Many years ago, back in 1935, the government enacted the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which was a relief measure for the millions who were out of work. With some changes in the 8 years the program ran, some 8,500,000 different persons had been put to work on over 1,400,000 projects, which included over 600,000 miles of highways, roads, and streets; constructed or improved more than 120,000 bridges, over 120,000 public buildings, with 8,000 plus parks, and 800 or more airport landing fields. (Google WPA , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration )
During those 8 years, the government spent about $11 billion in wages to all those people eligible for work. At today's dollar, that would be about $180 billion. But that, in my view, would be a far cry better way to spend the money, and getting people to work, than just giving money out. It's a dang sight less that $800 billion too!
This was done to give people a way to "earn" the money the government was giving out. With that, the idea that people would retain more self respect at having "earned" the money, than sitting by and having it just given to them.
Have we lost that? I think so. I think our social programs have enslaved some people to rely on the government for all their needs. I think so many of those folks, have lost all respect for themselves and their homes, and their stay in life. They may rant and rave about other people (often conservatives) not respecting them, but they do nothing, or very little, to improve themselves. Why should they? The government has been taking care of them, in some cases for a couple generations!
I think we need to go back to a similar worker program. I can't tell you how to do it, but with the sharp minds in the country, I'm sure it could be devised and implemented.
But we NEED to get people to working to "earn" their money. If they refuse to work, then food kitchens and public shelters for them. NO car, no house/apartment, no cell phone. Just food and basic shelter.
I expect for some, they would quickly find a better job that THEY choose, instead of a government worker program. At least, they will work harder at finding a better job.
So I say, bring back the WPA. Get people off welfare and back to earning their way. While some will never change, most will find that earning their money, is far more personally rewarding, than taking hand-outs.
