[quote=@Vilageidiotx] The problems caused by welfare are minuscule compared to the problems that would be caused if it were to be withdrawn. Like I said, the welfare system exists to stabilize the working class, and if that stability is taken away, heads will roll. All the rehauls i've seen suggested are either just scaling it back, which would cause bigger problems, or fundamental misunderstandings on what bureaucracy is actually capable of doing. Believe me, I've been on the office side of filing plenty of this paperwork, it's not a perfect system because people don't make perfect systems. Of all my time actually dealing with people's welfare in the trenches, the only one I ever thought was truly abused was disability, and even there the application is mixed. I've seen people who clearly couldn't work get a conservative hard-ass dealing with their case and insisting they can still work, and I've seen people who got disability on minor anxiety. And I guarantee you, if you give most people trying to balance their benefits with a job the opportunity to make middle class wages, they would drop welfare in a heartbeat. Most people in my experience who have benefits also work, they just don't have a clear path to a good job. [url=http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/04/13/get-a-job-most-welfare-recipients-already-have-one/]Remember, most people on welfare have jobs.[/url] They are the working poor, not the lazy. [/quote] Oh no doubt if they 'could' make it to middle class they would, the problem is a lot would get cut off their welfare before they manage to get those middle class wages and therefore lose too many benefits and not be able to keep up payments. Also if you want to go the job route a good majority probably are only working 'part-time' jobs in order to make sure they are under the cut-out amount that boots them out of welfare. [url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/356317/welfare-better-deal-work-michael-tanner]So unless you are actually making a whole lot more money, often staying on Welfare is easier and more profitable for many.[/url] This is completely unsustainable and will eventually collapse under its own weight. Also I've heard through family about some of the horror stories of families on welfare and the 'facilities' used to 'help' them. Often times all the government does is throw money at them and hope they become better people. Instead they just stay where they are and accept all the hand outs while never improving themselves. Welfare is basically a cancer to society in its current form. Are there good people who are doing their best to get out of such situations? Of course and that should be encouraged but there are too many benefits for people who don't care about improving anything but their own lives and their communities suffer as a result. Oh and don't use WSJ cause I can't read the article...