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Agreed that we have to think through incentives. One of the biggest failures of the current welfare system is that encourages free-riding. If you can maintain an adequate lifestyle on the dole, why assume responsibility for one's self? I read one figure which stated that we could give each and every individual currently on the dole a check for 15000 dollars every year, and still have approximately 100 billion left over from the budgeted expenditures. The current scheme is corrupt to say the least. It rewards laziness and penalizes if you honestly just need that little extra bit to carry one over. The answers inevitably come down to social expectations, and trying to restore personal responsibility. My grandfather was dirt poor, with twelve kids, and went on the dole in the late 40's. As late as 1988, before he died, he would still get sheepish with humiliation that he had to do so for only a few months. Today, the expectations are different, and many see no shame in surrendering responsibility for themselves for the luxury of watching Oprah 24/7. |
