The Welfare State

To Abolish it or to not?
There are many people out there who use and abuse the system, believing that they can stay on government aid forever. This is, basically, stealing money from taxpayers.

Also, there are many people out there who rely on and need welfare.

What should happen?
Excluding those who are disabled, the too elderly, and those of other related circumstances, the following should happen for those who are work-able and do not have jobs

1. Every person on welfare should be required to attend a career guidance counselor at least two times per month. STATE ISSUED. There, the progress of each person on welfare can be tracked, evaluated, etc. The soul goal of this will be to employ the unemployed.
1. Based on amount of education, current financial system, medical situation, and family circumstance a deadline should be set for when the individual is required to have a job by before welfare is subsidized or cancelled.
2. Every welfare individual should attend a seminar once a month. This will be an opportunity for them to learn of their opportunities and to become further educated on them. Also, this could act as a sort of job fair--where local hiring places of employment can come to recruit. Special training sessions could be given to increase individuals' hiring ability: computer skills, culinary skills, etc.
2. Children with the need for welfare should not be held responsible for the situations that they were born in or the situations brought upon their family. Children should have access to free clinics, free meal programs with their schools, extra tutoring (if their parents cannot help them with school), English classes (if it is their second language and their family cannot help them learn the language sufficiently.
1. Mentor Programs. With poverty, comes crime. Children should be given good mentors who can help them with their homework, teach them certain values, and just be apart of their lives in one way or another. This does not, however, say that parents are not good mentors. Parents are the best mentors, but often society is not. This is, simply, an opportunity and should not be required. The mentors should be University-graduates, involved in the community, and maintaining clean records. The goal: to help children see the light out of their circumstances and to realize their goals. 
3. Three strikes and you're out!!! This sounds a lot like California's lock up program. In this case, if the welfare individual gets three strikes against them then they cannot receive welfare for five years while outside of the "joint". A misdemeanor is one strike. A felony is two strikes. This does not include minor traffic violations.
4. Food stamps, cards, etc--everything should be on a type of credit card that is racked up with points. Parents who are on welfare often feed their kids the cheap frozen bulk food--chicken nuggets, pizza bites, etc. This is unhealthy. A special sticker or insignia should be on the types of food that welfare individuals may purchase through the card. The foods would be varied to ensure that the individual would have the opportunity to maintain a healthy diet. The foods would have to have a limited amount of calories, cholesterol, and sugars--no trans-fats. The point of this is to encourage a healthy society. 
5. Medical care would probably vary state to state and ought to be a state issue depending on the wealth of the state--once Obamacare is revoked (so I am hoping) then this issue can be face.
6. Community Service--I believe that when one receives, one should give back. This does not exclude welfare participants. I believe that those who receive welfare ought to have a mandated amount of community service hours. I am NOT talking orange jackets at the side of the road picking up trash just like those who have received misdemeanors or something. I am talking about community service that would benefit the community and the participant (by helping them build up their resume). I am talking about volunteering with animal shelters, YMCAs, etc.
7. I BELIEVE IN REFORM--our country needs it. Give to those who deserve and who do not take advantage of it. 
8. Illegal Immigrants--Yes, some pay taxes; however, certain benefits ought to be only afforded to legal immigrants, visa holders, citizens, and the like

There are many issues concerning Welfare. Readers, please comment to tell me some of the other issues and I will post a future issue about it.