Is there a downside to the welfare system?

Welfare is the financial aid the government provides to people in need. Welfare in America includes Medicare and Medicaid, food stamps, disability income, and government checks. It was formed in the 1930's, after the Great Depression, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and then continued by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Since then, the welfare system has been revised; making it so the state government would have to deal with the economic burden instead of the federal government. The government has also passed new eligibility rules, making it so a family would not only have to be low-income, but asset-poor as well (O'Brien, Let the Poor Save for Their Future).

The welfare system is not attacking the root of the problem; poverty. It doesn't allow citizens to have any type of savings in hopes of some day making it on their own. In one case in 1990, a mother on welfare was charged with fraud. She had saved $3000 in the bank, which was considered a breach on the limits of allowable assets (O'Brien, Let the Poor Save for Their Future). How will the people learn to manage a budget by themselves, if the welfare system will not let them start a savings plan? The limitations rule stops the recipients from reaching a point where they can feel comfortable enough to wean off the welfare system.

Another flaw in the system is state governments allowing recipients to side-step the work laws. Some states are by-passing the federal work laws by making welfare systems of their own, like Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont. These states have it set so that certain recipients don't have to meet the working requirements. It also makes it easier for the states to meet the federal government's threshold for welfare and work, and avoiding fines (Lohn, States Side-Step Work-to-Welfare Rules).

Welfare is paid for by the citizens who have a job and go to work on a daily basis. Some people can choose not to work and collect welfare, while the families who do need it struggles to get the approval for one reason or another. A family member may have lost their job but because they own a car their assets are considered too high. In most cases these situations are usually cased by owning a car that is 10 plus years old and all rusted out. The state government needs to make changes and put some time constraints on how long someone can qualify for welfare. There are many family's that continue to have children when they know they cannot support them to increase the amount of welfare the can receive. Welfare puts a burden on the working citizens of the United States because it could raise taxes if the government is running short on funds to support their budget.

Supporters of the welfare system believe that it helps low-income families reach their basic needs and helps them find a place in the workforce. But, there are many people that abuse the welfare system, and the government is not doing enough to stop them from receiving money that others need.