[jessicag]

Mich. governor signs 48-month welfare limit - Yahoo! News

What do you think? Harmful or helpful?

[BittyBugsMama]

Awesome! That will help our economy because there are a LOT of people who abuse the welfare / cash assistance programs. I think 4 years is plenty of time to find a job and unless you fall under one of the special categories, there is no reason you need cash assistance for that long.

[GinaB]

Originally Posted by BittyBugsMama

Awesome! That will help our economy because there are a LOT of people who abuse the welfare / cash assistance programs. I think 4 years is plenty of time to find a job and unless you fall under one of the special categories, there is no reason you need cash assistance for that long.

4 years?!!!! crap. That is just an invitation to sit on it.

[rose198172]

Most states have this. I think it's not a bad thing, and there are exemptions for people who are on welfare for a good reason, like if they are disabled or are caring for someone who IS disabled.

[GinaB]

is that 4 years at one time or 4 years for life?

[plan4fate]

Originally Posted by GinaB

is that 4 years at one time or 4 years for life?

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday signed into law a stricter, four-year lifetime limit on cash welfare benefits, prompting advocates for the poor to warn that tens of thousands of residents will find themselves without cash assistance on Oct. 1.

it's lifetime.

I think this will help the states budget in a lot of cases. While the majority of people on Welfare are there because they need it, the ones that are abusing the system need to be booted off of it. Even if it's 1 cheater per every 100 who need it, that cheater needs to go support them self.

[birdblue]

Originally Posted by ~Tithen~

it's lifetime.

I think this will help the states budget in a lot of cases. While the majority of people on Welfare are there because they need it, the ones that are abusing the system need to be booted off of it. Even if it's 1 cheater per every 100 who need it, that cheater needs to go support them self.

Okay, well those 99 people who need it have to go without just because of the one? Not sure that is right.

I also don't think it's right that they are going back and counting the amount of time one has been on assistance before the law was signed. I worry what is going to happen to the families who depend on this money in a state that is suffering already.

On the other hand, i don't believe people should be able to be on welfare for life. I am not sure what the answer is.

[BittyBugsMama]

They should get jobs. Its easier to sell drugs and get cash assistance / food stamps / welfare / whatever on top of it then to have to work 36 hours a week at RiteAid, McDonalds, Target, etc... Its tough to find a good job in MI but its not hard to find a job that pays $8 or $9 an hour. If I hadn't seen it first hand for 4 or 5 years, I would feel differently about it but 4 years of cash assistance is enough. I'm not sure I agree with it being lifetime but more like you can not collect cash assistance again until after 5 years since your last check or something.

[Repti.Mom]

It makes me sad that they are doing this in Michigan of all states, but the limit in general is a good idea. Have you guys seen some of the cities in MI? Flint is an example. They are selling homes there for just hundreds of dollars. Whole homes. I don't personally live there, but the things I've seen makes me feel for the people there that are going to be punished by this 'law'.

[*Jillian*]

For a single woman that raises her children alone, I don't know how she would ever get on her feet. If you work 40 hours a week, who watches your children? You pay for childcare which will cost you an arm and leg. Then you have regular household bills, needs of the children.

And let's face it...lot's of people aren't going to be able to score a high enough paying job to pay all those bills. Doesn't mean they aren't working their a$$es off to take care of their families.

[BittyBugsMama]

The federal limitation for cash assistance is 60 months, so its only 12 months less than the federal.

This is the cash assistance link from MI's government webpage. DHS - Family Independence Program (FIP) Overview

Child care assistance is separate. You can buy a house, yes buy, for $5000 or less in Detroit which is where I would bet a lot of the state's assistance goes. I'm all for assistance if it is going to responsible people who are just struggling but I really just don't think that is who the majority of the money is going to. Not from my personal experiences in seeing 13 and 14 year olds getting pregnant and having 4 or 5 kids by their 21st birthday. I think people would be a bit more responsible if they knew they couldn't rely on the government to support them and their kids for 20 years.

[*Jillian*]

But those people would suffer regardless. They would suffer for the irresponsibility of others and that's a shame to me.

[lesliek0211]

Originally Posted by *Jillian*

But those people would suffer regardless. They would suffer for the irresponsibility of others and that's a shame to me.

I would be okay with a limit if it was actually possible for people to truly get back on their feet. As Jillian pointed out, that is not possible for some people.

[ka-chow]

Is not govt assistance, its WELFARE, cash assistance.

I dont think its a big deal.

You can get Food Stamps, or housing assistance, or childcare assistance for your entire life if you need it. There is no cap on that.

This is nothing new.

[K.A.T]

Team Jillian

[Tammyjh]

Originally Posted by ka-chow

Is not govt assistance, its WELFARE, cash assistance.

I dont think its a big deal.

You can get Food Stamps, or housing assistance, or childcare assistance for your entire life if you need it. There is no cap on that.

This is nothing new.

This is what I was thinking as well and most likely, it will not have an effect on medicaid either.

[*Jillian*]

Has Michigan's employment opportunities skyrocketed and I hadn't heard? How can you expect people to find jobs that would help them get off assistance if there are no decent jobs around.

If you can sell a house for practically nothing, chances are there is NOTHING around it to make the purchase worth it...except a roof over your head, which requires even more money in property taxes, insurance and any other expense that comes with being a homeowner.

[melkissa2004]

I think as long as someone is meeting specific requirements like proving they are actively searching for a job or going to school or something to improve their situation, then they should not be cut off. Like Jillian said, there are situations where they are actively working already and unable to get a higher paying job. Shoot, people with multiple degrees are having problems getting jobs right now. It's rough out there and not everyone is jacking the system.

[BittyBugsMama]

People are leaving MI in droves to find better jobs which opens up new jobs for those of us who are still here. Its not hard to find certain types of jobs. In certain parts of the state the cost of living is very low. There are also housing programs, daycare programs, medical programs, education programs, etc. This is the cash assistance program only.

In some situations you gotta call a spade a spade. People would be a lot more motivated to find work if they knew the free money was going to stop. Yeah, some people do need help for more than 4 years but there are clauses in there for those special circumstances.

[birdblue]

Originally Posted by *Jillian*

Has Michigan's employment opportunities skyrocketed and I hadn't heard? How can you expect people to find jobs that would help them get off assistance if there are no decent jobs around.

If you can sell a house for practically nothing, chances are there is NOTHING around it to make the purchase worth it...except a roof over your head, which requires even more money in property taxes, insurance and any other expense that comes with being a homeowner.

Well said.
And these area's where homes are selling for so little are Not areas the common person would want to live, especially not if that person has a family.