Tennessee proposes welfare reform?

Well there should be some sort of improvement of life criteria to get welfare. As it stands now, the more you are a failure the more you get.

Agreed...drug test them too.

We need to fix the economy so that the mother can stay home while the men work. Our culture won't change (especially the welfare culture)until this comes back as a social norm. It's impossible for a mother working at Dollar General, and on food stamps with 3 kids to ensure their children are doing good in school.

Defects in family values and economic disparity must begin with a change in our economic standard that has failed 99% of us.

This is the same as limiting magazine rounds in guns. Politicians need to google "root cause analysis".

This is what’s wrong with America today “ A D-minus gets you through” LOL My kids come home with a D-…. All hell is going to break loose

This is retarded.

& Drug testing them is a big waste of money.

Ask Florida.

[link to www.miamiherald.com]

How about providing access to jobs or job training?

If drug testing were to be required, then I, a Taxpaying citizen who does smoke pot, shall be able to refuse funding this program.

If I am getting taxed for a program that I can never use because I smoke the herb, then it would be taxation w/o representation to me, and that would be tyranny/illegal.

Besides, just to force an income from people and then turn around to say "you gotta take a drug test for that" makes it very unfair to us that have funded this shit for years, don't you think?

Years ago, there was a program called "Futures" in my state. It required that a person on welfare to be placed in a skills assessment program and - if neccessary, schooling or other professional training. The whole time the person's benefits would remain intact.

Then - when training was finished, the state would provide assistance with job placement, getting clothes and uniforms for work and interviews, provide resume assistance and interview training.

Once placed in a job, the state kept the person's benefits, (ie, medical, foodstamps, etc.), in place and provided child care as well for up to two years or until the person was able to get the medical benefits through their job, and pay for daycare on their own, etc....

I thought that was a terrific program and should have helped so many people get back on their feet.....where did that program go?

because they make more money staying home and popping out babies. why when anyone work when you get more money doing nothing?

That's stupid. Go sit in jail voluntarily for smoking pot illegally and then you can argue that you are taxed without representation. Until then, no argument.

it probably made too much sense so the gov got rid of it.

That is a great sounding program, except you cannot help those that will not help themselves...

They are not doing nothing, they are just not getting paid for the initial act.

Well - I know you are right. But at the time, it was mandatory.....and enforced by the threat of having your benefits taken away.....

I don't even know if it's still around anymore...this was almost 20 years ago....

I like it. Add to that ... their children have to stay out of trouble.

How about they pull themselves up with a little hard work.

This is a great idea.

What state has this policy?

I know we need some reform in Ga, my medicaid was just denied yesterday and I worked all my life, paid my taxes all my life until disability, I'm 28 now on food-stamps, disabled, my condition/illnesses are medically irreparable and non-contagious, I'm unemployed both because of disabilities and the medications I am forced to take to control pain and convulsions, I even have hospital and Dr's backing on this but I have to file appeal and go through all these time consuming processes SICK. Yet some 17 year-old cartel member can go in and come out with full coverage for next time him and his homes shoot each other up in another cross border dope raid because that's just life in the drug cartel ya know, lets not even mention the fact h's no even a citizen of America. Yet I can't get coverage, psh.

Maybe instead of the plan above, provide an extra $20-30 a month per child in food stamps if the children make honor roll and/or take part in extracurricular activities.

That way even though they're getting a hand out maybe they'll realise that hard work equals extra goodies. And if a family in struggling to get by the parents might push/help their kid.

Come to Memphis and see the utter damage and abuse of the children of those welfare mothers on crack. It keeps the pattern going. I'm not against helping for those who can't find jobs, but you can't find a job strung out and you can't raise a family either.

As for smoking pot, your choice if you choose an illegal pastime.

Horrible idea. We need to make it less lucrative to keep dropping babies. As it is now the more kids you have the more money the government gives you. We need to only allow up to 2 on welfare per mother. Having more children should lead to a reduction in benefits. You want to see more women using birth control that would do it.

Perhaps a good idea but the food stamps don't go for food here. Maybe Reward the with children with some tangible goods like clothing, sports equipment, field trips or something...

Should include their parents education too.

OK. Canada. How exactly does the government give job training to morans with an IQ of 80? These people are unemployable given a million hours of training to be anything more than perhaps a toilet unclogger. And even then, they would be fired for their bad attitudes.

Should be tied to IQ... ok ok I'm sorry that was mean. I need coffee.

My God welfare really?I say if you can live on welfare more power to ya.You do realize welfare helps people who are dying handicapped and live with other dysfunctions.Why are you people so brain dead to believe recycled and taxed again money hinders you or the economy in any way.Any money the people can get back from big corporate Government is a good thing.You guys got your butts handed to you on and after 9-11 and its still going on and your worried about about homeless or near homeless family that may or may not have smoked pot?How about returning all the stolen money from social security that workers invested in first.Dear God my plate is full could you please make sure everyone else has their plate smashed.

Personally, I am not worried about a homeless family that smokes pot. What bothers me are families that spend their welfare dollars on buying pot, meth, crack, alcohol etc instead of sheltering or feeding their children.

Great idea!!! Maybe parent will become more involved in their childrens lives if that bill got passed. Which it won't, because the NAACP will say its a racist bill.

I know that’s the truth…Memphis is full of EBT scams… I think they give 50 cent on the dollar

300 dollars a person to find out 1 in every 30,000 people test positive for illegal drugs so that the politician who bought a urine and blood testing company can make more money that is all that is our Florida Governor already did that.

You forgot Afghanistan heroin.