role of parents, especially fathers, with the welfare check.Even though the welfare program offers job opportunities to recipients, many do not take advantage of it, mostly because of their laziness and, as already mentioned, because of their dependence on the program. Therefore “welfare doesn’t even reduce poverty” (Tanner 1). Moreover, trillions of dollars were spent on social-welfare programs in the last forty years, “yet the poverty rate today is higher than when we began” (Tanner 1). Many other problems have risen from the current welfare system. One is that “training programs can also provide an incentive to stay on welfare” (Chavez 1). Since there is recently some lack in job availability in our society, “training becomes critical in helping recipients locate work” Mistrano 2). Without more jobs, recipients are somewhat forced to stay on welfare.Another weak side of the welfare policy is that welfare programs cost more money now than ever before, at the taxpayers’ expense. Unfortunately, “we have spent $5.4 trillion on antipoverty programs since 1960” (Congressional Research Service 2), and still the poverty rate is higher than when public assistance first began. As statistics have shown, “it is clear that we have spent a lot of money on a lot of poverty programs, yet the poor are still with us- in greater numbers than ever” Congressional Research Service 4). As a result, taxpayers “end up spending more money on programs that don’t work while another generation of recipients is condemned to hopelessness, dependence and despair” (Tanner 1).In contrast to having faith in America’s welfare system, the reaction against welfare has stronger support, with only a few weak points. One weakness is that not receiving any kind of government financial aid can lead to an increase in poverty for individuals who are in poor fin...
