What type of assistance do most Americans favor for the poor?

Answer 1

Jesus once told his apostles that the poor we have with us always. Jesus also instructed individuals on how they should treat the poor. He instructed in how to offer aid and comfort to anyone who needed it. He did not instruct governments on how to aid and comfort the poor nor did he rebuke governments for any lack of effort on that part. He expected each of us to do this on our own with out government assistance.

The Constitution of the United Sates of America gives Congress the authority to provide for the general well fare of the country. Of course, providing for the general well fare does not necessarily mean creating well fare programs and financial assistance for the poor, yet this is the case today. Most Americans are divided on these social well fare programs and much of the differences between left and right can be most noticeable on this particular issue. The left believes it is governments responsibility and duty to provide for the poor. The right believes the private sector is best suited for such social programs. The Constitution says nothing about it one way or the other all though it is very specific in prohibiting governments from abrogating and derogating the rights of others. In order for a government to provide financial assistance for the poor they must first raise the revenue themselves. The governments method of raising revenue is taxation and wealth redistribution is the answer. Wealth redistribution becomes perilously close to abrogations and derogations of the rights of others. In essence, the social well fare programs of state and federal governments is funded by the people and as such is a forced charity placed upon the people on behalf of the poor.

The poor, however, still live in abject poverty and while on well fare, it is rare to find one who has been able to use this "well fare" to rise up out of poverty. No one is going to get rich living off of well fare, and when low paying jobs seem to be all that is available, no one is going to stop using well fare in order to make about the same working hard for someone else in a thankless job. Do the poor need our help? Absolutely! Is the government creating help for the poor? This is one of the great debates in this country. Do private charities help the poor? Absolutely! Would private charities do more if the people weren't taxed so progressively? Most likely yes. Who has truly benefited from the government social well fare programs? The government, undoubtedly. Another point of view: I think there is a wider issue here. The US has been for some time now the pre eminent economy in the world. And I am far from critical of US Foreign Policy. But there is great poverty in this world. And I am just going to question the policy of the great emerging economy of China. Times are going to change. Internationally & domestically. I cannot find justification for the 'free market'. It simply is not free, it is manipulated by the people in power. It keeps rich people rich & poor people poor. Such is Conservatism. I am not for one moment saying there should not be poor people or rich people. I am saying the gap between the richest & poorest should be much, much closer by taxation of those of us who can most afford it, and that is the very, very rich.