"The Founders’ Model of Welfare Actually Reduced Poverty" via The Daily Signal

This is the most important article I've read regarding American history and Welfare policy.

There has been a shift from a more common sensed approach based on the understanding of human character. A system that "helps drive people out of poverty" and "minimize incentives" that lead to abuse of the system. It has  become more of a "generational inheritance." Welfare has become more of a "living wage."

Another thing that this article pushes is something I've been advocating personally; which is more State autonomy and local administration of welfare benefits. A more localized approach can help eliminate abuse and more accurately weed out who are truly in need of it.

Here is an excerpt:

Rather than making welfare a generational inheritance, Franklin thought it should assist the poor in overcoming poverty as expediently as possible: “I am for doing good to the poor.…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.”

Moreover, local, rather than federal, officials administered this welfare, since they were more likely to know the particular needs of recipients and could distinguish between the deserving poor (the disabled and involuntarily unemployed) and the undeserving poor (those capable of work but preferring not to).

The Founders sought to provide aid in a way that would help the deserving poor but minimize incentives for recipients to act irresponsibly. They wanted to protect the rights of taxpayers by preventing corruption and abuses in welfare aid.

Above all, the Founders saw the family and life-long marriage as the primary means of support for everyone, rich and poor alike.

http://dailysignal.com/2015/05/30/the-founders-model-of-welfare-actually-reduced-poverty/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thffacebook