With today’s ever rising cost of living as well as the competitive environment for jobs, it is harder than ever for a family to thrive and survive in today’s ever rising economy.  One of the hardest things for any person to do is to decide how they will provide for their family.  There are many different circumstances that attribute to a family’s “success”.   The solution for many families and individuals is welfare.  Welfare is financial aid paid by the government to individuals that are in need of assistance based on different criteria.  The funds come in the form of vouchers, cash and other grants.  The amount of help that a family needs/receives is one of the hottest ethical issues today.  Who receives it, how much and how long have been atop the lawmakers agendas for 60 years.   One of the biggest issues in the ethical debate lies in welfare reform act that was signed in 1996.

 

In 1996, President Clinton put the welfare system into reform by signing the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation act.  This act changed the way that welfare was received and looked at, something that was the same for 60 years.  There were several groups that were opposed to the act such as:  women’s rights, social service advocacy, labor, minority, and religious groups. 

Some of the issues that surrounded this are:

·         $60 billion dollar cut

·         Require recipients to find work within two years

·         Require recipients to work 30 hours a week

·         Impose a lifetime limit

·         Reward states for limiting their caseloads by offering caseloads.

 

Each state will determine how they disperse lump sum that they receive from the government.  It is up to the states to decide the requirements and restrictions.  Most states set up guidelines that are stricter than the federal guidelines. 

 

            TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program replaces the former Aid to Families with Dependents by creating a welfare-to-work program.  With this program, recipients are required to apply for jobs while receiving assistance.  They are also required to do job training with the goal of being employed by the two year deadline.

 

Supports of the Welfare Act

            By requiring recipients to work within the two year limit and placing a lifetime limit on funds, they are insuring that there will be funds later for families that need it.  Families are becoming more self-sufficient and are encourage providing for them selves.  This gives families some support but not the crutch that keeps them from progressing.

 

Opposes of the Welfare Act

            There is more of a chance that people will get turned down and services denied based on the restrictions and guidelines of the act.  All of the money for welfare is through the state.  Each state is able to manage it differently, so somebody that is receiving welfare in one state may move and then not qualify.  Also, there are incentives for the states that reduce the number of cases that they serve.  This might affect how states accept individuals into the program

            Another drawback of the welfare act is that they require the head of the family to work within two years.  Often, though, is that once the family is making minimum wage they are in a higher income bracket that they will not be able to qualify for services, including childcare.  This is especially hard for single parents.  Single parents who are under the age of 18 don’t qualify at all. Many groups are opposed to the welfare reform act because they feel that this doesn’t meet the needs of all individuals.

 

Conclusion

            The welfare system will continue to be a sense of controversy and ethical debate.  How do you judge what situation is more important or family needier than the other?  The guidelines are not necessarily in black and white and there is plenty room for personal judgment.  Situations that are both controllable and uncontrollable will ultimately decide a family’s fate for receiving help.  There are many factors that can affect a families well being and if they have already meet the lifetime lime, they are out of luck should they suffer another hardship.

 

Websites

 

http://www.census.gov          

            This is the website of the United States Census Bureau.  I felt that it was important in this project because it is important to look at the numbers and how a program relates to the citizens that it effects.  It is always beneficial to see what percent of the population is being affected by and to what extent.  This website is easy to maneuver and has a lot of useful information.  They keep it up to date.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com

            This is an article that was written in the Washington post concerning the welfare system and the effect that it has.  The article lists the concerns and history of the welfare reform act.  This website has a really good link to other resources that are helpful and informational.  One section that I found was helpful was the “special reports.”  This leads you to a page that has many different topics that relate to your subject.

 

http://www.libertynet.org/edcivic/welfbill.html

            This is a copy of the Welfare Reform Bill:  HR 3734.  This just a single destination link, but it is important and very informative to see what the welfare reform act includes. 

 

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