If you could reform welfare type benefits

[flowerseverywhere]

What would you do with food stamps, cash benefits, Medicaid and so on?

for food stamps I advocate limiting what they could be used for. I know people would disagree with this, but items like soda, cookies and candy no way.

[Yppej]

I would eliminate Medicaid and institute Medicare for all.

[Lainey]

First I would say that anyone who wants specific input on how welfare benefits are used should be able to answer some related questions like,
What is the % of the state and federal budget that is actually spent on this type of assistance?
What is the % of people using these services who are minors?
What is the availability of childcare services for parents who are under work requirements to receive some of these benefits?
Have you known or ever spoken with anyone who has used these services and asked their experience?

and finally, I'd have that person and their family go on a SNAP food budget for 30 days to see how they fare; or as alternative, they could find out how many months/years the waiting list is for Section 8 housing. After this knowledge and first-hand experience they would be able to make an informed decision.

[flowerseverywhere]

First I would say that anyone who wants specific input on how welfare benefits are used should be able to answer some related questions like,
What is the % of the state and federal budget that is actually spent on this type of assistance?
What is the % of people using these services who are minors?
What is the availability of childcare services for parents who are under work requirements to receive some of these benefits?
Have you known or ever spoken with anyone who has used these services and asked their experience?

and finally, I'd have that person and their family go on a SNAP food budget for 30 days to see how they fare; or as alternative, they could find out how many months/years the waiting list is for Section 8 housing. After this knowledge and first-hand experience they would be able to make an informed decision.

you didn't answer my question. Drinking soda, candy and cookies is not going to help anyone on welfare benefits. In case you have not noticed there is a war on public assistance by our current leaders. If you had a hand in reforming it what would you do to help people make the best of it.
Ps I grew up in foster care so I know what it is like to have nothing.

[Gardnr]

Disclaimer...I have no idea what it is to live on SNAP and Medicaid. We were poor when I was a kid but I didn't know that until I was an adult. There was always food to eat thanks to living on a farm and a creative Mom. She always made our clothes (for the girls) and I didn't envy my friends store bought clothes.

I get frustrated when a person using SNAP has cash for cigarettes and alcohol. I get frustrated at a shopping cart full of box meals, bags of chips and sugary cereals and not a fruit or vegetable in sight.

I am blessed with a wonderful career and a wage that pays taxes for these programs and I am most willing to do my part.

I don't know what the answers are. I have no intention of these programs stopping but obviously I would like to see change.

[flowerseverywhere]

What spurred my question is we are at an out of state sporting tournament of adults. someone had an awful headache and could not find ibuprophin. I volunteered to go over to the grocery store,across the street. I got several requests to pick up stuff. Like bananas, oranges and nuts because the games were running late.

So so I go to the store and it is not in a nice neighborhood, but it was a nice store. It was racially mixed ofcaucasian, Asian, African American and hispanics. I get my stuff and stand in line. At the next register is a woman who,has a cart of cheap sugar laden junk. She checks out and the cashier says there is not enough money on her card. She whips out her phone and is screaming at someone about they did not give her right benefits. She starts swearing and the person on the other line hangs up. Well she stomps out of the store. Then three of the men in front of me are buying a soda, a candy bar and a small bag of chips respectively. They were using a card to get cash back and had to make a purchase. I know you cannot do this with snap benefits, it has to be cash benefits (welfare).

So so I look around and think what in the hell are we doing. How are we helping people? If you had a very limited amount of money how can you buy crap with it. How is that helping anyone?

I have tried to understand how Trump got elected, and I think this is one of them. When people go to work and struggle to pay their bills and see others getting stuff for not working (even when justified) I think it makes people very upset. There are a lot of generalizations of course but seeing this this morning really made me see a different side of things and why people are so mad enough to believe the promises of Trump. I can see these programs drastically cut just because of incidents like this have influenced the American people.

Whether we we like it or not, welfare reform is coming. Medical insurance changes are coming, particularly deep Medicaid cuts. So my question is, what can be done to make these necessary programs better.

[ToomuchStuff]

Based on my knowledge experiences, this would probably look more like a treatise then a post.

This is a long, complicated subject, that deals not just with finances, but values, beliefs, judgement, experiences, etc.

[bae]

i would eliminate those programs, and switch over to a universal basic income setup.

[Tammy]

I agree with bae.

[Tybee]

I agree with bae.

Me, too.