Entitlement State of Mind

It is everywhere in the news. The minimum wage is too low. We need a living wage. SNAP doesn't provide enough money to feed a family. Health care is a right. Home ownership is a right. The government should be helping more. Oh, and there are COMMERCIALS for so called "Obama phones." Because, again, cell phones are a right.

Everybody in Cleveland got an Obama phone.

There is a problem in this country when hard work and dedication have become laughable when, in thirteen states, entitlement program pay more than pay more than a $15/hr job. In fact, in D.C., a welfare recipient can get the equivalent of up to $24.43/hr according to a CATO study. Where is the motivation to work for a lesser paying job when you can just sit at home and collect welfare? This is laughable and sad at the same time. Can you imagine the anger of the Founding Fathers if they could see that? 

Benjamin Franklin is looking at us in disgust.

Truth be told, we are in a recession and the "Summer of Recovery" didn't quite pan out. It is understandable that some people are going to need some help. What isn't understandable is the expansion of welfare benefits signed into law as part of the Economic Stimulus under President Obama. The government shouldn't be expanding welfare, it should be expanding JOBS. 

This brings me to the minimum wage vs the "living wage." I am going to go ahead and get this one out of the way: Working the register at a fast food joint or Wal Mart is a no skill job that is best filled by students or adults looking for a higher paying job elsewhere. If you work at McDonalds expecting to feed a family of 2 or more off of a cashiers wage, you should smack yourself. A person in that circumstance should understand the situation that they have put themselves in and seek part time employment elsewhere or, better yet, learn a skill and seek a higher paying job. The last statement gives me an idea: how about the government cut funds from all of the pork stuffed into every bill and fund a training program in each state designed to provide skills and higher wage jobs! That would be so much more effective than just slinging buzzwords at one another. Instead of ideas and action, we get rhetoric and the blame game. It isn't fair to the American people.

I'm looking at you

And you

Some have suggested that the minimum wage should be raised, some even suggesting $15/hr become the benchmark. Well, I am no professional economist (a lot of good they've been the last few years) but I would think that if you artificially inflate wages by almost double, the prices of products are going to rise. "But wait," some say, "The corporations already have massive profit margins, they can afford it without raising prices!" Now, that is flawed for a couple of different reasons. Corporations use those profits to invest in new products and services and expansion. Eat into those profits, reduce investment and expansion. Pretty easy. Furthermore. why WOULD they want to eat the cost of wage increase and why SHOULD they. The goal of a business is to make money. You, as an employee, agree to a wage/salary and possibly benefits for doing work. The company agrees to pay it. The responsibility of the company ends there. It isn't Wal Mart's job to make sure you can make ends meet. Take a little personal responsibility and try to improve yourself instead of looking to others to do it for you.

Back to welfare and entitlements. Why are people on welfare rewarded for having more children? More children, more money! Shouldn't it be capped at say, two at most? This is one of the more idiotic aspects of welfare. It breeds a system of reliance. The Liberals are literally keeping people dependent on the system yet claim they want to help people. Another thing that I hear too often is that SNAP (food stamp program) doesn't provide enough money to feed a family. First, let me say that I support SNAP. It has it's place. But the acronym stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, not Sole Nutrition Allocation Program. It is meant to supplement income. "But what if I don't get an income?" Then you are likely on welfare. Get a job.

Welfare and SNAP should be tied to job hunting. If you aren't looking for employment, you don't get either. I understand that some cases exist where people can't work anymore. Those should be looked at case by case. But to keep with the widespread allowance of welfare without any checks and balances? That is irresponsible.

I am irritated seeing someone use their EBT cards to pay for food while talking on a smartphone and wearing $150.00 shoes. I get furious when I see people buy alcohol with SNAP.

Ummm, come again?

 If you have a nice, big plasma t.v. with video game consoles hooked up, you don't deserve welfare- you deserve a slap upside the head. Help yourself. Work hard for training in a higher paying career. Stop being satisfied with skill-less jobs that pay little. Stop being satisfied with relying on the government. Have some pride. That is the American way.