Trump moves to restore work requirement for welfare

originally posted by: redhorse

originally posted by: StoutBroux



With what appears to be a surplus of available jobs in the US...

I'd be pretty surprised if this assertion were true. Proof please.

Listen, I get why this makes sense to people, and maybe they can make it work this time. I'll tell you how it worked while I was on welfare, 22 years ago as a single mom trying to go to college.

They had quotas to meet and those quotas had to show people that they had gotten off of "The Program" and into a job. I was flat told that if I couldn't manage school and a job and being a single mom, then I should quit college and go get a job at McDonalds. That is literally what she pointed me to was McDonalds and she wasn't trying to be derogatory or funny, she meant it, McDonalds.

So, their answer would have long term had me in a dead end, literal McJob for the rest of my life, almost certainly in and out of The Program so that they could pad their numbers for the short term.

Let's be honest here. 22 years ago the attitude about working and welfare were much different. And a councilors bad advice given to you has nothing to do with the issues we are currently facing. And I'm not referring to you as a welfare usurper example either or the flaws in the Welfare numbers data. You were doing what you could to become independent and get off welfare.

I live close to the border of three northern states and everywhere, even 300 miles away, there are jobs available and employers struggle to get applicants.

As far as proof, a net search gives quite a few examples.

www.ciat.edu...

IT Hiring Trends: So Many Jobs, So Few Applicants

The signs are here already. With so many IT-related positions being created, employers throughout North America and across industries often must wait months to staff key roles. What’s new is that tech jobs are remaining open because candidates aren’t even applying.

It isn’t just the shallow pool of available talent contributing to the lack of response; it’s that many candidates don’t have to look very far – or at all – to find their pick of employment opportunities.

*****
www.chicagotribune.com...

"Now hiring" signs seem to have sprouted in the window on every other business in the Naperville and Fox Valley areas, but not a lot of people are coming through the door to apply, employers say.

With most employers' budgets fairly stable in the year's second fiscal quarter and warmer weather dictating the need for more seasonal workers, there are jobs to be had for the asking, employment specialists said.

"There are many job opportunities out there, but I'm not sure why they aren't being filled," said Joe Henning, president and CEO of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, noting an uptick in retail and hospitality jobs in particular.

Many jobs nowadays require background checks and UA's. Which comes with it's own set of challenges.

wtvr.com...

This Ohio factory owner says she has jobs but few sober applicants

An Ohio factory owner said Saturday that though she has blue-collar jobs available at her company, she struggles to fill positions because so many candidates fail drug tests.

I know of 4 med-large manufacturing companies within 40 miles of where I live that have medical benefits with large employer contributions, vacation & sick pay and all the overtime you could ask for. They are constantly struggling to get new employees.

originally posted by: Aazadan

Societies.

?

Societies are made up of ordinary people ... not all of whom are happy about

funding the whims of those with the *entitled* gene.

Those feelings are a luxury, that few who are trying to better their situation can afford, they also lead to complacency.

I have no problem with any form of welfare that supports a person and their family as long as they're using that money to support themselves while going through job training. Provided, that training results in a field that is both viable as a career, and pays enough that the increased taxes can reasonably repay all assistance over a few years.

What ever happened to taking personal responsibility? The working to

support oneself while educating oneself? Many do ... others party and

expect *society* to pick up the tab!

Every journey starts with one small step

Trouble is these days everyone wants to start at the top.



*Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do*
Oprah Winfrey

a reply to: StoutBroux

How many of those were working anyways, not disclosing it, and simply collecting welfare illegally. I bet many.

originally posted by: eletheia
?

Societies are made up of ordinary people ... not all of whom are happy about

funding the whims of those with the *entitled* gene.

It's not entitlement. It's empowerment. Some people don't need any extra assistance in life, others do. If I didn't get help I would be sitting at home, being a drain on everyones resources. Because I got help though, I've actually been able to become educated, get a job that offers an actual career, and start contributing tax dollars. As a side benefit it has also resulted in me being healthier and happier, and the world has become slightly better due to what I produce.

What ever happened to taking personal responsibility? The working to

support oneself while educating oneself? Many do ... others party and

expect *society* to pick up the tab!

Every journey starts with one small step

Trouble is these days everyone wants to start at the top.

Personal responsibility is knowing when you need help, taking it, and using it to better yourself. In my case I'm incapable of working while attending class, at least until recently. There's quite simply no way I would be able to support myself on a low wage, part time job, while also taking classes that demand a minimum of 80, and usually closer to 100 hours of study per week.

originally posted by: carewemust
I was stunned to see that Hawaii's lucrative welfare benefits allow recipients to live the lifestyle of an employee who BRINGS HOME $57,000 @ year.

Guess I'm moving to Hawaii. ;p

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: StoutBroux

How many of those were working anyways, not disclosing it, and simply collecting welfare illegally. I bet many.

I don't but I haven't researched it. From what I have seen from others though, they are pretty strict about accurate income reporting from applicants and will nail them if they report incorrectly.....even if the discovery is several years later - like the IRS. Because so many do have S/O's and housemates that go unreported in the household figures and they may contribute financially, I've seen that a lot.

I know a young gal that had went down a wrong path in her teens, got involved with meth and distributing and has a few felony convictions. She lived in another state. She's served her jail time and is still on probation. Can't pass a background check. But, she's been clean and straight for 5 or so years and is new to the community for 2 years. Has a new baby as a single mother and the father is in jail and will be for a while on crimes he committed before he met her. They are no longer together and she want's to work but it's hell finding a job. I feel for her. She's a great gal but her past is screwing her future. She won't move from this small town because her family is here. They aren't much of a support system but better than nothing I suppose. I do what I can for her, I rented her a small house when she moved to this community, for VERY low rent, no move in fees and the first moth free, and I have loaned her a few dollars and given her items if she asked for them and I have them, which is seldom. I invite her to social functions in the community and have tried to explain to her it's not all about the background checks. She needs to get out and network, make friends- she's fairly shy. Many possible employers would overlook the past if convicted felons would give THEM a chance. But, she is trying and just got a job a week ago at a small out of town restaurant. Part time but better than nothing. I hope the best for her and do what I can. Yes, she's on public assistance. I hope she can get off of it in the future, that's what she wants.

a reply to: StoutBroux

No income is reported when you work off books under the table.

originally posted by: Aazadan

Personal responsibility is knowing when you need help, taking it, and using it to better yourself. In my case I'm incapable of working while attending class, at least until recently. There's quite simply no way I would be able to support myself on a low wage, part time job, while also taking classes that demand a minimum of 80, and usually closer to 100 hours of study per week.

Who are you trying to kid???

Although in the UK, I dont believe that universities are all that different ....

infact this year I had a young american girl doing a six month exchange

here in the UK and she didnt appear to be studying 80/100 hours a week.

Not including holidays, which there seem to be plenty of you claim the

need to be studying 16/ 20 hours a day

pull the other one.

originally posted by: jkm1864
I personally think there are some people out there that are more than happy to live a life of extreme poverty. Maybe if We stopped paying for their housing and moved them into tents they might get up enough gumption to support their family.

Extreme poverty?

I thought you were all saying that lazy welfare recipients are wallowing neck-deep in luxury.

But yes put more obstacles in their way, let's kick them all on the streets and take away their food, let's give them more hate and more fear and more misery and stamp them into the dirt, let's make it more difficult for them to stand on their own two feet.

That'll teach em for 'choosing' extreme poverty.

originally posted by: eletheia
Who are you trying to kid???

Although in the UK, I dont believe that universities are all that different ....

infact this year I had a young american girl doing a six month exchange

here in the UK and she didnt appear to be studying 80/100 hours a week.

Not including holidays, which there seem to be plenty of you claim the

need to be studying 16/ 20 hours a day

pull the other one.

It varies significantly by program and school.

Porgrams that will train you for an actual worthwhile career tend to take a lot of study and have low pass rates.

a reply to: doobydoll

So looking for a job when they are able bodied is too extreme an obstacle?

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: jkm1864
Why the hell would You give these people a waiver??? Do You realize how much money people can make after a major storm? I'm pretty sure ICE will be checking immigration on construction crews which makes the perfect opportunity for someone to get into the construction industry at ground floor.

Why do we want people getting into an unsustainable industry? We need to be looking at careers, not temporary jobs. Being a day laborer is not a career.

Apparently You think small so I wouldn't expect You to understand. I worked with a guy once whom did the exact same thing I just talked about and made a buttload of money. The guy got together with His family and formed a business cleaning up the debris and like I said He made a killing. The only thing You have to do is be able to dream and work to achieve it and it can be done. Also there is nothing wrong with getting into construction work if You do it to learn a skill. The majority of contracting companies are owned by people whom were piddly construction workers whom started hiring people with the skills and started a business.

originally posted by: midnightstar
Well in that your wrong ( maybe poor people just sit and starve in Africa )
But in most of the world once it gets to starvation They fight back .

As for welfare You do relize 95% is women with kids correct ?
Most men cant quilafi for any thing But food stamps ( which is 198 $ )

So all your really doing is putting pressure on single moms who when they get a job who watches the kids ?
People are so unreal It not the men who get welfare its the women .

So people want to know what the rules as to work are well here in FL i know them .
If your on welfare you are Required to work 20 hours a week If there is no job available ( who are you kidding so many jobs ?

In north fl you can live in one of the 1000 small towns that has NO jobs even the gas stations are shut down and 100 of 1000s live there .

anyway If there is no job you are then required to work in community service ( Like the people who have a small court fine for ooo disorderly can .

Now if you are ONLY getting food stamps as man that works out to 2 $ a hour

Of corse it is working people are being drooped like flys as there is not that much community serve work .

Dont worry though when they do start to starve you will finly have a chance to use the guns and amo you have .
Hope you have 10,000 guns and millions of rounds of amo lol

The mother is the one putting pressure on Herself not the tax payer. If the woman felt a little pressure than maybe they might force the dead beat father to support His own children instead of expecting tax paying families to pay for their children.

originally posted by: jkm1864
Apparently You think small so I wouldn't expect You to understand. I worked with a guy once whom did the exact same thing I just talked about and made a buttload of money. The guy got together with His family and formed a business cleaning up the debris and like I said He made a killing. The only thing You have to do is be able to dream and work to achieve it and it can be done. Also there is nothing wrong with getting into construction work if You do it to learn a skill. The majority of contracting companies are owned by people whom were piddly construction workers whom started hiring people with the skills and started a business.

Strange, you say I think small, then you praise work which doesn't utilize a persons brain?

We're always going to need construction workers, but working construction isn't going to make the country strong. It plays a role to be sure, but what the US needs are engineers (especially material engineers), computer scientists, 3d modelers, lawyers, doctors, and entertainers.

What future does construction have? Within 20 years, and probably within 10 years we're going to be 3d printing building segments and assembling them on site, especially for non high rise buildings. Traditional building is on it's way out, because there's better ways to do things. Just the same as how we don't use the same building techniques today that we used in 1900.

originally posted by: links234
a reply to: Aliensun

So, what are you supposed to do between the jobs?

You obviously have no idea of what you are arguing about here. I would advise you to do more research in the future before displaying such ignorance.

Before Obama crept into office, all those on welfare had to provide documented and referenced proof each month that they were actively looking for a job to the Department of Labor before they could receive their welfare checks. I had a stretch during the economic downturn in 2007/8 where I had to go on unemployment and do this. It makes sense.

Welfare is not a way of life. It is not intended as a means to sponge off the backs of the working class taxpayer while you spend the rest of your existence playing video games and smoking weed all day. It is intended as a temporary means of income to get you over the hump until you can find another place of work. You find another job by going out and looking for it. When you are on welfare, THAT is your job. To find another one.

Obama idiotically eliminated that requirement and, in doing so, exponentially increased the number of a sizable group of irresponsibly entitled slackers within the unemployed community now harboring no incentive or motivation to contribute to the greater society.

The hard working American taxpayers deserve better. I support a temporary hand out to the unemployed to help get them back on their feet and find another job, but the disrespect shown to we taxpayers by those abusing the welfare system has me calling for harsh reforms to it going forward to cut down on the wasted efforts on some of the applicants, and fraud by others, going forward.

Trump's action toward this front should be applauded. There is enough waste in this country. We need to make efforts to cut down on the amounts we are paying out in entitlements each year through better, more realistic policies that benefit both the welfare recipient and American taxpayer at the end of the day. This is a great and very fair and logical start.

originally posted by: StoutBroux

The Trump administration moved Wednesday to reimpose work requirements for Americans on welfare, revoking an Obama-era policy that had urged states to apply for waivers exempting the poor from having to show they were either getting job training or looking for work.

Requiring work was a key part of the 1996 welfare reform law enacted by a GOP-led Congress and signed by then-President Bill Clinton, and Mr. Trump’s move restores the law as written.

“The waiver option offered by the Obama administration is being replaced today by an expectation that work should always be encouraged as a condition for receiving welfare,” said Steven Wagner, the Health and Human Services Department’s acting assistant secretary for children and families.

The 2012 Obama policy didn’t outright gut the welfare law. Instead, it pushed states to consider applying for waivers that would let them still pay benefits to people even if they weren’t actively seeking work, job training or meeting other criteria.

www.washingtontimes.com...

With what appears to be a surplus of available jobs in the US, looks like there's no cause for high unemployment rates. Tie that into restoring work requirements for welfare recipients.

When KS did this, many thought the recipients seeking employment would only find low paying/low skilled positions. Turns out though, that wasn't true.

The study found that those who left welfare saw their earnings increase by 104 percent in one year, which is $20 million more than they had while on welfare. In four years, these individuals saw their incomes increase by 247 percent.

Individuals who left welfare are also better off because they found employment in more than 600 different industries and found long-term, high-paying jobs.

"Critics of work requirements frequently suggest that enrollees who leave welfare are only able to find low-wage, entry-level employment," the report states. "Able-bodied adults removed from TANF found employment in more than 600 different industries, ranging from health care to finance to information technology. Even better, those who did find initial employment in entry-level jobs—such as those in food service, retail, or temp agencies—quickly found longer-term, higher-paying jobs."

freebeacon.com...

Is it the right time for this? Maybe TX will get a waiver for a year or two while people put their lives back together. But then again, maybe not. They'll need jobs and money to restart.

Oh Jesus Christ. The propaganda is strong here. There is no such thing as a surplus of good paying jobs. If working at Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's counts, I'd say -- there is still not enough for everybody who is unemployed. Florida cut it's unemployment by raising it's requirements, when I lost my job [that I had for over a year, and was making around 2k a week] I qualified and was cut off before I even reached the end of the term I qualified for, which removed me from the unemployment statistic. Nice move Rick Scott! Totally not evil.

There are around 60 million people who are able to work who are unemployed, I don't see 60 million jobs out there, let along 60 million well paying jobs.

a reply to: StoutBroux

There is a store in Wisconsin called Woodmans. I was in there and the lady in front (white lady morbidly obese) of me had a cart filled to the brim with junk food, a case of snickers, a case of redbull and even premade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. All on Food stamps (I know this because the display actually says food stamps) . I was shocked and didn't even know how this kind of stuff was allowed, but it is at least here in Wisconsin. Is this where our tax dollars are really going (red bull???), junk luxury food for lazy people. When I say lazy, I really mean it. Some of these people really just need a good swift kick in the butt. Nothing is more motivating than starvation. I started working at 14 and at many times in my life had 3 jobs, yes 3 jobs at one time! Many many times I had two jobs. I guess I come from a time where it was shameful to be on welfare, we would rather eat white bread and butter than accept handouts. We need to bring the shame back. We need to help people that really need help, like the elderly, the mentally ill, the truly disabled. I have another idea, food stamps can only be used in a government controlled grocery store and you get extra food credits if you work in the store. C'mon we all know that Wally world is pretty much almost at this point. There can also be food plots where people work and grow their own food. It can even be done in the city. It would probably be a lot healthier in the long run too. If you have more kids after getting food stamps money is taken away, you don't get more money. Even dog training 101, if you reward bad behavior you should only expect more. Sorry if I offend anyone, but having more kids while not being able to support the ones you have is bad behavior and really just extends the cycle of poverty for you and your kids. Even though I do believe there is rampant abuse of the welfare system and it needs to be fixed, it is small peanuts compared to the abuse corporations have on us. The tax breaks, the bail out of the banks and on and on. The middle class is getting raped from the front and the back!

Whats a few billion feeding people down on their luck in this country. We have no problems spending trillions on war. I don't hear people pissing and moaning about their tax dollars when we drop bombs. Buy hey Joe Blow bought a 2 litter of mountain dew on sale for $99 with food stamps. Don't even get me started on the trillion we used to bail out the banks in 2008.

I've seen many on SSI very able bodied,all have some story,yet they walk all over the place,mostly to the liquor store and bum money,they get a house thru Sec 8,subsidized utilities,all this and they never have the worry of waking up late for work,all of this and the way kids are taught in school,is leading to the destruction of our country,welfare is for those who are physically,or mentally incapable of taking care of themselves,kind of a last resort,these days it is a way of gang members to have a steady income,living with single moms,we need to restore pride,if thats possible

a reply to: eisegesis

There is no need to create more jobs. It's all an illusion. An artificial prison. Imagine if everyone that worked a 40hr+ week was reduced to 20hrs and their pay was increased accordingly to make up the difference. You now have another 20hr job available and the ability to work less and live more. Free time leads to free thinking and that type of behavior is counter productive to them. The cost of living (comfortably), goes up and almost with criminal intent, our wages are suppressed to ensure the profitability of the few.

It infuriates me people do not get this above quote.

I'm curious as to how they are going to spin it as automation becomes mainstream .