The government, be it local, state, or federal produces nothing, and therefore has nothing to sell for profit. It must confiscate from you, and me property (earned wages are property) to give to others. That is not a legitimate, Constitutional function of government.
Government largess has caused the problem. “Look how good we are! We gave money to the poor!” Good intentions, right? We’re not allowed to talk of the consequences, because of political correctness. Glad I’m not PC;-)
This largess has successful destroyed the black family, and some whites. It has removed the father from the responsibility of raising a family, and child bearing into a hobby. Their condition of life is one borne of irresponsible behavior, bad decisions, choice, or a combination. Do I want to reward that? Not so much, but the government compels me to do so under threat of fines, or confinement.
If people were to take advantage of their freedom, and “play” by the rules of Common Law, everyone would benefit. Everyone providing for their own family, shelter, clothing, food, water. Yes there would be few, but some who couldn’t provide for themselves, and I think that’s where Isaiah’s admonition comes in play. I think it’s an admonition to individuals, not government.
I’ve had strays under my roof many times two legged, and four, and no strangers. The two legged provided labor for their keep, the four legged provided a big wet tongue, cold wet nose, and a tail wag for their’s....and security...keeping squirrels out of the garden:-)
And yes they have destroyed families; news and Hollywood, the music industry had a hand in it too with declining morals.
Let's hope those people in Detroit had their DPT shots. I will tell how it used to be before we had those, lost several ancestors. One was in KC, MO, Mother died of typhus, looked and looked for one son and found him in the same register 10 days later dying of the same thing. Unsanitary conditions cause it and it doesn't necessarily mean people were dirty but kids, outdoor toilets, flies, doesn't take much.
So I rail against so many immunizations now but haven't lost a family member from that for maybe 2 generations now.
I can talk both sides of the welfare/disability situation. And absolutely you do not want to reward bad behavior.
The only thing that has contributed to it you didn't mention is that so many jobs have been outsourced that a lot of these people could have done for better wages. But it looks to me like they have just written off blacks in favor of Hispanics.
Destruction of the family is the key. Until we get some of our morals back which isn't going to happen, it is just going to get worse until Christ Himself comes back.
I understood the passage from Isaiah was for individuals. There was no government welfare ever until the Anglo nations went for it. In my mind I see a picture of people able and willing to work marching on ahead, living more or less by Judeo Christian values, ongoing inflation that never gets rolled back, and the people who choose to have multiple children out of wedlock what is left for them? It's just spiralled out of control, left behind to be repeated by future generations only there is going to be a breaking point where it can't go on the way it has.
Churches used to help, didn't say anything about that; it gets too complicated; I don't know if they could collectively sacrifice and carry the whole load or not. I don't expect churches to help drug users and alcoholics but then something has to be done for their dependents if they have any.
So that woman at the well Jesus talked to. That water was free but she had to go fetch it. The building of the well had been long since "amortized" and any periodic maintenance was probably borne by the community for the good of all. Just a guess, not idealizing that society but they did have a number of things going for it. Jubilee. Now it's some church ritual, I don't know the purpose of it.