It shouldn't. It, by Constitution, can't. The more people allow themself to suck from the government teet, the worse off we'll be.
Helping grammy & Uncle Bob, the retard, were lovely ideas. Now SyPhillus & her 12 kids from 12 sperm donors use that & don't name the "daddy" cause that'd "be uncool".
Instead of getting Tom getting off his fat lazy ass & getting a job, he became a speedfreak & wants the rest of us to pay his way. He says he has a disease. Yea, well, tough shit. Get on with life. Don't cop out.
The more we allow, or demand, the government to do, the weaker we become, as individuals & as a society. Selfpreservation or nothing.
This also shows what little you really actually know about this stuff. In my, very liberal state, a woman who is eligeable for AFDC (Aid to Families With Dependant Children), has two years of time to use the system, and that is a lifetime limit. She also must be enrolled in the Work First program where she can train for work, or get established carreer wise with continued state aid for medical and such to see her though till she is self sufficient. Every effort is made to get the father's identity, and they will pursue him anywhere in the nation to see he pays support. If he doesn't his drivers license is suspended and he can be jailed. But that's it, two years, and no more, EVER. After the two years, DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services), will continue to collect child support from the deabeat dad, til the child is 18. If she is still in need after that, she can still recieve food stamps to feed the kid, but the money and medical are done for good.
In the case of a person who is finacially indigent who needs drug/alcohol treatment, there is ADATSA (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Support Act), and a person who applies and is accepted to the program has to be evaluated by a chemical dependeny specialist first. The state then pays for treatment (at a much reduced rate), and the applicant gets up to a whopping $339 for rent after inpatient and $39 monthly for personal expenses, food stamps, and mecial coupons. The program is 3 months, can be extended to six if need be, and that is the limit during a two year period. Basically the only place in this state one can afford to live on that stipend is in a recovery house sharing a bedrom. If that isn't incentive to get a job I am not sure what is.
If someone becomes disabled, they must apply for Social Security disability, and or SSI. There is a program called GAX, that they may be eligeable for while they are waiting a judgement from the Social Security Administration. The have to be evaluated regularly to remain eligeable. Once Social Security, deems them disabled, a back settlement of money, starting from the date of their application, is issued, and DSHS gets their money back from the federal goverment. The disabled person gets the balance.
So, I really don't see where this is any big "handout" where there is any real incentive, or for that matter ability to milk the system and continue doing so. The welfare state you are imagining, really doesn't exist, at least here in my very liberal state. People are given plenty of assistance and incentive to get on their feet and be self supporting.
