:confused:Not exactly sure what I'm arguing? I agree that the mom's comment is off base.

 

Am I arguing that it would be nice for people to be empathetic instead of demonizing all those that receive government aid? Sure.

 

I don't think most of us demonize the person, we demonize the behavior and the system that propugates it.

Can someone point to the exact policies that would make it profitable for a 17 year old, or anyone else, to have a child? It's hard to discuss reform in absence of that.

I know this has been bought up before, but how about requiring a government sponsored sterilization to collect welfare on a child you can't support on your own. If the we have to pay for your children, you should at least be giving up the ability to have more. Collecting government money is not a Constitutionally protected right.

I think the reason Obama suggested the entire sequester thing is because he knows after the first cuts are made thousands of illegal immigrants will be the first to be released from jails across the country to save money.

 

It's his own personal immigration law.

Can someone point to the exact policies that would make it profitable for a 17 year old, or anyone else, to have a child? It's hard to discuss reform in absence of that.

 

WHAT IS AFDC?

AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) is a program administered and funded by Federal and State goverments to provide financial assistance to needy families. In an average State, more than half (55 percent) of the total cost of AFDC payments are funded by the Federal goverment. The States provide the balance of these payments, manage the program, and detemine who receives benefits and how much they get.

In order to be eligible to receive AFDC payments, a family must have a dependent child who is -

 

•Under age 18 and living with them. (An 18 year-old who is expected to complete secondary school or its equivalent before turning 19 may also be covered.)

•Deprived of financial support from one of their parents due to the parent's death, continued absence, or incapacity. (This includes children in two-parent families where the principal family earner is unemployed.)

•A resident of the State they live in.

•A U.S. citizen or an alien who is permanently and lawfully residing in the United States.

 

Google AFDC and you can get a lot of info. So, the 17 yo girl needs to have a child by the time she is 18 to gain entrance into the program. The ~$90 per month itself is not enough of an incentive to most rational minds, but along with the $90 comes food stamps, free rent, free cell phone, etc. that is a fact of welfare these days. It is still not a life most of us would aspire to. But this is all she knows and that is why we need to intercede and help this person...not by giving her a welfare incentive, but by helping her to achieve a productive life. Question is, does she want to be helped????

I think the reason Obama suggested the entire sequester thing is because he knows after the first cuts are made thousands of illegal immigrants will be the first to be released from jails across the country to save money.

 

It's his own personal immigration law.

 

They should be released back to the country from whence they came.

WHAT IS AFDC?

AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) is a program administered and funded by Federal and State goverments to provide financial assistance to needy families. In an average State, more than half (55 percent) of the total cost of AFDC payments are funded by the Federal goverment. The States provide the balance of these payments, manage the program, and detemine who receives benefits and how much they get.

In order to be eligible to receive AFDC payments, a family must have a dependent child who is -

 

•Under age 18 and living with them. (An 18 year-old who is expected to complete secondary school or its equivalent before turning 19 may also be covered.)

•Deprived of financial support from one of their parents due to the parent's death, continued absence, or incapacity. (This includes children in two-parent families where the principal family earner is unemployed.)

•A resident of the State they live in.

•A U.S. citizen or an alien who is permanently and lawfully residing in the United States.

 

Google AFDC and you can get a lot of info. So, the 17 yo girl needs to have a child by the time she is 18 to gain entrance into the program. The ~$90 per month itself is not enough of an incentive to most rational minds, but along with the $90 comes food stamps, free rent, free cell phone, etc. that is a fact of welfare these days. It is still not a life most of us would aspire to. But this is all she knows and that is why we need to intercede and help this person...not by giving her a welfare incentive, but by helping her to achieve a productive life. Question is, does she want to be helped????

 

Is someone not eligible for food stamps, etc. that is not a part of the AFDC? Is $90 a month more than the costs associated with raising a child? From my eyes that does not appear to be a lucrative decision.

 

I'm a firm believer in a social safety net, but it should also incentivize a transition to employment. If someone else wants to chime in with the specific policies that would make having a child or more a profitable enterprise I would like to see them.

Is someone not eligible for food stamps, etc. that is not a part of the AFDC? Is $90 a month more than the costs associated with raising a child? From my eyes that does not appear to be a lucrative decision.

 

I'm a firm believer in a social safety net, but it should also incentivize a transition to employment. If someone else wants to chime in with the specific policies that would make having a child or more a profitable enterprise I would like to see them.

 

I am not sure where you are coming from. Is it more lucrative to have a child to obtain welfare benefits than to seek employment and the possibility of a prosperous life? Not if anyone rational thinks the latter is a possibility for themselves. Are many make that decision though. Yes...daily, and it is bad for everyone.

Is someone not eligible for food stamps, etc. that is not a part of the AFDC? Is $90 a month more than the costs associated with raising a child? From my eyes that does not appear to be a lucrative decision.

 

I'm a firm believer in a social safety net, but it should also incentivize a transition to employment. If someone else wants to chime in with the specific policies that would make having a child or more a profitable enterprise I would like to see them.

 

Welfare, public housing or section 8 housing, food stamps, medicad, and the list goes on and most benefits go up with each child. As you, I'm all for a social saftey net I'm just no for generation after generation living off the gov't.

I am not sure where you are coming from. Is it more lucrative to have a child to obtain welfare benefits than to seek employment and the possibility of a prosperous life? Not if anyone rational thinks the latter is a possibility for themselves. Are many make that decision though. Yes...daily, and it is bad for everyone.

 

The contention in this thread was that it would be profitable for this teenager to get pregnant and have a child. In other words, the amount of benefits she would receive for having a child would far outstrip the cost of raising a child, thus making it financially lucrative for her. If true, I would find that perverse and be something I would attempt to have changed.

The contention in this thread was that it would be profitable for this teenager to get pregnant and have a child. In other words, the amount of benefits she would receive for having a child would far outstrip the cost of raising a child, thus making it financially lucrative for her. If true, I would find that perverse and be something I would attempt to have changed.

 

Ok, I see your question, but in the minds of most of us, and how we would raise our children, the math would not add up to be an incentive. The problem is in the "welfare mind" it does. By that, I mean the promise of the money and benefits short term is all that matters. The male offspring of these family units ends up on the streets as often as not. The female offspring often patterns the mother if would appear. And, I don't mean to dehumanize anyone in this predicament...it is a culture that welfare perpetuates.

The contention in this thread was that it would be profitable for this teenager to get pregnant and have a child. In other words, the amount of benefits she would receive for having a child would far outstrip the cost of raising a child, thus making it financially lucrative for her. If true, I would find that perverse and be something I would attempt to have changed.

 

The problem is your defintion of profitable. People have kids for gov't assitance by the thousands every year.

The contention in this thread was that it would be profitable for this teenager to get pregnant and have a child. In other words, the amount of benefits she would receive for having a child would far outstrip the cost of raising a child, thus making it financially lucrative for her. If true, I would find that perverse and be something I would attempt to have changed.

 

Free rent, free food, and a monthly check how is that not incentive?

I fear the problem is that this mother, and probably the daughter, believe that it is financially lucrative (by their experiences) to have a child. Educating them on the fallacy of this belief is key but I'm not sure that it can overcome those perceptions.

The problem is your defintion of profitable. People have kids for gov't assitance by the thousands every year.

 

What is your definition of profitable? I think gains less costs is fairly universal. The problem with these anecdotal arguments is that they don't point to anything specific. Show me the specific policies that would cause my financial situation to net improve if I were to have a kid. If the government can make it worth a teenager's while for doing this I want to know.