Quote Originally Posted by BanginJimmy View Post
Discount every one of those 150mil+ people that make more than 150% of welfare. That likely discounts around 90% of them. The rest of it is motivation. Some people are willing to work hard to gain a higher station in life. Others are happy to just live off the system.
I'm not sure why you would discount the motivation for people making 150% of welfare. And what do you mean the rest of it is motivation? Are you saying that what motivates those people couldn't motivate those on welfare?

I agree with your last two statements but I'm not sure what conclusion you want me to reach from it.

Quote Originally Posted by BanginJimmy View Post
This is easy.

1. Require random drug tests to get a check.
2. Require eligible men and women join the military (does not apply to single mothers or fathers)
3. Spend the money up front and pay those receiving welfare money go to school or some other type of job training. Govt pays, or guarantees, 100% of bills for 4 years of college. This can be waived to 5 years if acceptable progress is made.
4. Cap length of time you can be on welfare. This does not apply to those also receiving disability benefits.

The college part would be expensive in the short term, but in the long term I believe it would pay for itself in the form of combined higher tax revenue and lower rolls. The vast majority of those on welfare right now are 2nd and third generation. We, as a society, need to break that cycel of dependence.
While I think these are good ideas in theory they all have a number of challenges and several would be cost prohibitive. I'm surprised to hear you would recommend the government just giving people jobs (supposedly government can't create jobs anyways) and creating additional beauracracy.

Also, and this is the crux of the matter, quite a few people would not meet these standards. They would fail their drug test, find college to be too difficult, fail basic training, etc. What do you think would happen to these people?

If you came upon a starving man on the street, would you require him to take a drug test and enroll in college before you gave him something to eat? We house, cloth, give healthcare and feed inmates 24/7, 365 days a year usually at a cost of tens of thousands per person per year. Should we treat the lazy, unfortunate, and stupid worse than them?