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Originally Posted by astrahl
Food stamp recipients have rules about what they can and can't buy, why not welfare recipients? If you are taking public monies, you have to abide by their rules.
I think of it like an academic grant. The granting agency can tell you what you are allowed to spend the money on...why can't we, as taxpayers, set limits as to what people can spend their welfare money on?
This seems too easy...is it just me?
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John Stuart Mill, back in the 19th Century, outlined a concept that had already been adopted here in the US - the tyranny of the majority. Why should we be able to set limits on what other people can buy? After all it's our money? Wait, why can't we also require them to pick up garbage? And hey, let's put them all in the same place so we don't have to look at them. We can call those places workhouses, and work shall set them free.
I think that we should hope that people on welfare should spend the money wisely, but to look over their shoulder and tell them "no, no, that's not responsible"? That's a little to big-brotherish for my taste. I'd just as soon not have the government worry about what Mrs. McGillicudy down the street is buying and have them spend a little more time worrying about how to create more jobs in economically depressed areas. Where do you draw the line on what folks on welfare can and can't buy? Electronics? What if there's a smart kid in the house that needs a computer for school? A stereo? What if there's a muscial genius in the making? Cars? How do you expect them to get to work?
I completely agree that a lot of dollars are wasted by welfare reciepients, but then again a lot of dollars are wasted by all the non-welfare reciepients who buy sports memorabilia. People on the dole have just as much right to live their lives free from government interference as the rest of us.