“The cuts of at least $4 million reflect a prevailing mood among the lawmakers in control in Arizona that welfare, Medicaid and other public assistance programs are crutches that keep the poor from getting back on their feet and achieving their potential.”
Arizona sharply limits welfare to 12 months
Ignorant, unsubstantiated nonsense – it's this sort of blind adherence to errant, failed conservative dogma that renders most on the right incapable of responsible governance
'Long-term welfare recipients are often the most vulnerable, suffering from mental and physical disabilities, poor job histories and little education, she said. But without welfare, they'll likely show up in other ways that will cost taxpayers, from emergency rooms to shelters to the criminal justice system, Schott said.
"The reason they are on public assistance is because many of them are not really succeeding in the workforce," said Schott, a senior fellow at the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research organization.'
ibid
Exactly.
This unwarranted measure is solely punitive, and will only end up costing Arizona taxpayers more in the long run.
Rather than seeking to punish those on public assistance who are receiving benefits through no fault of their own, every state should instead invest in employment and training programs allowing low income individuals and families to become self-sufficient.
All Arizona republicans are doing – as are other republican in other states – is making the situation worse, prolonging poverty, and exacerbating the problems faced by the most vulnerable members of society.
