tennessee: volunteer state or welfare state?

The nickname, Volunteer State, originated during the War of 1812, in which the volunteer soldiers from Tennessee, serving under Gen. Andrew Jackson, displayed marked valor in the Battle of New Orleans.  They stood in lines to sign up to serve their state and country.  Today, they come from all over the U.S. to stand in lines to enroll for public assistance and our appealing TennCare program.  Times – they are a-changing.

Recently, State Sen. Tim Burchett introduced Senate Bill 102 which implements drug testing for welfare recipients.  Also, State Rep. Stacey Campfield introduced House Bill 981 which states “any person collecting government assistance is not entitled to collect lottery winnings.”  The liberals are livid.

Some liberals don’t care what welfare recipients do with the money!  One said “it is their money and they should spend it any way they want.”  First of all, it’s not their money----- it’s our money ----- our tax dollars.  We have rights as taxpayers to determine how the money is spent and if they don’t want our recommendation, we will no longer bother them with our advice or welfare payments.  Have a nice day.

Somewhere along the line, welfare was transformed from a means of alleviating poverty and suffering to weary taxpayers easing their consciences by sanctioning checks to unhappy people living in unhappy places.  People have an ingrained yearning to work and take part in society.  They should know the feeling of hitting the alarm clock each morning and becoming a productive part of our nation rather than remaining lonely, detached and dependent on others for their survival.

Welfare assistance was established to be a temporary “hand-up,” not a permanent “hand-out.” Many people need welfare assistance to help them through a harrowing period of time in their life when they are enduring hardship.  I don’t know of anyone who objects to helping those. However, taxpayers should be appalled that some use their hard-earned dollars to pay for lottery tickets or a nickel-bag of pot.

College athletes, who are at school on our tax dollars, are randomly tested for drugs.  Most employees are now randomly tested for drugs at the workplace, so why shouldn’t welfare recipients be required to do so?

When utilized properly, many eventually get off the welfare roll and onto the payroll.  We should do everything we can possibly do to assist those by funding education, healthcare and childcare while they are making an effort to establish a better way of life for themselves and their family.

As for lottery winnings, Rep. Stacey Campfield says "you shouldn't be spending your money on lottery tickets expecting that to help pay your bills.”  Most agree.  Welfare assistance should be used for the basics: food, shelter and clothing.  Taxpayers wouldn’t pay for a gambling junket to Vegas, so why should we pay for a one-in-a-billion chance at this week’s Powerball?

We have entitlement disease, not just in Tennessee, but nationwide.  Many children are being raised to think that living on government assistance is acceptable, permanent condition.  After all, their parents and grandparents drew a check and they did all right.  Obviously, these children are aspiring to become “artists” in their own right.

We, the taxpayers and voters, have allowed the government to create the welfare state that exists in our country.  I have never heard one politician in Nashville or Washington say they think the welfare system works.  In fact, it has increased poverty by creating generations of recipients totally dependent on it for their existence.

If one receives assistance, they should work for it unless they are totally disabled.  The assistance should be temporary and not be completely eliminated because one goes to work ---one of the main reasons many never leave the program.

Those who need assistance should receive it and the abusers should be purged from the system. I salute Sen. Burchett and Rep. Campfield for their efforts. Most of the time, reform is only change, not improvement. We taxpayers should petition the government to stop providing assistance “from the womb to the tomb.”

Send comments to DennisHPowers@Comcast.net or mail them to POB 179, Jacksboro, TN 37757.