The Welfare System Has Been Controversial Throughout U.s....

The welfare system has been controversial throughout U.S. history. It is constantly under attack and is often the chosen topic of political debates. In 2015, 35.4% of Americans were on welfare (Boyd). Welfare is a government ran program, where the government gives benefits to people who cannot afford to take care of themselves or their family (â€Å"Brief†). The benefits that the government gives to the people are money and the necessities they need to live a normal life (â€Å"Welfare† 825). The welfare system is an interesting topic and has many layers. Although it is necessary, at the same time it is frustrating for many politicians and U.S. citizens. Numerous people abuse the welfare system everyday. People have found many ways to take†¦show more content†¦Welfare has been an arguable topic throughout United States history (â€Å"Brief†). Some people agree with it and others do not like it at all. Welfare did not exist until the 1930s during The Great Depression (â€Å"Brief†). With millions of people unemployed, Franklin D. Roosevelt developed the welfare system to help these people during the Great Depression (â€Å"Brief†). After the Great Depression was over,, the government came up with new programs to help assist the welfare program and help more people in poverty (â€Å"Brief†). Some of those programs were Medicaid, public housing, food stamps, and Supplemental Security programs (â€Å"Brief†). Theses programs helped and hurt the country at the same time (â€Å"Brief†). By having these programs, many people would not look for jobs because they knew they were better off living on welfare (â€Å"Brief†). In 1996, the United States came up with the welfare to work law, which is now known as the Welfare to Work program (Hill). The purpose of this program was to encourage Americans on welfare to go back to work and not just stay at home and do nothing (Hill). The main goal was to reduce welfare by increasing the income of people on welfare (Greenberg). The program required people to get in an education program, get some type of training, or try to find a job (Greenberg). These requirements were intended to eventually get welfare recipients to get a job and not depend on welfare (Greenberg). Like