What the government gives to the people.
Have you noticed or did you know, how many single women have babies that the government pays for? They pay for the births, healthcare, there is WIC programs, that supply formula and dairy products. Housing, college tuition, a program called TEA, that can even assist or give you a car.
I worked as a temp at DHS, Dept of Human Services, answering the 800 number, taking calls from all over the state. This particular caller was upset with her appointed representative. I listened and
was very sympathetic. She applied for food stamps, college, daycare for her child, etc etc. She
was upset that something wasn't going through. She said something like I live in America and I have rights. I said to her, It sounds like you are trying to live off
the government and it just takes time. Well, she called the governers office and I was to be fired.
I explained to my supervisor that I had once lived on welfare, with 5 kids, their father abandoned them. I was very grateful for everything that I recieved. I worked my way out of welfare, even dropping way below the poverty level to do it. As you keep bringing in income, your benefits go down, and that is what happened to me until I could make enough to support us. I also made a believer out of my ex husband, had him extradited from Texas to Arkansas(five times), taken to court and begin to pay child support, his responsiblity. Not the governments.
This brought great attention to my story in the community I lived in. An editor of a newspaper took notice and did a story on it. Five kids, how many fathers were involved, was I white, was I black?
One marriage, one father, five kids, white woman.
I went before the policy writers of Arkansas. Two hours, 25 people, that wanted to hear my story.
(Being a good JW, I went by all their rules) I was told by social workers to lie about my income, they simply did not want to redo the paperwork, but it was a rule they had and I had the fear of God in me, and was not going to NOT report. I eventually had a part at an assembly....Being in Subjection to Superiour Authorties. The policy writers became aware that they had written policies that had not trickled down to the counties........I can't remember what all else. They asked me to tell my story(much more to it) nationally and I refused. I did not want to become a poster child for welfare.
Ok, so I have noticed a few things over the years. It's much easier for young girls to get pregnant and make it, while the government is so easily handing out so much to them. I have seen many of the fathers of babies live with the mother as it is more beneficial monetarily to not marry.
Is there any incentive at all for anyone these days to stay at home with their children? Marry and be a family? For a single mother to marry the income of her spouse would have to be reported causing her to lose many benefits. The young father probably does not make enough to make up for the loss of this, so they choose to live together.
So they live together, she has her income from the government and his unreported income. I don't blame them at all!
Why not some kind of tax incentive for a parent that stays home and cares for their own child. Parenting, as we see all the time, has been in a crisis. Is there something set up like this already? We could have a parent that stays at home raising a child, the most important job. And open jobs to others.
Also, recently I lived in a brand new apt complex. I worked very hard to pay my rent to live there. Slowly but surely, to keep the apartments full, the complex allowed housing. I think housing is very beneficial to those that need it and should basically be temporary. What I would like to see done is before ANY benefits are given the people are drug tested. Tax dollars are being paid for housing while people are selling drugs out of those very houses! I am not saying to not house people on drugs, but make it mandatory for them to get rehabilitate or they will loose benefits.
My ex-husband, until my youngest was 21, paid back to the state AFDC, Aid For Dependant Children. He owed me $13,000.00 in back child support, it's all time high was $63,000.00. I wondered many times if I should have just left well enough alone, let him stay in Texas and forget about us. Every child has a right to know their father and every father has a responsiblity to their children. Not the government.
My kids have a relationship with their father now. He is still a scoundrel, but a responsible one.
Enough of my rant for the day.
Leslie