Indiana

WELFARE IS NOT A RIGHT

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

I hate to sound like the bad guy here, but someone needs to tell people who get government assistance that it is not a right, but a privilege.  I cite the recent ACLU lawsuit against the Indiana Family Social Services Agency over the privatization of the agency. 

The ACLU maintains the privatization of the eligibility portion of FSSA has resulted in thousands of Hoosiers being denied benefits they are entitled to.  No offense, but the last time I checked, government benefits are not a right. 

I am all for helping people and think there should be a safety net for the neediest of the needy, but there is nothing that says the state has to do anything.  We made a decision as a society to help people out of the kindness of our hearts and the money in our wallets.  However someone needs to tell the 1.1 million people who are getting the benefits as long as someone else is paying the bill, that the day is coming where some of us may decide not to do that anymore.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on May 22, 2008 (boomark / email).