Do people have to repay welfare?

[Kalis]

Its not their money. They didnt earn it and they arent paying it back. Its stealing.

Who are they stealing it off exactly? There is no distinction between people who pay tax and those who legally don't, in any nation that I can think of.

[Tastyfish]

Cosigned heartily. There's plenty of menial work that needs doing. If we're going to pay people to not work, we may as well pay them to work instead.

Most Welfare systems are set up in a way that make people do that.
You think a lot of those people cleaning up shit on the sidewalks of cities are actual employees of the state/county? No. Companies who are tasked to clean that contract threw the welfare office and the people on welfare WHO CAN WORK, are made to, or they get nothing.

Now isn't that a mind fuck? We can contract welfare people out to, "parks and rec" and make them work for under min wadge, but we cannot just higher them TO parks and rec. ^_^

It's astounding how many people on here LOVE to talk about this, and it's the same people, week after week, month after month, year after year, and they still are totally not read up on all the varities of welfare and the requirements to be on it.


Edit: to throw an even bigger wrinkle into this drama. The work requirement many times can be waved if the person is going to school but even then they must maintain the equilv of a B for their GPA and so on.

[Dezerte]

If I had my way there would be compulsory work for the able bodied if they wanted to collect benefits, simple tasks such as grounds keeping, street cleaning or helping other members of society such as the elderly. Not full time work of course, they should have plenty of time off to look for proper employment.

That's essentially how it works here in Sweden.

[Xanjori]

That's essentially how it works here in Sweden.

Which can also be bad. So many places abuse praktik and never actually hire a worker. Its frustrating as hell to basically "work" for free for 3 months at a place and then just get shuffled on.

[Dezerte]

Which can also be bad. So many places abuse praktik and never actually hire a worker. Its frustrating as hell to basically "work" for free for 3 months at a place and then just get shuffled on.

That is true, especially if it's a place of work which wasn't constructive to your own development; essentially it would feel like slave labor.

[Zangeiti]

Welfare is not a loan, it is supposed to help people survive until they get a job (in theory), forcing people to pay it back will either encourage crime to pay for it or not to come off welfare at all to avoid paying it back.

Yeah but do you see anyone hoping of the welfare train...

[Deleted]

Which can also be bad. So many places abuse praktik and never actually hire a worker. Its frustrating as hell to basically "work" for free for 3 months at a place and then just get shuffled on.

At my work (Denmark) we have a "praktik" workplan with the region welfare program. They do a simple 3-4 hours work, 5 days a week (Mon-fri) and are then able to continue collecting welfare. At the same time, we cant use this people to fill out job openings while on Welfare and in the end we either give them a recommendation, Shared salary (50% by the government, 50% by our work) or full time work depending on the attitude.

Some people don't like to come work at our place because it's a discount grocery store, but in the end, it's your own fault for sitting on your ass for almost 3-4 years without doing any kind of work whatsoever, and just collecting money. Don't like the choice made by your regional welfare department? Then get moving and do something (No, 1 application a week is not trying. Waiting on answers are just as silly, you won't get one from 90% of them)

Volunteer work is a great way to gain new skills and talents and while it might sound silly to work some places for free, it's even dumber to try and get hired when there's a 4 year gap in your resume.

[Durandro]

Despite what some politicians and newspapers like to pretend, welfare isn't paid for out of other people's pockets. At least not in the UK. Its why we have National Insurence taxed from us. Clue is in the name - we're essentially insuring ourselves against unemployment.

So no. Its not a loan.

[gaymer77]

Welfare has higher requirements than just being unemployed or under-employed. You have to have dependents first of all and the amount of money you do get is small. The money you get does not have to be paid back.

[Raptor With a Saber]

Only if you steal from it. Really people that use SNAP cards shouldt be tax exempt when they buy items with the card. The taxes taken out could go right back into the program and start to become self sufficient

[Deleted]

In most cases no, If you were to commit fraud with it or something then yeah.

[someotherguy]

It's sad how much people demonize the poor. Really quite sad.
Those people, I was one of them - was on welfare and workfare and other assistance, they don't want to be there. I have never used drugs, I knew lots of other people both family members and just friends in same circumstances, and to my knowledge none of them used drugs ever. I'm going off to the 'drug rant', because there have been other posts regarding the issue. I finished college since then, I pay my taxes, and have worked without a break since graduating, so have others that I know of.

It's quite easy to never be in the position if your parents aren't in it. Because they give you assistance, instead of the government. There isn't much you can do as a kid, and bashing them doesn't help.

Sure there are people that abuse the system, but there are people that abuse every system, there are people who are collecting government checks and don't work - congress. There are people who sleep with bosses and blackmail them, there are people who do all kinds of bad things, and take advantage of anything they can. The majority of these people are not on welfare - not if they are good at stealing and cheating.

[hiway280z]

Social Security is not welfare. Seniors paid into that insurance their whole working career and the employers matched what they paid. They are collecting back their own money and the government no doubt gets a lot of interest off the money that gets paid from each check. Each social security check has a medicare payment taken out for their medical. It is not welfare. Many do not collect anywhere near what they pay in. Many pass away and never collect a dime of their money and it is not passed on to a beneficiary.

[Forgettable]

Social Security is not welfare. Seniors paid into that insurance their whole working career and the employers matched what they paid. They are collecting back their own money and the government no doubt gets a lot of interest off the money that gets paid from each check. Each social security check has a medicare payment taken out for their medical. It is not welfare. Many do not collect anywhere near what they pay in. Many pass away and never collect a dime of their money and it is not passed on to a beneficiary.

Don't necro 5 year old threads.

[hiway280z]

When Ronald Reagan was governor of California he put that in effect. work for the welfare. It could be many different jobs that anyone could do educated or not. They were told where to report for work and if they did not work they would be cut off welfare. Out of thousands on welfare in California only three people showed up willing to work the job that would be provided to them. Then the democrats left people sued saying they had the right to welfare and the right to not work. and they won that one so the workers had to pay tax to give to the lazy that did not want to work. I resent every penny they get. If someone is to sick or for some other reason absolutely unable to work then no one has a problem caring for them. Unfortunately we are paying for those to lazy or for illegal aliens that come into our country and suck off the system.

[Calfredd]

When Ronald Reagan was governor of California he put that in effect. work for the welfare. It could be many different jobs that anyone could do educated or not. They were told where to report for work and if they did not work they would be cut off welfare. Out of thousands on welfare in California only three people showed up willing to work the job that would be provided to them. Then the democrats left people sued saying they had the right to welfare and the right to not work. and they won that one so the workers had to pay tax to give to the lazy that did not want to work. I resent every penny they get. If someone is to sick or for some other reason absolutely unable to work then no one has a problem caring for them. Unfortunately we are paying for those to lazy or for illegal aliens that come into our country and suck off the system.

Don't necro 5 year old threads.

For added effect.

[Atrea]

Jesus Christ, you couldn't have found a more recent thread for you to post poorly-formatted run-on sentences about how smart you think you are?