Analyzing the American Welfare System
Nadya Suleman, the infamous octupulet mom, has gotten Americans angry. Why? Well, she represents what many people believe is the epitome of the American welfare system – women who irresponsibly have babies in hopes of getting another government check. Yet, is such a view justified?
Well, there is a small subset of welfare women who have this mindset. But the overwhelming majority of welfare recipients are women who have no other resources available to them. Without the welfare, their kids would be starving, sick or out on the street. And when this happens, they either get adopted out in a foster care system that is already filled to capacity and/or they turn to crime as an escape. And in both cases, taxpayers’ dollars will be spent. So, wouldn’t it be better to make a smarter investment– one where a child’s biological family would be kept intact? That’s a lot better than trying to support a future convict, or a foster parent who will only have the kid for a few months anyway.
So, what about those that feel that welfare is the ultimate handout? To them, welfare women are just being lazy. If they would just get a job, they wouldn’t be a drain on the taxpayer’s money.
Such a view couldn’t be further from the truth, as most welfare recipients do want to work. But after you subtract the daycare expenses, (which are $600 or more every month), transportation expenses and clothing, there isn’t enough left over to survive. This is especially the case if a woman’s soft skills can only get her a job paying 20K or 30K.
Granted, if a woman’s income is extremely low, she can get non-welfare help, such as food stamps, Medicaid and daycare vouchers. But, thanks to the American bureaucratic system, there isn’t much flexibility when it comes to what’s considered a low-income household. If your salary isn’t X,Y or Z you’re not going to be eligible. The government doesn’t care if your money isn’t enough to provide for your needs.
In conclusion, welfare recipients are not evil, vindictive women trying to get over on the government. They are not necessarily the type of people that buy caravan insurance just so that they can then burn down the caravan to claim the cash. They are often just trying to survive. And until the American capitalist infrastructure finds a way to make things easier for the little guy, I don’t see the cycle ending any time soon.