Posted on 06/22/2011 9:31:03 AM PDT by gimme1ibertee
Here's my idea of welfare reform: comments? (document presented in language of applicant)
Public Assistance Implementation and Usage Contract.
This contract, entered into on (date) and expiring on (18 months from implementation date) by the (state agency) and applicant(s) listed herein (must submit names of applicant and children born to her via birth records),allows for the provision of food,housing allowance,child care and education for the purposes of job placement during the contract period,and is understood by all parties concerned that the provision of aforementioned assistance is on a one-time basis,not to be repeated or reinstated at any time for any reason between the applicant(s) and the agency named herein,and is for the aforementioned time period only,and can only be implemented following presentation of documents proving legal citizenship status and a drug screening process,both of which are to be conducted by the agency.
Once legal citizenship status and drug screen results are known by the agency and the applicant and found to be favorable,this contract can then be implemented.The following covenants hereby apply and are agreed upon by both the named agency herein and the applicant(s) seeking assistance (failure of any one of these covenants will be considered a contract breach on the part of the applicant,and will result in immediate termination of the contract;assistance will be terminated immediately and can never be reinstated at any time in the future for any reason:
Applicant will submit to random home visits which will be unannounced and will occur during the 5-day work week,normally during the mid-day hours;
Applicant will submit to random drug testing as directed by the agency;
Applicant must not conceive,adopt(formally or informally,including family members,immediate or extended),marry or co-habitate during the contract period;
Applicant must attend a one-year vocational program via a voucher provided by the agency;
Applicant must attend each class (two absences will be allowed during the contract period and a doctor's note must be submitted upon returning to class for each absence) and a transportation voucher will be provided by the agency for transportation during class hours;
Child care will be provided by the agency during class hours only.
Once applicant graduates from vocational training, a two-month job-placement period will commence,with child care provided by the agency; Upon applicant's employment,there will be an additional 4 months of ongoing assistance to allow applicant enough time to establish themselves in their occupation and to make child-care arrangements for after the contract period.
Once this contract has reached its expiration date,the assistance provided,all provisions and covenants and financial considerations as well,will cease and terminate permanently.The applicant is barred from any and all future assistance.
I,________________ hereby agree to adhere to all covenants,rules,etc of this contract. I realize and fully understand that I am bound by this contract in order to receive assistance in any form,and that any violation or breach will result in my receiving any form of assistance any further. I agree further that this contract was fully explained to me by the agency caseworker and that I will fully comply.
(sign & date here)____________________________
Agency hereby agrees to and will implement to the best of its ability and obligations,all covenants of this contract. (agency sign & date)_______________________
Just eliminate all welfare, food stamps, and subsidized housing!
Make your own way in this would or quit taking up space on this planet!
“On the other hand, my proposal would cut the length of time a person can receive benefits to 18 months”
Then you would have them kicked off the program. Please examine what you are doing. You are arguing for a more efficient method of achieving an end of which you do not approve.
For every ambition there is a given objective and a real objective. The purpose of welfare programs is not to mitigate the curse of pauperism. It is to achieve the election and reelection of politicians.
And there are ancillary objectives: 1) the organization of advocacy groups; 2) the development of service staffs to operate the advocacy groups’ organizations; 3) including lobbyists, who beg Congress for grants to aid them in their noble efforts; 4) including the creation of charitable organizations who beg the American People for aid in their noble efforts.
All of which activity comes right back to politicians’ and party coffers, or in otherwise aiding their reelection efforts . . . remarkably.
Recommend you read Memoir on Pauperism, by Alexis de Tocqueville, a very short tome (really little more than a pamphlet) with an excellent introduction by Gertrude Himmelfarb. It can be ordered at most any bookstore or can otherwise be found on the ‘Net.
Not trying to be argumentative, but just because most training programs take at least a year, doesn’t mean the government’s training program has to take a year. They could be looking for some level of work WHILE taking the training program. There’s probably a lot of inane stuff in those programs that don’t really need to be there, or aren’t necessary for them to actually get some kinds of work.
Also, while you say this contract would be the same for all local governments who are in charge of running things, you an be damn sure that if local governments are going to run their programs, they are all going to change their contracts. You are not going to have any uniformity, as some places will be far more generous and extend deadlines or not make it one time only, and other places may make things even less enticing.
San Fran’s program will not be the same as Boise’s. The very idea that local governments run it but every local government will use the identical contract, while on paper looks like it would work, will not work in the real world. If you say they all have to by federal mandate then local government’s are not really in control.
Hey, I said the same thing in a different way and you read me the riot act! :)
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