Comments about ‘Ogden lawmaker wants data, new practices to break cycle of poverty’

There is a subculture in America where life on the liberal welfare plantation is an accepted life style, and three generations (as reported in this story) is not unusual. This multi-generational pattern reinforces the notion that work is not required, education is not valued, and intact two parent familes are nearly a foreign concept.

It is not politically correct to be judgemental about such "choices" but the damage wrought on the people in that culture, and the demands they place on productive members of the community, make it necessary to point out that this culture is unacceptable for everyone.

Hopefully, the legislature will be able to find ways to encourage a married father and mother before having children, staying in school, getting a job, even a menial one, to build a work ethic and instill the knowledge that work results in an income and that is the path to getting what a person needs or wants.

Sen. Santorum (and Newt Gingrich) have made this point several times, and it is time that this approach replace the "welfare plantaion" approach which has demonstrably failed to cure poverty and wrought untold devastaion on too many families.

It's the old "give a man a fish or teach a man to fish" story.

Obviously the intent is to blame poor education so they can funnel millions more in to a bloated over funded education system that is a failure. Eduction is Utah is part of the welfare problem of socialism, as it encourages chaos, anarchy, and irresponsibility of people to care for themselves.

If Utah really had any intention of raising people up out of poverty all they have to do is force business to pay wages that meet and exceed cost of living and inflation in Utah.

Utah jobs keep people in poverty and at the same time expands government growth and wealth. Think about it, taxes grow with inflation and recession and takes money out of the consumer pockets. Inflation rate (20%) and taxation has surpassed wages and income growth. Welfare creates inflation. What business wouldn't go the maximum cost to get maximum guaranteed welfare payments from food stamps, rent, NG gas, utilities, bus fares, etc, etc, etc?

We have generations of welfare dependents becasue we created them and fed them and paid them so well that going to work puts them in poverty. Welfare is guaranteed business owners profits with NQA (No Questions Asked) welfare payments.

Probably a good idea. But ironic that it's coming from a Republican well known for decrying "big government interference" with the "rights" of "responsible" citizens.

Of course, he's targeting irresponsible citizens here, so I guess that's okay.

Yet I wonder how much hullaballoo there would be if a Democrat suggested such a thing?

When I child is born, they are much like a blank slate, in that they are only aware of their own comfort,.ie., I am hot, hungry, cold unforgettable or Mommy hold me. As they grow, they become aware of others around them, and they view whatever they see the significant others in their life do as, "NORMAL." This is great if the significant others are honest hard working, law abiding, God fearing people, but it is also true if the significant others are on welfare, substance abusers, drugs, alcohol, violence, abuse children or their spouse, or do crime. About 80% of children will become a mirror image of their same sex parent. Several years ago one of the TV news programs did a story about a tribe of Gypsies, that liven in their own settlement, in Florida, where they had fancy houses, cars etc. Every Spring they would hit the road, traveling across the country, shop lifting, and doing home repair and other types of scams. Come Winter, they would return home, doing nothing. Children raised this way see nothing wrong with this way of life as their families have done this for hundreds of years.

While I worked at the Utah Department of Corrections,as a Correction Officer/ Counselor, I became aware that there are many types of "crime families," as the Mafia are often referred to, and they range from petty criminals to big time con-artist. The children in these families can't see an difference between a Dad, away from home because he is in the Service, or a long haul truck driver, or a Dad who is away from home because he is in prison, as both of these kids see their Dad being away from home because it is the cost of doing their type of occupation. Poverty works the same way. It is OK to be on welfare because our family has been poor for generations. Entitlement keeps families poor for two reasons. The first is the poor are taught that they are entitled to welfare because their families have been on welfare for generations. The second reason affects the other end of the socio-economic scale. The rich believe they are entitled to everything they can get, which is more than their share, and they don't care who they hurt to get is.

I worked at a Utah Department of Corrections Half-way House, and time I was there a year, I was already seeing Inmates returning that were there when I started working. I sent in a memo suggesting ways to help correct Inmates behavior where they wouldn't come back and I ended up getting wrongfully terminates. What I did not know is the salary of the head of any government agency is depended on the amount of money they funnel through their department, and The Department of Corrections and the Welfare Department have to keep adding people to the system to funnel more money through their department where they can make more money. In order to correct this problem, we need to change they the Government Department heads are paid where they are no longer rewarded for incompetence. it will be a blessing to our Society and a boom for the Taxpayers.

@DN Subscriber
"There is a subculture in America where life on the liberal welfare plantation is "

"It is not politically correct to be judgemental about such "choices" "

Pro-tip: it would help if you didn't use race-based words like plantation. But hey don't let stats like 70% of welfare recipiants being white stop you.

Utah has the one of the fewest case loads for TANF assistance. While SNAP benefits increased during the recession, TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) case loads stayed stagnant. Utah and the nation already had Welfare reform during Newt Gingrich's term in Washington in the 1990's. TANF in Utah is time limited to 3 years total during a mothers lifetime and no other funds are available. No funds are available to parents without children. This is just another overreach and waste of time in the legislature. Utah provides the highest thresholds for qualification for Medicaid programs. Increase wages and jobs in Utah that pay living wages for all. That is the answer, not another plan to punish children, the elderly & the physically, developmentally & mentally disabled. Basically, the weakest among us. Church & charity donations are down as well, so they are not able to care for this population.