78-02-B1

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Welfare Reform

Transcript Back in 1971 when California started its highly successful welfare reforms the weeping and wailing was enough to make your blood run cold. But most of it came from those who had no need for welfare themselves. They delight in bleeding for others. And a goodly share came from the professionals and organizers who thought their careers were being threatened in what we were trying to do. One such was the read of an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of those on welfare. Testifying before a Congressional committee she said, QUOTE--"Everyone in this country has a right to share the wealth. The money has gone to the middle class and if we don't get our share we're going to disrupt this country and this Capitol. "UNQUOTE. We found in California that tens of thousands of able bodied welfare recipients wanted nothing better than to become self supporting. We found also that the welfare system doesn't encourage this. Many of these people fall into a pattern which, after awhile, renders them virtually incapable of entering the competitive job market. Treating only the material needs of man will not endow him with nobility of spirit, creativity and the unselfish desire to become productive. One day after our reforms had been in effect for awhile, I received a letter that began "Dear Sir - I am one of those people who left California and its welfare rolls when you started your reform program. " Right there I wanted to stop reading. I thought the letter would accuse me of being heartless and cruel and that I had brought hunger and unhappiness to the writer. I was wrong. The letter went on to say, "I'd like to thank you. My life is much brighter now. I lived for years in public housing with my two sons, drawing a welfare check because it was so easy. And the longer I did it the easier it got and the lazier I became. I wouldn't even get married and lose the security of that check. When you started cleaning up the welfare mess the government was creating I figured it was only a matter of time before I was told to find a job. So I decided to do something. I had $520 I'd saved out of that poverty I was supposed to be living in. I came to Alaska where my family lived. I found working was fun and a lot better than day time T.V. I've got a lot more self respect and pride now." and then she thanked me again. Welfare is really not the complex problem government pretends it is. All we have to do is think of it as a temporary helping hand until we can assist someone to become self supporting. And that means we recognize it for what is is--charity, and "charity" is a noble word. We should judge our success by how much we decrease the need for welfare. The failure of the present programs is indicated by the vast increase in the number of recipients. Welfare is a dangerous drug destroying the spirit of people once proudly independent. Our mission should be to help people kick that particular drug habit. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 78-02-B1 Production Date 01/27/1978 Book/Page RPtV-260 Audio Youtube? No
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