Martin Hoke: “in his 1935 State of the Union Address, Franklin Roosevelt called welfare a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human…”

“in his 1935 State of the Union Address, Franklin Roosevelt called welfare a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. John Kennedy in 1962 said, ``No lasting solution to the problem of poverty can be bought with a welfare check.'' In 1965, Washington launched a war on poverty with the very best of intentions, but some three decades and $5.5 trillion later we have a welfare system that has arguably done more harm than it has done good, because a basic law of nature has been ignored. When a person is given handout after handout without asking anything in return, he or she is condemned to a dependency and the loss of dignity and self-worth. So Congress passed a plan to reform welfare that is based on the simple premise that welfare recipients should work for their benefits, just like you work to support your family and pay your taxes. Our reforms make sense. Welfare should not be a way of life. Work should replace welfare for the able-bodied. States should have the power and flexibility to implement their own reforms. Noncitizens and felons should not receive welfare benefits. Mr. President, we ask that you sign the bill.”