eceived some 140 billion dollars in Medicaid benefits. Food stamps that are used by low-income families, buys food items and work just like money. In 1994, 27 million people used food stamps costing the federal government 24 billion dollars.(Sara) Thus, we must change our welfare system. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said: I can now see the end of public assistance in America. FDRs declaration did not come true, despite the spending what was then an unparalleled amount of federal funds for a variety of programs to help the poor. In a Los Angeles Times poll from 1985, 70 percent of poor women said it is almost always or often true that poor young women have babies so they can collect welfare. Two thirds said that welfare almost always or often encourages fathers to avoid family responsibilities. Thus, we can be certain that not only does welfare back wrongful births, but recipients agree it seems to promote them.(Anonymous) This is ironic because public assistance in large part is meant to be a last resort for remedying the problems of out-of-wedlock-births, not creating new ones. Researchers have concluded that Welfare handouts have decreased the recipients willingness to work, and often it is the recipients negative attitude towards work rather than a lack of available jobs, which is responsible for their unemployment. Without shorter time limits on aid, there is little chance that recipients will commit to the same obligations that are assumed by other citizens--to try to become self-sufficient through work, education, and by practicing good family behavior. The problems with the current Welfare system, if it is left untouched, are the same problems we face today, only they will become worse and with greater numbers. The problem with the Welfare system, as stated above, is the fact that often women have children in order to receive public assistance. Also it has been documented that some corrupt doctors overcharge M...
