Want to help the poor? Give them cash.

[Ban my account ffs!]

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/238016041.html

We've spent the past 20 years giving them everything but cash... assuring them they are not to be trusted to spend money wisely.

But research shows just giving the poor cash actually helps!  And in some cases, a ridiculously small amount made a world of difference, like in the story above.

It's time for another era of welfare reform.  A reform that lets people have some dignity and responsibility over their own lives, even if it's with taxpayer money.

The Republican response has been either to make them go without, leading to bad, but necessary decisions... or to give them "help" with everything from finding jobs to food support to utility support to rent support, etc etc etc.

Of course if you've been abjectly poor and you receive a check for $1000 from the government... you'll probably go have a nice meal at Applebees or something.  Can you blame them?  But generally they'll know exactly what to do with the money.

And for those that don't... well there's all that other help.

[opebo]

Of course if you've been abjectly poor and you receive a check for $1000 from the government... you'll probably go have a nice meal at Applebees or something.  Can you blame them?  But generally they'll know exactly what to do with the money.

Eating in restaurants is normal, acceptable behavior, I should think.  I have often eaten all my meals in restaurants when my monthly income was only around $1,000 or even less..

[Ban my account ffs!]

Of course if you've been abjectly poor and you receive a check for $1000 from the government... you'll probably go have a nice meal at Applebees or something.  Can you blame them?  But generally they'll know exactly what to do with the money.

Eating in restaurants is normal, acceptable behavior, I should think.  I have often eaten all my meals in restaurants when my monthly income was only around $1,000 or even less..

Precisely.  They know how to scrimp on food costs.  Let them have a crappy sirloin steak for once.

[IceSpear]

Ridiculous. Everyone knows all poor people are druggies and deserve to suffer. If only they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps they could become a billionaire overnight, but they won't because they're so addicted to their welfare.

PS secure the borders

[Cassius]

Or why not bring back the workhouse. Now that's a form of social support I can really get behind.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Or why not bring back the workhouse. Now that's a form of social support I can really get behind.

[Cassius]

Or why not bring back the workhouse. Now that's a form of social support I can really get behind.

What? They get free board and lodgings, and in return they work. What's not to like?

[opebo]

What? They get free board and lodgings, and in return they work. What's not to like?

Its unfair, because the rich get free board and lodgings, and don't have to work a day in their lives.  Hence the guillotine.

[Ban my account ffs!]

What? They get free board and lodgings, and in return they work. What's not to like?

Its unfair, because the rich get free board and lodgings, and don't have to work a day in their lives.  Hence the guillotine.

Of course once the privileged family is vacated, we'll use the giant house as a workhouse for the poor!

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Well, Republicans don't even support a 27th week of unemployment.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Eliminate all existing welfare programs and replace them with a guaranteed minimum income (something like $15K per year adjusted to inflation). This applies to people of every income and every (adult) age.

Thoughts?

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

What? They get free board and lodgings, and in return they work. What's not to like?

Hmm... where have we heard this argument before...?

[Sol]

Eliminate all existing welfare programs and replace them with a guaranteed minimum income (something like $15K per year adjusted to inflation). This applies to people of every income and every (adult) age.

Thoughts?

Not for those making more than that.

[pbrower2a]

Or why not bring back the workhouse. Now that's a form of social support I can really get behind.

What? They get free board and lodgings, and in return they work. What's not to like?

So did slaves.

[pbrower2a]

With a certainty of income, people would most likely get cookware and make their own lasagna (among other things). 

[Ban my account ffs!]

With a certainty of income, people would most likely get cookware and make their own lasagna (among other things). 

Lasagna is the type of thing you never get at a restaurant.  Homemade is the only way.

[DC Al Fine]

The Republican response has been either to make them go without, leading to bad, but necessary decisions... or to give them "help" with everything from finding jobs to food support to utility support to rent support, etc etc etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_income_tax_credit

[Indy Texas]

The Republican response has been either to make them go without, leading to bad, but necessary decisions... or to give them "help" with everything from finding jobs to food support to utility support to rent support, etc etc etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earned_income_tax_credit

Assuming you make enough to "earn" the EITC (and if you're working for minimum-wage and not full time, that's not necessarily a given) and that you have kids, since the credit for people with no children is only a few hundred dollars. It's funny how Republicans complain about transfer payment and social assistance programs creating perverse incentives to have kids people can't support and yet they insist on rooting our safety net in an antiquated Victorian notion that the only "deserving poor" who "really need it" are single women ("widows") with children ("orphans").

[Flake]

Or why not bring back the workhouse. Now that's a form of social support I can really get behind.

[Franzl]

With a certainty of income, people would most likely get cookware and make their own lasagna (among other things). 

Lasagna is the type of thing you never get at a restaurant.  Homemade is the only way.

I can think of several good Italian places where I can get good lasagna.

[Antonio the Sixth]

This should have been obvious to everyone ever.