Peter Torkildsen: “one of the worst failures of Government in recent memory has been the welfare system. For too long, welfare in the…”

“one of the worst failures of Government in recent memory has been the welfare system. For too long, welfare in the United States has punished those who want to find a job and get off welfare, and rewarded those who abuse the system, and waste taxpayer dollars. Yesterday, I read two articles from the Pultizer Prize winning Eagle- Tribune from Lawrence, MA, which detailed two single parents caught in the trap of welfare for over 20 years, and felons who were collecting welfare benefits, even though the law prohibited them from doing so. One parent with five dependents received welfare and child support cash payments totaling $30,168 per year tax free, or the equivalent in taxable income of $45,434. Another parent with four children received welfare cash payments of $25,716 per year tax free, or the equivalent taxable income of $38,730 per year. One parent who was 45 years old said, "I'm scared to go back into the work system at my age. I find it easier for people to stay on welfare once you're on because you get more benefits." The other parent said, "Many years ago, there was no way to cheat welfare. Now it's a piece of cake. The system is hard on people who need it and easy on people who don't." Yet at the same time welfare was trapping single parents, it was also rewarding those who had no reason to collect.”