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America losing its homeowners
This final note today. We added jobs in September, but we're losing something else in this economy: Homeowners.
The Census Bureau said earlier this week that a hair over 65 percent of American owned their own homes in 2010. A substantial majority, but well below the 70 percent who owned at the height of the housing bubble five years ago.
Economists say it's unlikely we'll get back to that level again.
You are right, people will probably blast you for it, but long term benefits create a culture of dependency. I understand there is a need to help, for instance, a parent who lost their spouse and may need help for a transition period while they adjust to living on their own. I do think that daycare is needed so that parents can work even at a lower income, but free healthcare, food, cash, etc., who would want to leave that for an uncertain job that doesn't pay a whole lot and requires you to be away from your family all day?
I am a recently divorced mother who doesn't get child support and works to raise young kids on $15 an hour and I haven't tried to apply for any benefits. It is tempting sometimes after a particularly rough day to just say "screw it!" and quit and try to raise my kids on public assistance (or say one of my kids has a learning problem and put them on disability, which is really the new welfare in this country). Pride and a sense of morality keep me from doing it, but I get close some days. It's human nature to be lazy. There needs to be a limit on benefits and some incentives to work.
Why do we not have people on welfare working on projects for the government, like cleaning up parks and hiking trails?
You are right, people will probably blast you for it, but long term benefits create a culture of dependency. I understand there is a need to help, for instance, a parent who lost their spouse and may need help for a transition period while they adjust to living on their own. I do think that daycare is needed so that parents can work even at a lower income, but free healthcare, food, cash, etc., who would want to leave that for an uncertain job that doesn't pay a whole lot and requires you to be away from your family all day?
I am a recently divorced mother who doesn't get child support and works to raise young kids on $15 an hour and I haven't tried to apply for any benefits. It is tempting sometimes after a particularly rough day to just say "screw it!" and quit and try to raise my kids on public assistance (or say one of my kids has a learning problem and put them on disability, which is really the new welfare in this country). Pride and a sense of morality keep me from doing it, but I get close some days. It's human nature to be lazy. There needs to be a limit on benefits and some incentives to work.
Why do we not have people on welfare working on projects for the government, like cleaning up parks and hiking trails?
Good point Jen about people on welfare working on public projects. If you have welfare workers working on public projects, will that displace full-time government workers? Will it also create a disparity between government full timers and welfare workers? What if the woman on welfare has children, who will take care of the children?
I present these questions because that was the great idea in New Jersey. In fact I think it was policy in the Christine Todd Whitman era, but it never did pan out.
One consideration no one seems to have addressed, what if you stop the benefits, would there be more crime, as in theft, muggings and burglary? Something to be considered.
Good morning I follow the prairie homecompanion here in the UK and stumbled across your site and oud like to comment briefly on the US economic situation ,in the realms of benifits for the unemployed yes it would definately increase a sub class like we have here in the UK where second generation folk have never worked thanks to socialist policies so I do hope the powers that be do not agree to long term unemployment benifits as it has made our country a haven for peple from eastern europe and the african and middle eastern areas near to our small over populated island to think they have a human right to come here and take advantage of our well fare state .Concerned R Alfrey (London England)
