We Can't Solve The Poverty Problem With Our Government
Start writing a post
Politics

We Can't Solve The Poverty Problem With Our Government

Government programs tend to be more harmful to the bottom 10% than helpful.

63
We Can't Solve The Poverty Problem With Our Government
Huffington Post

The new Trump budget has brought into question, once again, the benefit of spending on public programs like NPR and PBS. Today, though, I want to talk about a different kind of spending: entitlements.

Some bemoan the negative connotation of the name, but it's a word that exactly describes the psychology- and sometimes the argument for- entitlement spending. People have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But somewhere along the line, people started to think the basics weren't enough. When catastrophe hit in the 1930's, people were happy to see Big Brother step in and alleviate their suffering. The problem of entitlement spending is that once it started, it never stopped. From crisis relief to regular poverty management, we get our present-day welfare state. But has this produced results? Is life better for people with welfare?

The short answer is no. Relief, as it turns out, is very different from actually curing poverty. Families on welfare, generally, stay on welfare anywhere from 2-13 years. And if you ask economists, like Thomas Sowell, it was the welfare state that destroyed the black family. It's simple to see how something so well-intentioned could so wrong. If you make it easier on people in a certain condition, say single motherhood, then you take away the negative reinforcement. And while the humanitarian in us says nobody should have to suffer, we have to remember, you learn not to touch the hot stove when you burn your hand, not when mommy puts a towel between your palm and the stove top.


Government intervention on this level has another effect, alluded to earlier in this piece. When your friend loans you $5 because you left your wallet at home, (most of us) will feel awkward until we pay back the favor. When the government gives you something, it's a faceless entity helping you. There's no one to payback, no guilt if you keep taking. It becomes dependency and it contributes to the vicious cycle of poverty. Incentivizing certain behaviors and punishing attempts to leave the system creates a precarious situation for people who would lose their benefits for making just a little bit more and still be impoverished.


This article begs the question: if our government can't solve poverty, then who does? The answer lies in your communities. In the people. When nobody expects the government to help, you tend to feel more responsible for your neighbor because you know nobody else is gonna step up to do it. It's your friend handing you $5 and, now, you're responsible for getting those $5 back to your neighbor. Your friend won't punish you for going from earning $10 an hour to $15. It seems to me to be a much more personal and effective system. In any case, we'll see where things turn but until then,

Good Luck America.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

41446
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

25979
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

951304
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

134748
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments