The welfare system was put in place to ensure that support is offered to the poverty stricken families, underprivileged individuals and other various dependant persons. The United States economy is considered to being among the world strongest economies, therefore, the living standards also become relatively high and ultimately harder for some individuals to survive without financial support from the government. This program has been running since the great depression of 1935 and has continued to provide support for the survival of underprivileged families (Cook and Edith 14). However, this same welfare system that was once meant to provide support and alleviate poverty from our society has been highly abused and misused by the same people it is meant to offer aid to. In this paper, I will discuss the pros and Cons of this system, how it is being misused, and the reforms in our legal system that are required to be conducted so as to ensure that the intended purpose of this welfare program has been achieved.
The US welfare system consists of both pros and Cons in equal measure. The most significant argument in favor of the system is that this program assists children who apparently have nothing to do to influence their family’s financial situation and therefore it is logical to have their basic needs met and not to punish them because of their parents shortcomings. In addition, the system has helped many people in the US get back onto their feet and eventually become self sufficient. It is also argued that this program has helped many people who do not have access to employer-provided medical insurance gain and acquire health care.
Conversely, there are also numerous Cons to this system. One of the major setbacks this program faces is the issue regarding fraud. Although welfare fraud is regarded as a criminal activity, many people still cheat the system regularly and are never caught. This is because this system probably lacks enough employees who can thoroughly investigate the many applications for assistance. Another disadvantage occurring to this system is that it tends to create unnecessary dependence. It promotes laziness since most of your needs are met by the state. In fact, some individuals find it more profitable not to work than to start working and loosing the Welfare benefits. Lastly, the welfare system appears to discourage marriages. Though the ultimate goal of this public assistance program is to foster the development of a stable two-parent family, its current administrative stand proves otherwise. When a couple gets married, their total income is usually enough to disqualify them from being given the child care assistance by the state, there making some opportunistic individuals refraining from marriage institutions.
Works cited
Cook, Fay L, and Edith J. Barrett. Support for the American Welfare State: The Views of
Congress and the Public. New York: Columbia University Press, 2007. Print.
