors. If after sixty days you are unable to prove that you have been searching for work, with applications, proof of interviews, etc. you will be cut from welfare benefits. I'm tired of my tax money being wasted on idiots who don't want to get a job.

    Yes EIIioChatty

  • There is a very important self esteem issue when people work for the money they receive.

    I believe that work itself is good for people. People that have good work ethics get a feeling of purpose in their lives. Receiving money for nothing sends a wrong message to people. It encourages irresponsible behavior. People that have to work for the money will be encouraged to improve their job status to earn more money and end the cycle of dependency.

    Yes ddeathnote

  • Unemployed people should work in some capacity in order to keep the system legitimate.

    There is a lot of people who truly need welfare, but there are many who are cheating the system. Not only do I think that people should have to work in some capacity, but I think mandatory drug checks should be a requirement as well. If both of these are enforced, we will see the truly needy getting the help they need while giving back to society in a way that is both rewarding and fulfilling for all parties involved. We will also see the riff-raff taking legitimate jobs, no longer able to live off the taxpayers' hard-earned money.

    Yes Z Frye

  • Unemployed people should be made to work for their welfare.

    The welfare system in its present state makes it too hard for some people to understand why they should get out of the system. I do believe that any able bodied person should have to work for the money. Whether it be picking up trash on the side of the road or doing what we consider volunteer work. If you were just handed money to pay your bills every month for doing nothing many people would do nothing. If there is actually work that has to be done to earn the cash they get then people may decide to look for something that pays more. I do agree though that people with small children should have daycare provided or a subsidy in the money they get to help pay for daycare.

    Yes w00tboycomic

  • I support the requirement that individuals who collect welfare should be required to work.

    The benefits which are provided by the welfare system generally create a downward spiral. People would rather stay home and collect rather than go out and find suitable employment. By requiring individuals to provide services in order to be entitled to collect welfare, society as a whole is receiving a benefit in return. Simple jobs such as, but not limited to helping at the local hospital, delivering food for the elderly, and other non-profit organizations have jobs which these individuals could fill.

    Yes AGalloway
Voice Your Opinion
No
40% of users

  • first gov needs to stop giving our tax dollars to illegals and worst our enemy over seas, and our jobs.

    this problem is far worse than the1/16th of our lazy population. they need to do sum work but their not our problem. most of the unemployed 2day have always been working people, and would still b if not for the gov. i would rather help feed my loving neighbors than ppl who swear to kill this great nation. most of our unemployed want jobs and look every day. when jobs are sent over seas this is what we get. ppl lose work n the rest who still work pay the price. only the biggest price is yet to come. we now hate our neighbor for being pour yet are too blind to see where the true problem lies. if u teach a man to fish but restrict him form fishing , who is truly to blame? shouldn't we fix the real problem before no one has a job? or keep blaming the man whom is restricted from fishing? when will society learn? look at the gov hard n u will see the true prob... help ur neighbor n friends tell the white house ur all fired n put the unemployed n there insteed. bet u'll see some real changes. together we stand devided we die. truth will make us free. ignorance will put u in a concentration camp. wake up america!!!!!!!

    No Anonymous

  • They shouldn't have to. This is a capitalist system; as soon as they start working for their welfare they no longer qualify for it,

    People who can't find work because of inflation and a bad financial situation are forced to take payment from the government. The whole concept is that they CAN'T find work so they get money until they can. Forcing them to work would defeat the concept because they would have a job, it would be communism and it would defeat the purpose of welfare, which assumes all people receiving it are also searching for a job.

    No JitteryAlfredo39

  • Unemployed people should not be made to work for welfare money because some are unable and many could not find suitable work.

    A very high proportion of people on welfare are either disabled or are the parents of very young children. The former generally can't work, and making the latter work would often be counterproductive because they would then need to spend all their welfare money purchasing childcare. Additionally, there simply is not that much work that needs to be done, especially by unskilled workers. The welfare recipients would end up crowding other unskilled workers out of the marketplace and reducing employment in the private sector.

    No NoIanP4P3r

  • Make welfare harder to get, but don't require work to get it.

    Some of those on welfare are not there by choice. They want to work, and it's the government's role to help them find good paying jobs. Some don't want to work, and they must be nudged toward doing so. The rest are unable to work for whatever reason. It would not be fair to require those unable to work for valid physical or mental problems to do work they are not suited for. They must receive at least bare subsistence.

    No laceymarya

  • The welfare system is supposed to be support for people who can't work. If you can work, welfare money is not necessary.

    There are many reasons that people in our country find themselves unable to work. Sometimes it is due to injury, childbirth, or disabilities. Whatever the reason, the welfare system is in place to give minimal monetary support to these people so that they may live a very basic life until their situation improves. It is not a lot of money, it is not a life that anyone would choose, and it is not taken lightly by the people involved. Of course there are abuses to every system put in place by our government, but for the majority of people, welfare is a last resort. By saying that people should work for welfare money, you are saying that they can work and if that is the case, they no longer need welfare.

    No RandyCountry

  • Unemployed people should NOT be made to work for their welfare if they are unable to work.

    Welfare should be given on the basis of how much the unemployed individual has paid in taxes and no longer be available once the designated amount runs out. For those that are unable to work due to real physical or mental liabilities, welfare should be available indefinitely. Not everyone is capable of earning a living and the government should take care of their less fortunate citizens.

    No Nik0Interior

  • I say no, but I'm kind of torn on this issue.

    The unemployed should be actively searching for work if they are drawing compensation. If they are not drawing compensation, I don't care what they do. I understand taxpayers wanting some community service for the unemployment check. I just don't how a person can find employment if they are doing community service.

    No BriaBlacken

  • The unemployed should not be made to work for welfare money as a general rule.

    The blunt instrument of making all unemployed people work for welfare money will cause more problems than it solves. Although some people do defraud the welfare system, many people are unemployed for reasons other than laziness or malice. The first thing to understand when examining this issue is that Keynesian theory suggests that unemployment tends not to drop below 4% or so even in the best economy. Having some unemployment keeps people moving around in the labor force, preventing stagnation. Some of those unemployed will exhaust their unemployment insurance. If they're having trouble finding work, the government will probably have trouble placing them in a forced-work program, as well. Second, many unemployed people have other issues that make finding work difficult, such as disability or mental issues. If a person can work a little bit, I would direct them to someplace like Amazon Mechanical Turk so they could work at their own pace, rather than a forced-work program that could be beyond their ability to cope.

    No 54uIIan

  • People who are on welfare need time to find better jobs and stabilize their social connections. They are already working and do not need additional work.

    It's irrational to expect that people who are already without jobs should also have a temporal payment to make -- to give away their time for resources that belong to all of us. As far back as Nixon the Libertarians were working for a reverse income tax so that everyone would have access to basic survival resources. It's impossible to have liberty if you are starving or scared that you are going to be.

    No groovybox

  • Unemployed people have already paid into the system which allows welfare, having them work for it is paying twice

    The Welfare system is built on the taxes people pay out of their pay checks, as well as their purchases, so to have those on welfare work for their money is like having them pay into the system twice. Also, welfare exist for those who need help. If they could find work or could adequately take care of themselves then they wouldn't be on welfare.

    No XglossyWynd
Voice Your Opinion

Related Debates

Debate Topics

 
 
Should unemployed people be made to work for their welfare money?
Top of Page
© 2010 Juggle, LLC
All Rights Reserved
Encyclopedia & Reference Resource