Mothers And Welfare Recipients example essay topic

WORK, WELFARE, AND SINGLE MOTHERS If you want to know a big problem in our country today it is single mothers and welfare. If you look at all the money that we throw away each and every year, you wouldn = t think this would be a problem. With all the rich giving to the poor, some should go to single parents trying their best to take care of their children. This could be easy, if they would just go and get a job they would be off welfare very quickly. But it isn = t that easy, study ='s show that most welfare mothers have bad or no schooling at all, they are the woman that has been lay off of work, and the one ='s that are young and don = t have enough to pay for their child ='s living conditions. A lot of things changed in 1996 as federal lawmakers dramatically changed the rules poor people live by and made states responsible for implementing these rules.

Twenty-five percent of the mothers on each state ='s welfare caseload must be working by the end of 1997. By 2002, fifty percent must be working. Studies show that mothers that leave the welfare to quickly are the one ='s that will not make it far in life, not far in life but the one ='s that will be the least likely to succeed in getting off welfare and taking care of their families. Their main problem is making the transaction from welfare to work. They have problems making ends meat.

They sometimes receive extra money from community groups, local charities, working extra jobs, obtaining cash from network members. They have to hid most of their income from their caseworkers so they could keep their welfare benefits. It was also hard for working mothers as they faced larger budget deficits than welfare mothers because they often didn = t Medicaid and had considerable work-related expenses. Working mothers had less time to work a side job or even get extra money from community groups and charities. It is a known fact that is harder to make ends meet when working than collecting welfare.

All the studies are from four main cities which are Boston, Chicago, Charleston, and San Antonio. These were the cities picked to represent the study. The cost of living was different in all these places. They took into consideration different races, age, education, work experiences, and the background they came from. All these differed in all areas due to these things. In 1990 the 25th percentile of each city varied from the cost of living.

In boston it was $446, in Chicago it was $375, in Charleston it was $346, and only $292 in San Antonio. In the average dollar per hour they earned little money. In San Antonio they earned $4.50, in Charleston and Chicago they earned $5.75, and in Boston they earned $6.50. The underground economy also affected welfare recipients range of possible survival strategies. In Chicago and they knew how to get fake ID ='s, that was probably due to the large amount of illegal immigrants that creates a market for false Social Security.

If they wanted a fake name they paid $20, if they wanted a birth certificate and picture ID it cost $70. Roughly the same number of working mothers and welfare recipients engaged in side work the welfare made more only because they worked less hours. That was also due to their main job. Few working mothers earned money form underground economy. Mothers left welfare because it looked good and respectable in their friends and neighbors. Working mothers on welfare received more generous contributions from their networks than did welfare recipients (especially from absent fathers).

Welfare recipients relied more on side work and on local charities and community groups to supplement their earning. Working mothers relied more on members of their personal networks. Working mothers that worked full-time had little time to work a side jobs or hunt for community group or charity that would help them financially. They were more likely to have network ties with others who were better off and could help provide steady cash help. They received more non cash resources, resources that lowered the cost of working. Some had family or friends that would watch their child for free, or for a low cost.

Nine of ten working mothers had at least one non cash resource. In conclusion this was a great article that I could relate to. I have family that deals with both, my mom would rather help my cousin that is working than the one who is not and trying to live off the family. If their families have less money they are likely to be worse off. As the government moves single mothers from welfare to work mothers and their children ='s material well-being should be safeguarded.