#welfareisfair safetynetprogramssave learnthefacts

[antiracistclass]

“Is it my responsibility to help everyone in need? Besides, it’s not fair that I work when people on welfare don’t want to!”

It’s true that there is a huge wealth gap between Blacks and Whites largely due to the effects of generational wealth and discrimination, leaving the majority of Black people at the poverty line; however it is NOT true that majority of “welfare” recipients are Black.

In 2019, 59 million or 19% of Americans received one or more forms of welfare. When I say welfare, I’m referring to all of the federal programs called Safety Net Programs. These public assistance programs include food stamps and housing assistance, among many others. I’m broaching this subject because I’ve heard many comments including the quote above as a reason for steering clear of politicians with policies to help the poor. Some politicians use fear and anger to drive votes by saying that the majority of tax dollars go to Safety Net Programs, but that is not even close to being true. As of 2019, only 8% of the tax budget went to Safety Net Programs. The number of American citizens receiving welfare has continued to drop since 1996. Majority of public assistance recipients receive aide for less than one year, and majority of food stamp/SNAP recipients work. The amount of aide is relatively small, but the huge impact keeps many people out of poverty which in turn saves tax payers millions. Seeking out the facts is such an important step to take before forming an opinion. Otherwise, aren’t you just making assumptions?

Where Taxes Go:

https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/policy-basics-where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go

Welfare Misconceptions:

https://www.thoughtco.com/who-really-receives-welfare-4126592

Welfare Explained and Listed by Race:

https://www.nap.edu/read/9719/chapter/8

Who’s on Welfare:

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-welfare-black-white-780252

Welfare Dependency:

https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/70301/900288-Time-on-Welfare-and-Welfare-Dependency.pdf

Positive Outcomes from LBJ’s War on Poverty:

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2014/03/31/86693/the-safety-net-is-good-economic-policy/