Classic Stossel: Makers vs Takers

Some people say, either you’re a maker … or a taker. And today makers and takers are battling for America’s soul.
Arthur Brooks says "It’s a battle because we’re deciding on our culture... Because the government is threatening to take us from a maker nation into taker nation status."
He points out "60% of Americans take more out of the public finance system than they pay in. They get more in public services than they pay in taxes. "
Star Parker was a taker. She lived off welfare for 7 years. She says the welfare bureaucracy encouraged her to be irresponsible… and stay dependent.
She says "It's so much easier to take than to make. I never even thought about it. I think that that's one of the greatest tragedies of becoming a taker is you don't think about that somebody else had to make this."
A Classic Stossel from 2009.

[@kellylindholm6871]

“The welfare state has always been judged by its good intentions, rather than its bad results.” -Thomas Sowell

[@dblack8141]

The people who censor the political dialog need to pay the price for treason. They have no place here on earth

[@ronvosick8253]

Very inhumane when dependent on government services for an extended period of time.

[@yeetproductionsbah3809]

Like many things

[@jsbrads1]

@@joshjohnson2600 In Los Angeles many Hispanic workers know exactly how to game the system. At one point, a family of four can earn $28,000 a year without losing benefits, those men will work on the books until they earn exactly $28k and not a penny more. They will quit their job. If they find a cash job, they will do that for a while, and spend the cash on a car or something that can’t be tracked.

[@goodgoyim9459]

the problem isnt exactly welfare. its blacks. they take, destroy and cause most of the problems in the US. dont believe me? socialist white countries in europe have bigger welfare but less blacks yet more stability. im not a socialist but pointing the problem out to be entirely welfare is factually misleading. its the blacks in this country. always has been, always will be.

[@josealexi5141]

Many, many years ago people were _ASHAMED_ to take public assistance/charity. In 2022, they're *PROUD* to be leeches!

[@dblack8141]

Years ago people could pay for their college education their vehicles and their housing working lay jobs. Now the pompous imbeciles who flooded the country with virtue signaling lawless perverts.. None of these things are avaible to civil citizens. The criminals who robbed the people are doing fine blameing the vivtims of their eminence greed evil negligence pride and perversion. Perversion in words too.

[@daveb3910]

Unfortunately leeches work too, and they use others work, pass it off as their own and fake their way to positions they can handle. Unfortunately I've got a few I work with, it's incredibly annoying, and they have zero respect for the opportunities they been given, they just expect someone else to do it for them. Taking advantage of people's good will

[@mushyroom9569]

Why shouldn’t they? It’s basically reverse taxes. Better to be a leach than a sucker.

[@BlazinRiver1]

Maybe go back to the actual pack of stamps one had to pull out for everyone to see? Back in the 70s I worked at our local grocery store. You could tell most of the people didn't want others seeing they were paying with stamps. I felt sorry for them because how people would talk. Now just swipe a "credit card" and nobody is the wiser.

[@caseychavez9815]

@@BlazinRiver1 you nailed it. Physical large food stamps are needed. People need to feel sh a me not be able to hide it …

[@snappertrx]

My wife and I went on welfare a number of years ago after we moved from CA to OK with the promise of a job that fell through when we arrived. We had three kids and needed support. I got a job within a couple of months and when my wife went back to get off of welfare the social worker was confused as to why we didn't want it anymore. When my wife was adamant that we didn't need it the social worker had to find a manager to tell him how to get someone off of welfare because he didn't know what to do - he had NEVER taken anyone off! The system isn't broken, its abused. It helped us the way it was intended to, but we refused to abuse it. Others need to do the same.

[@-o-dq7nd]

I'm currently on food stamps and Medicaid because my ex wife left the kids on to me to raise while she moved away to remarry. I tell my kids we are using this for help but I want you to go to school and learn a trade. We are not meant to be on food stamps for ever. My kids want to work when summer comes around.

[@snappertrx]

@@-o-dq7nd That's a powerful lesson you are giving them. Great job, and keep it up. 👍

[@toadamine]

Bullshit, they kick people off all the time... they want you to play ball if they're paying you... I was on it in California and it wasn't super easy, it was almost like a part time job to run around and work the system, but it was worth it (at the time) not to have to get a job with a real schedule... just had to go to different offices, check in, update the register, apply for unemployment, "look for a job", etc... misrepresenting reality doesn't help our side...

[@slic_papa2671]

The system is broken and abused. My ex and I back in OR in the 90s tried to get on welfare and food stamps when she was pregnant and we were in college, and were denied because we didn't have enough points, yet there were non-english speaking Hispanics (sorry just a fact) filling up the lobby that we're getting them. Later on we tried to get off of them and had the same experience as you describe. Now, 20 years later, however, everywhere I go I see so many people on the street unable to get any kind of assistance including food stamps or even food from foodbanks or shelter despite the $billions annually nationwide purportedly meant for these purposes that are never spent on them. The system is abused AND broken.

[@sunayakong8537]

This is what irritates my. My niece who has 4 kids has had her food stamps cut because she got a part time job.

[@AS-fm6iw]

When you're dependent on the government you're very easy to control

[@dblack8141]

When youre brainwashed by the mafia you are evil.

[@aaa7189]

Tell that to the youth today who want their "fair" share

[@lizh7777]

A government that is big enough to give everything is big enough to take everything. But it doesn't have to be government, any entity that provides can do that.

[@Bgrosz1]

@@lizh7777 , Well, it theoretically doesn't have to be government, but it does in practice. I can't imagine what other entity would have such power.

[@stefanantolin5501]

@@Bgrosz1 Any employer paying you the bare minimum they can legally get away with paying you is no different, you can't save for hard times and if you're only earning barely enough to sustain yourself, what options do you really have but to stick with that employer especially IF unemployment is high in your region. It's a form of economic control.

[@jeramyahrussell2784]

A wise friend of mine once said about welfare: " a safety net is a good idea, a trampoline is a bad idea and a hammock is the worst idea."

[@uppsala7347]

I think metaphorically a trampoline is a good idea. You fall low but it launches you back up. Arguably better than a safety net

[@jeramyahrussell2784]

@@uppsala7347 I believe the point he was making was: jumping up and down, not going anywhere, though fun, is far less valuable than something that can potentially save your life.

[@dragonrider269]

@@uppsala7347 if a system gave you way more then you need to get out of a hole( the trampoline scenario) people would just keep failing to get ahead. All the people that didn't fail would fall behind and have to support those who did. Its like a buisness going bankrupt and everyone else has to pay the debt and then the business profiting of the interest.

[@deantait8326]

It’s a shame that Welfare can’t come up with incentives to ease off welfare. Work and keep welfare for a while to get ahead and then ease off the welfare

[@mr.jamster8414]

@@uppsala7347 Almost. But y'know, what goes up...

[@watchdealer11]

"how do you get a rebate if you didn't put any bate in" 😂 Stossel always finds the best clips!

[@ronvosick8253]

How can you have any pudding until you eat your meat.

[@supremoluminary]

@@ronvosick8253 😂

[@laststarfighter5335]

How does someone on welfare pay taxes?

[@technoroom5]

@@ronvosick8253 *if you don't eat your meat.

[@dbadaddy7386]

No person should get a tax return that exceeds the amount actually paid for that specific tax, regardless of deductions or credits and regardless of how much was paid for a different tax.

[@davidflint12]

Long time welfare worker in CA here. For the most part welfare is a destructive force.

[@musicninja98]

It is working as intended. Once you dig into LBJ and the history behind the Great Society, you discover that the entire point was to hook people onto the gov't to create a permanent voting block of dependents.

[@davidflint12]

@@musicninja98 ditto

[@niklasmolen4753]

Welfare is destructive. So is the lack of it. It's a lose lose situation.

[@davidflint12]

@@niklasmolen4753 welfare used as safety net is a benefit to society in my view. However, it’s turned into a lifestyle. A career if you will that is a dead end.

[@niklasmolen4753]

@@davidflint12 A big problem with welfare that I see is that it is only profitable to get a full-time job. All smaller or shorter jobs are unprofitable to take. Have no experience of how it works in the US, but there must be similar problems. Another problem is that there is often a lack of jobs for low-educated people, while there is a lack of highly-educated ones. Many of the low-educated who want to work can't get anything. This applies here, and we have the world's worst labor market for low-educated people.

[@Borutonakkuru]

When I worked at a Dollar Tree in college I had an older coworker with kids who claimed she has no desire to make more money than she was there, because any more and she'd lose access to government handouts that were keeping her afloat. That's how bad this kind of stuff is, it kept her working at a dollar tree for 10+ years, refusing raises, because more money from her employer would mean less from the government.

[@Zach-ju5vi]

I've met many people like this in Canada. They don't want more pay because they will lose their welfare if they become self sufficient. The really sad part is most of them were told in school they had a learning disability and they couldn't be anything more even though they are just normal fully functional people.

[@hensonlaura]

I knew one in Mo. Free electric & household repairs because there was a juvenile in the house. Mom would only work part time, or loose benefits. How many tens of thousands do this?

[@biggestcomplainer]

I mean don’t we do this with taxes…… trying to show that you make less in order not to pay more.

[@stefanantolin5501]

@@biggestcomplainer Especially Billionaires who live in Florida.

[@FightForLove2112]

That's why in America there are more learning disabilities than ever before. It's the road to freebies.

[@yapandasoftware]

People who live on welfare and public housing most certainly do not pay taxes. They can't contribute if the amount of money they take exceeds the money the pay back. If I give you a dollar and charge you 10 cents tax then in reality I'm only giving you 90 cents and then telling everyone else you're paying your 10% share.

[@Trevdawg48]

They are not even paying 10%. They are paying 0% of the money given to them back. Why wouldn't they be?

[@yapandasoftware]

@@Trevdawg48 I was referring to sales tax.

[@Delimon007]

Everyone pays taxes, if you don't pay state/federal, you pay through sales tax for most states. That's pretty much a lie that they keep saying to make the poor look bad. There are multiple taxes that you pay and in many cases, double taxation that you will not get back.

[@yapandasoftware]

@@Delimon007 You must be one of those lefty economic professors who can't do math... If you're on welfare, you collect money from tax payers. You don't pay taxes if you live off other people's taxes. Same goes for Government employees. They're not really paying taxes. They're simply deducting it from their pay. Only private sector employees and businesses pay taxes goof.

[@Trevdawg48]

I was speaking about federal taxes, but yes, there is sales tax, and gas tax. Why are we just accepting all of these taxes? I wish everyone would just agree to refuse to pay taxes anymore. We are far beyond taxation without representation.

[@JeffreyRandall]

It is just human nature. I remember when my mom forced me to go get signed up for unemployment back in the early 1980s. It was a very HOT building no A/C the line was long and it was note easy! I remember seeing a guy next to me in his mid 30s. I asked him what he did. He said he was a plumber. I was like, how can a plumber be out of work? He said the government will pay me $16 an hour not to work. Since when I work I make $32. I felt like punching him in the face. I mean I was on it for like two weeks and got a job asap. My mom taught us boys to work hard and earn your money! But I think all humans can be lazy if that is promoted. How is it OK if you are a fit person to not take any job? I would. My first job was maintenance and I was pround of my cleaning job and mopping floors. Yet I've worked my way up to technical support position that paid me more than $19 an hour 20 years ago. Now I own my own business but of course the government does everything it can do to put me out of business. All of this is about Control! Government wants to control us. They want us to be slaves to them. It is horrible!

[@myamdane6895]

Spot on Jeffrey

[@1badsj]

@Ben Dover Good luck getting a BOT to come to your house and fix a leaking pipe of repair your air conditioner. I bet you think these BOTs will put power lines back up after a big storm.

[@calysagora3615]

@@1badsj Perhaps you still live in the 1900's, but most of us don't.

[@warrioroflight6872]

​​​@Ben Dover I think that that will happen, but I don't think it will be in 20- years. I think it's going to be far longer than that before machines are that advanced. It's a future that sounds good and bad. On one hand, many hardships will disappear and people who can't work will have an easier time living in the world. On the other hand, many, many people will become lazy and useless because the work they can do is now obsolete. It will lead to vast despair and misery and may even plunge humanity into its worst age. I, for example, struggle to find the right job because of my disabilities, and if I didn't have to work, it could give me the perfect opportunity to make my dreams come true because I would have free time and money. But even if that happened, I have severe doubts that it would be the same for everyone else. Most people don't sit down and write poetry when all their material needs are taken care of-they usually become couch potatoes instead.

[@hulkhuggett]

My story is similar to yours. I am also a business owner. And I TOTALLY agree that the government does everything in its power to put us out of business. And we are taxed to death. Most people don't understand that. "Vote for $30 minimum wage!"

[@soliddilos5205]

Human beings need responsibilities to give meaning to life. Meaning, self improvement, family are the tenants of happiness.

[@neovenom9833]

responsibilities like goals and ownership, guess what the WEF don't want you to have?

[@cattysplat]

@@neovenom9833 "Own nothing and you will be happy".

[@mason4966]

Lol no they don't. They need life essentials for happiness. People should get these essentials on their own but others need help with it.

[@soliddilos5205]

@@mason4966 People of able body and mind are not entitled to have others work to fund their life essentials.

[@mason4966]

@@soliddilos5205 That is exactly what I said.

[@paulborst4724]

I was on the edge of this equation years ago due to hard times and I directly saw what it did to people. I couldn't afford standard housing & I made too much for welfare housing, so I had a choice to make, earn less and get "free" housing or earn more and pay for standard housing, I immediately went out on a job hunt looking for more money. One of the best decisions I ever made.

[@hephaestus6365]

"Uncle Sam's Plantation" is the PERFECT title for any book about these handouts. It boggles my mind how most of the black community doesn't see what they are and have become because of liberal handouts.

[@garyplewa9277]

Back in the 60's Lyndon Johnson knew exactly what would happen when he signed the welfare bill as part of his "War on Poverty". He said, on the record, "We'll have these 's eating out of hands for generations to come". In the following years the increased costs led to the Congress looting of the Social Security trust fund, replacing the money with IOU's.

[@ragnarok7976]

"look at this cool free necklace" That's actually a collar and a leash.

[@Navy35]

Welfare said backwards is farewell, because that is what you are saying to your self respect and dignity

[@hawaiiflowers7066]

I was on welfare but used it only for 18 months I knew that I had to get off or I’d be there forever with zero opportunity. Back when I had it you couldn’t get it any extra services until you were on the system for five years. I said to myself not worth it

[@stefanantolin5501]

It boggles my mind how people think one black welfare rorter automatically deems all black people as welfare rorters. Me thinks your bigotry is on full display there sonny.

[@michaeldomansky8497]

Mark Lamont Hill is a taker like Sharpton, Jackson, and others.

[@serapiscompany8896]

"Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness" is secret code for whatever program I like

[@HunterSmokes]

When I go to the supermarket I see couples where 1 uses their EBT card for basic food while the other buys alcohol with cash. I've worked as a contractor at food banks as well. People drive up in their Cadillac Escalades and walk out wearing their gold chains carrying chanel handbags etc and stand in line to get the free food. In SF, many people go to the food banks multiple times in a day and sell the items they don't want. Those aren't the homeless people either. Had a neighbor who was on section 8 housing assistance. The owner told me that roughly $2000 of their $2500/mo rent was paid for by the program. This neighbor had maybe 4 kids in the home and her boyfriend. Their total income at the time was about 2x as much as my own (together they were a little above $100K/yr) when I bought an identical property next door to them. I'm not on any sort of assistance. She clearly claimed all the kids but didn't mention there was a 2nd person with a 2nd income in the home. Sure there's some people who need the assistance but those people seem to rarely use it. From my experience, most people using this assistance just use and abuse it because its free stuff for them and they're able to game the system so easily.

[@rogelioortiz3003]

During "15 day to slow the spread," I was loving staying in bed all day. After 3 wks or so, I finally couldnt NOT be doing something. Started doing yard work. The next day, we were all called back for work. I could have done so much more if I had not looked at it as a vacation, but instead as an opportunity to work on the to-do list.

[@josealexi5141]

This is an old video. It's good to know Mark Lamont Hill hasn't gotten a single lick smarter during the intervening years.

[@darrencatenacci2737]

It clearly says it was made in 2009

[@josealexi5141]

@@darrencatenacci2737 and posted in 2022.

[@caribbeanbound8357]

I am getting closer and closer to living off the government as they keep closing the wealth gap by giving so many incentives to do nothing. My job is stressful as hell. I see my neighbors getting a grand per month for food stamps while I spend the same for my family with no help. absolutely sickening

[@catsultan949]

You have the opportunity to move beyond their greatest dreams. if you keep trying.

[@Frostblast7]

It is really hard to motivate yourself to get up in the morning and do 8 hours of work 5 days a week if you can get away with screwing around. It is not really surprising. Out basic psychology urges us to try to find the method that will get us the most goods for the least amount of work. There is nothing wrong with that kind of thinking in a vacuum, after all almost every technological advancement mankind has made is due to this line of thinking. However the government has managed to misdirect it and cause it become destructive instead of productive.

[@HerbaMachina]

Well it doesn't help that most jobs available don't pay enough in those five 8 hour shifts a week to cover the cost of all the basic living expenses anyways. So there's very little incentive to work and make the same amount of money to barely scrape by. Rather than get it through welfare and barely scrape by. At least with welfare you don't have to expend the energy.

[@thehammer9599]

@@HerbaMachina stop making bad life decisions, leech.

[@caseychavez9815]

Ok ya vengo

[@rhomotor]

I remember when I was little, my family was on welfare. When I went shopping with my mom, I always wondered why the money came in a coupon book and had different colors. My dad worked as a cook, and my mom was a stay at home mom taking care of her 4 kids. When we were finally able to take care of ourselves, my mom went out and got a job herself. She would also work sometimes on weekends. It wasn't an easy life, but my family was able to finally leave welfare behind. We used welfare when we needed it, and left it when we didn't. Same can't be said about some other people.

[@DJPTEXAS]

God bless you and your family........

[@calysagora3615]

So only part time parasites, yeah, that's soo much better than being full time parasites. Personally I prefer responsible adults.

[@rhomotor]

@@calysagora3615 Hey everyone's situation is different so don't criticize others that were less fortunate than you were. I told our story so that maybe others can relate. If you were never on welfare, then good for you.

[@Redmanticore]

arent stay at home mothers the golden crown of conservative family? of course conservatives pay welfare for them. they are horrified if women go to work, to them it ruins families. it´s all how you look things. the "welfare queen" in American politics never meant the white stay at home mothers, who had a husband, everybody could read between the lines, including them, coded, that it didn't meant _them_ in conservative talking points. another´s freedom fighter is another´s... another´s very honored stay-at-home mother is another´s parasite! people are funny with their peculiar morals and name callings.

[@rubberroast1598]

@@rhomotor Ignore that guy. Most people will get your point and your family strive to succeed. He sounds like someone who doesnt know a hard time because parents probably paid everything for him

[@walnutcreekwoodworksofjack3520]

when I lost my job I was 55. no one wanted to hire someone at that age. Believe me I really tried.

[@KMF3]

Did you find something?

[@ickster23]

55 and older appear to be the only ones working where I live. The are also seem to be the most energetic employees.

[@cattysplat]

Hard to believe people wouldn't hire those with a head on their shoulders. Only want naïve kids they can take advantage of.

[@Petra999]

Most companies don't want to hire people over 50, but we ended up with an almost 80 year old running the whole damn country!

[@mason4966]

@@Petra999 yep age discrimination is a very real thing. It's one of the reasons why you don't see very many old people in those cheesy phony baloney "diversity" advertisements

[@pepperjack6749]

I’m a proud engineer, one of the few creators of wealth left in this country.

[@toadamine]

What did you invent? Or build? Actually built not just draw and give to someone else to figure out how build... lol Every construction foreman thinks engineers are somewhere between useless and counterproductive to actually getting something built... lmao I've had to call the structural engineer almost nonstop getting his approval to fix all the stuff he messed up on the plans... 🤣

[@billybeemus3929]

@@toadamine - You do realize that the engineers makes 2-3-4 times what you do, right? If you are so much smarter than them, why don't you have one of those cushy jobs?

[@Delimon007]

@@billybeemus3929 Because their work is extremely boring to me. I could be an engineer and I was actually studying to be one. No one found the job to be really "interesting." Some jobs you just do for the money, engineering is one of those. Btw I'm going into the finance sector instead so I won't be strapped for cash :)

[@toadamine]

@@billybeemus3929 it would take more than that to make me sit in an office and look up building codes all day... my brother is an engineer, he makes three times what I do, but he hates his job... I love building houses... he also has a crapload of student debt from 7 years an a double major from the University of California and a Cal state... so it kinda evens out doesn't it...

[@JacobLara]

Engineers also built this very KZbin platform you are using, that very phone you hold in your hand, the computer at work, the bridge that keeps you safe as you cross, and also ensure our war fighters go to battle and defend our country with weapons and equipment that kills the enemy and not them.

[@KMF3]

I was on welfare and worked while I went to college and got a master's degree. I had no intention of staying on welfare for the rest of my life. It helped me as a single mom to do better for myself and my son. But I would always hear from my caseworkers that I was the exception to the rule. Most people were on welfare as a way of living.

[@legallyfree2955]

Same, I was on welfare while studying at university, then once I left uni I got a job and probably paid all that welfare back in taxes within 4 or 5 years. But again, I suspect I'm a minority case.

[@KMF3]

@@legallyfree2955 probably, but we are out there

[@evilemperorzurg9615]

The amount of people that have told me to get handouts and unemployment even if I’m out of work for only a few weeks and not even struggling that bad is staggering. And then when I tell people I work 60-80 hours a week now they tell me I have no life. Hard work is no longer an American value.

[@mason4966]

LOL Hard work is still valued by a lot of people. It's sad that more and more people are finding it not worth it though. But that says more about how broken society is rather than how "bad" they welfare system is.

[@mason4966]

Yeah 80 hours work week is pretty much no life at all but if that is what you got to do then I applaud you. But is sad tidbit of commentary on just how broken society is that you have to work that hard for probably just bare essentials. When people ask me one of the reasons why I don't believe in God this is one of them.

[@vaman5591]

The safety net has become the landing strip. God bless Star for seeing the light, she's now a productive member of society! Thanks for shining some light John!

[@radioman7777]

Just what I needed at a groggy 5:30 morning, thanks Stossel!

[@dblack8141]

Stossel is the corrupt leading the corrupt

[@dalaniekolakowski181]

Thank u for reporting on this!!!!!!! I have family members in Arkansas with several babies that don’t want to ever marry so they can keep getting checks🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[@thiago_thesaint]

I love how the college professors best example was a terrible example of public housing success..."well, it started off well..."

[@andymullarx6365]

He's a communist.

[@darthhodges]

I was a school bus driver before Covid. When schools closed I was unemployed but because of all the emergency spending I made TWICE as much on unemployment as I had working. Add to that my state had waived the requirement to look for work no wonder unemployment spiked. They brought back that requirement to look long before schools reopened but I ended up with a better job.

[@stuh4932]

This happened to me… like a miracle I found work within the week my gov checks ran out.

[@TES-bt8sv]

I had a friend years ago that was on unemployment. He was required to apply for 3 jobs per week. He would simply apply for 3 jobs that he was unqualified for so the employer would not hire him. That was my first view of how absurd the 'system' was.

[@Chiefliner]

Wow. The irony of corporate welfare king Paul Ryan condemning individuals who abuse the welfare system.

[@Cwgrlup]

Everyone in government sucks off our tax dollars.

[@jenz4524]

I was let go from a job, got unemployment, and started looking for work right away. I have been with my job for almost 10 years. I am also back in school to better myself and to potentially start a business. If I can do it, so can others.

[@Cwgrlup]

If you went back to school then you’d know that California isn’t spelled “Commiefornia”

[@jenz4524]

@@Cwgrlup Where in my comment does it say Commiefornia? Did you read this comment or do what most people do nowadays and not read before hitting reply? I swear, your generation is the downfall of this country.

[@NoosaHeads]

45 years ago, I was on unemployment benefit for 3 months. I felt embarrassed and dirty accepting the handouts. I'm 71 now and still working 5 days a week. I've decided to continue working until I'm incapable. Those three months made me feel like a parasite.

[@witolddupa]

Unemployment is not a handout. It's an insurance you paid for every paycheck.

[@mason4966]

It was only 3 months. That's nothing. It's better to have the "handouts" than it would be for you to be starving to death and live on the streets. It's not like you were taking advantage of the system. What a ridiculous comment you made.

[@GregInHouston2]

I remember being one of those people on unemployment. I never turned down a job because the pay was lower than I made before. I turned down jobs that were not paying enough to cover my modest bills or that didn't may enough to cover transportation costs.

[@KMF3]

The one and only time I was on unemployment I ended up creating my own business. It was a rough 6 months but in the end it was worth it.

[@matt007]

The plantation never left, they just swapped out the chains for EBT cards.

[@robertcoffee9512]

Conservatives want safety nets, liberals want hammocks.

[@theservius2913]

Conservatives don’t care about the needy while lolberals unfortunately have a better system in place.

[@JessyJess04]

Conservatives love welfare but only for the wealthy. They were perfectly ok with handing out over 7 billion dollars to mostly large corporations with record profits during the pandemic under the guise of it “saving jobs.” When in reality there’s no data that supports that it made any appreciable difference. They then pushed the idea of everyone being lazy and on the unemployment dole when the reality of the situation is that many large employers furloughed or even laid off employees while taking that “job saving money.” LOL then acted like they were shocked when those same people opted not to return or found better paying jobs elsewhere. Conservatives are so brainwashed that they don’t realize when they are being screwed over in fact they welcome and applaud it to a disturbing degree.

[@flowerdoyle3749]

@@JessyJess04 Look in the Mirror.....Forced vaccines gave Pfizer record profits.... wasn't the conservatives that made that mandate. Both parties are corrupt...just depends who's paying their bills.

[@robertcoffee9512]

@@JessyJess04 there's medication for your condition please get help

[@JessyJess04]

@@robertcoffee9512 there's zero meds that can help most of you though I might suggest a padded room keeps you from hurting yourselves

[@MrZodiacsaint]

This is 100% spot on and anybody who has ever worked in a social service department knows it 1st hand... So many people that could easily work that choose not to Simply because they can get a hand out instead

[@i-yell-a-lot4906]

50 CENT SAID HIS BABY MOTHER DIDN'T WANT TO WORK BECAUSE SHE WAS GETTING MONEY FROM HIM FOR CHILD SUPPORT.

[@gd-rn7xm]

my sentiments exactly. it's very hard to have a warfare system that does not incentivise sitting at home and getting a check, I think that's why it needs to have direct cut off points. we need a way of helping the people who actually need it, and will never be able to take care of themselves, and we need a way to ensure that people who can actually take care of themselves get off as soon as possible.

[@edbaldwin8736]

As a young person I watched as a city near me built 2 high rise buildings and invited homeless people to move in. 2 yrs later the facility was an absolute wreck. Very impressionable age for me. Made me see the truth of giving away free with no responsibility to pay back. Creates more laziness

[@janesawyer3495]

Similar thing happened in our town. They built a brand new apartment complex for unwed mothers and their kids. It was destroyed within months. Trash everywhere. It was disgusting. What a waste of money.

[@extremeresponsibility4325]

1960s welfare was designed to pay women to divorce their husbands, have babies and be horrible single mothers. Now as planned 80% of BW are unmarried and the children suffer without a father.

[@VictoriaGates]

It's true. When I fell on hard times I had to get help for a bit and I was grateful, but as soon as I got even a tiny raise they would take away about $5 of my benefits for every $1 more on my paycheck. That made it frustrating for me to climb out of debt at a time when I had 3 kids AND a suddenly very sick husband (he ended up passing, and now I am a young widow too, life man..) who could not work to help support us. Add to that, I was in college trying to get my life turned around at the same time to do better since I came from poverty as a kid too. So now add the college scam as the cream on top.. because they lied to me too by "handling" all the financial side and putting me into debt levels that someone from my background could never fathom. Shoulda known better? But how can you know better when you have no guidance and no family to ask how to do it? Thankfully I pulled myself out of that mess and am no longer at the poverty level.

[@roncalender4926]

I always thank my coworkers. Thanks for coming in today. There's millions of people on welfare out there depending on us to show up and produce.

[@MrDlt123]

I work for a large IT firm. It's miraculous how many of our former employees on unemployment are suddenly able to find jobs when their unemployment benefits run out.

[@katkat8865]

I thought I read somewhere that Eleanor Roosevelt created housing and she stated that this was one of her biggest mistakes because people became dependent on the government. Does anyone else remember reading this?

[@benjones1717]

Destroying the building is blaming the building rather than the occupants.

[@davidadams860]

Unemployment should not be paying as much as your job used to pay. It should be a pay cut to incentivize people to get back into a job as soon as possible. Our country is ran by complete idiots.

[@nunyabusyness5608]

It is for the people who actually pay into it. I made 6 times more before getting laid off when Obummer took office, and nearly again when the potato in chief did.

[@MindlessTube]

That is what charity is for if people care about others let them give to them by their own decision and not force other people to do so

[@adoe2305]

It is impossible to starve in the U.S due to private food banks on every corner

[@theservius2913]

Welfare is there when charity doesn’t pick up the tab.

[@MindlessTube]

@@theservius2913 when not enough people care you force them to care how nice hah.

[@adoe2305]

@@theservius2913 What is it called wihen tons of food is thrown away because people won't make an effort to visit food banks because they get cash deposited into their account?

[@fatguy6153]

@@MindlessTube Obviously yes, you can’t deny millions of people their god given right to a dignified life just so you can hoard wealth and spend it on superfluous commodities that don’t meet any social need.

[@SomeTomfoolery]

"The creators of welfare meant well", an important dimension to remember even as we recognize how destructive these policies are.

[@janesawyer3495]

The free check and benefits should have had a job requirement, and the father's should not have been forced out of the home.

[@DadBodDrumming]

The road to hell is paved with 'good intentions'

[@leee3880]

Just like “free” healthcare? Good intentions.

[@cattysplat]

@@janesawyer3495 The government became the father. Now we have "stronk independant woman" who lives off government with her fatherless kids giving her a free mealticket and home.

[@lukechert6418]

I once lived in one of the wealthiest small places in America. Every wage-earning person I knew for a decade was maxing out every possible government program and I never knew anyone who needed a dollar of it. It was just known by everyone that because of the government stats in that zip code, there was basically no income cap for eligibility (it was in the six-figures). Knew plenty of cashiers who would report about what kind of fancy Whole Foods type candies, snacks, and ice creams so-and-so spent their food stamp money on this month.

[@cattysplat]

As a cashier our most lucrative customers are those on welfare. They have no comprehension on not wasting their money. As far as they are concerned, as soon as money is available, it's time to spend. Huge trollies of goods, even dozens of DVDs for their kids. They come back all the time so they are not broke. Businesses love them because they are open wallets ready to be sucked dry.

[@fatguy6153]

@@cattysplat That’s literally the point of welfare, it’s not to help poverty, it’s to provide a steady rate of state subsidies to maintain the profits of the local cartels. The money was meant to be spent on commodities.

[@600SubsNoVidsCha11enge]

I’m glad someone like Stossel is talking about this. The reality of this situation is much more complex and than what people perceive it.

[@Zach-ju5vi]

that's the democrats bread and butter and yet they call conservatives uneducated because they reject the taught narrative by seeing beyond the face value of these issues.

[@polinco737]

This is an old interview. And yet, it is still more relevant now, more than ever!

[@paulburket]

When I was a retail manager, I had dozens of employees and/or people they knew who were trying to trade food stamps for cash.

[@mason4966]

Probably to buy medicine they needed.

[@toddmichael4271]

What is so sad is that a lot of folks back in the early 1900s didn’t even know they were poor until the government came in and told them. My grandfather said that everyone they knew was just like them and never thought of themselves as poor. They lived off the land mostly, made what they needed.

[@mr.jamster8414]

I agree with that sentiment.

[@mason4966]

You could use that excuse for a lot of things.

[@mikeelliott9067]

I think it was Joe Girard who said "There are the workers, shirkers and jerkers" Liberals help create the latter two. To this day I always wonder why some people believe they're entitled to what belongs to someone else. Another good topic John, and good for you Star!

[@UREMODEL]

This is pretty old but still holds true. Paul Ryan, what a squish!

[@theweaselplays]

"Public housing in the 60's was 'fine'..." Living a looooong way in the past there brother

[@neovenom9833]

Stossel should have told him "slave trade was deemed 'fine' over 2 centuries ago as well" He would have popped a fuse.😂😂

[@suecrets5169]

People love free stuff and we pay for it. Someone has to pay.

[@dblack8141]

The religiously prophane want to live as devils.

[@mrjack8849]

My wife had friends who took advantage of the Covid payments to buy new cars, quit their jobs, and move somewhere without a job lined up. My wife herself ended up getting a pay raise during Covid when her hours were cut by 25%. When her and co-workers were given their full hours back, they took pay cut as their hourly rate was less than what the government paid for them not to work. They all went back to work, but it goes to show how easy it is for free-loaders to game the system and live off everybody else.

[@donf3877]

As my father said, "Give somebody something for nothing, and that is the value they will place on it... NOTHING".

[@Hootz99]

Great piece as always 👍🏼

[@marknrogers]

This is why paying taxes seems like legalized robbery.

[@calysagora3615]

It's not that it "seems like" robbery. Taxation IS theft. 100%

[@AB-qt4dj]

Replace seems with is

[@honeysauce5244]

I like how John's show looks like older tv. It's kinda nostalgic

[@joegutierrez2659]

I've seen it a million times personally and continue to see it here in Texas to this day.

[@darkdudironaji]

I remember in 2010 the company I worked for went under. I found a job exactly one week before my unemployment benefits ran out.

[@gnice8765]

Without true money there isn't much incentive to make.

[@dblack8141]

Confusing the masses pays pretty well. Telling the truth gets you trouble. Those who hate government are murderers. Facts are not feeling.

[@bnbwhitezombie]

Wow, I haven't been hearing this same exact message for the last FIFTY YEARS!!

[@michaeldeason5792]

Stossel is one of the best journalists.

[@jameshan2k]

I was on unemployment for about 6 months 15 years ago and it was so incredibly depressing. I was raised, rightfully so, that being on any sort of government dependence was disgraceful so it really bad. I refused WIC when we had our two kids because my mindset was that I would just work harder to provide...what happened to that mindset?

[@jillpatton3432]

You helped fund unemployment when you were working, so I don't put that in same boat as welfare.

[@mason4966]

That's a toxic mindset it's better to have the support when you actually need it then to not have it when you do. Anything other than that is just virtue signaling.

[@jameshan2k]

@@mason4966 That's some millennial mindset...people need to stand on their own two feet instead of relying on the government. I worked two jobs for years to provide instead of going on welfare. I later went to school at night full time while I worked a full time job. This is the land of opportunity, if you fail it's because you didn't work hard enough

[@mason4966]

@@jameshan2k That doesn't have anything to do with what I said. The people who need welfare can and should be able to get it. Nothing "Millenial" about not wanting people to starves. That is ridiculous.

[@jameshan2k]

@@mason4966 "need" is the operative word and yes it has everything to with the mindset of generations. The older generations (silent, baby boomers, gen x, etc.) are less willing to accept welfare and view it as shameful. As you go through the generations, the attitude changes. Now the millennials+ view it as a right and should be used at every opportunity. Helping people is one thing, being a parasite on society is another

[@IVORY123100]

I am one of those leeches now . I get healthcare , foodstamps and disability . I was working until something popped up in my life . Diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. even after the diagnosis I tried to work , sick all day and required too much time sitting down and mustering the strength to finish . This is not the route I wanted to go in life , Before I worked hard , loved providing for myself but now I am weak . I go for my 9th brain MRI is a few hours to see what the cancer is doing , whether it has spread further. I don't want to be a bum , taking from others and being dependent on the system , Not much longer and I will be homeless and willing to embrace whatever will be , will be .This might startle some when I say this , Everyone has been given a handout and hand up in life . God is The One that determines all . I appreciate all that I have been given and hope one day I can begin to pay it back and pay it forward again .

[@eldiablo7862]

This has been like this for decades.

[@Timmmmm42y]

The truth is that the government doesn't need to be involved at all. The number of soup kitchens, churches who help and people willing to help is enough to ensure that anyone putting any effort in will not starve and can find a temporary place to stay

[@tacsystems5621]

You don’t help anyone by doing something for them that they can do themselves. All those people that took welfare and didn’t work lost all that time of building experience and skills. Such a shame.

[@georgewagner7787]

Well said

[@mason4966]

😂😂😂

[@tacsystems5621]

@@mason4966 imagine if you did everything for your son. What kind of man should he become? Would you wish that on anyone?

[@mason4966]

@@tacsystems5621 Not the same thing. Welfare is to to help People between jobs. It is needed.

[@tacsystems5621]

@@mason4966 needed? What do you think would happen if we got rid of it? What do you think the net affect on society would be? The 19th century was the period of time of greatest leap forward for man kind. It compelled humanity to the greatest levels of prosperity the likes of which this world has never seen before. Leading the front was the countries that had the freest markets. What I mean by prosperity is that across all metrics at which one could conceivably measure humidity’s fate was better. Like Child mortality, health, wealth, quality of life, and social issues like the end of slavery. Amazing; that this stain that covered entirety of human existence was first eradicated in the countries with the freest markets. Tel that point, humanity was characterized by brutality and suffering and I believe it’s because of how free the markets were. Free markets and prosperity are directly related, in that the freer the markets the more prosperity there is. In fact I don’t know of any counter example. So no, I don’t agree with your presupposition that government is the answer to our problems. I don’t believe that it is the proper role for government to give to one from another one’s pocket. I believe that is the role of charity. Oh yeah forgot about charity. It too got its start in the freest markets. Can you find a counter example of this anywhere across the infinite sea of cultures and entirety of human existence? If so please let me know. Because what do I know? I haven’t read every book. I believe the best way to effectuate your noble intentions is not through governmental force but rather through charitable persuasion.

[@makenImprovements]

Great video !

[@magavsschwaga7834]

Mr. Stossel I've been your fan since I was small. I'm 54 now and so pleasantly surprised to find this channel. Thank You for your work.

[@Cander509]

..we the makers are fed up with the takers.. Enough already.

[@toadamine]

Don't Feed the Bears!!!

[@dblack8141]

This guy is an evil troll censoring the people.

[@toadamine]

@@dblack8141 evil troll, maybe, but never a censor! 🤷‍♂️🤣

[@mustang607]

What's the difference between maker/taker and producer/looter?

[@mikebrisebois]

I have a lot of respect for that black lady. She dug herself out of a rut and opened her eyes to the truth. She seems like a very kind sweet lady

[@peterbrunsgaard2012]

My favorite journalist! 👏👏🙏🙏 John is a journalist with integrity.

[@rebchizelbeak5392]

Amazing that a college thought Hill was qualified to graduate

[@generalzod7959]

Not so amazing when you consider many schools these days promote leftist ideology. He not only graduated, he became a professor.

[@poppyd9758]

Taxation is theft change my mind Name one thing that isn’t taxed in one way or another. Marriage is taxed Travel is taxed Basic life necessities is taxed Food is taxed by taxing the farmers that provide that food Clothing is taxed Anything that uses electricity to be made is taxed.

[@markregev1651]

And farmers get subsidies

[@dblack8141]

Youre not making a logical argument. Dogmatic emotional and typical.

[@thehumblee.w.8370]

As a former eligibility worker for LA County I agree with This 100%. I’ve seen the fraud, waste, and abuse first hand.

[@ze_german2921]

Love everything you do Mr Stossel

[@LeeroyPorkins]

We are Pakleds. We look for things. Things that make us go.

[@millsrickman7703]

Not making it themselves. Just like some people

[@josephbeers2256]

Don't feed the bears.

[@coletrain4106]

No one went thru more than me. When I found myself homeless I took my gun and traps into the woods and 3 weeks later had $3,000 in hides in 1976...

[@ryancummings5295]

Inspiring star parker! Great content!

[@stephenjames3377]

I say, you guys let the thieves take my money.... it's clearly apparent in me paying taxes, and you government letting actual thieves steal my property.... give money to thieves?

[@fathan16]

Fighting chance? More like pity pants.

[@buckfiden2988]

Thank you JS

[@adriennem3168]

What's not addressed is the satisfaction and pride of decent work...

[@RedHorseman66]

Corporate welfare is a much worse problem.

[@adoe2305]

"Corporate welfare" allows jobs, products, and services to be created.

[@johnree6106]

Please explain because I don't understand

[@adoe2305]

@@RedHorseman66 Jesus Christ. You need serious help. 🤢

[@ubon11]

Lamont Hill is so out of touch, it’s not even funny. It’s tragic is what it is as he and people like him continue to destroy this country.

[@ewetoobblowzdogg8410]

I work for myself. Own my own house. Carrying zero debt and always have. Only have filed income tax 4 times in 45 years and only pay sales tax plus my $150/yr property tax. Once you escape the net, the water's just fine!

[@sergjim2377]

FRESNO!!!! MY HOME CITY!!!!! I'm so glad I left 😌

[@MegaKurgen]

Always amazing how giving money to regular people is always offensive. But billions to Military Industrial Complex is not even mentioned. Simple math. How much did Afghanistan cost? How much is Ukraine costing? Yeah, but give it to regular Americans and suddenly it's a problem.

[@billybeemus3929]

Even more amazing is that the people that complain about how the politicians spend tax money will re-elect those exact same politicians time and time again.

[@jaynelson8304]

apples and oranges

[@MegaKurgen]

@@jaynelson8304 No. Apples and private planes.

[@MegaKurgen]

@@billybeemus3929 But do they? Apparently we have a sort of "Democracy" on autopilot. We just seem to get the people that are more useful to certain Corporations. Magically.

[@peterponcedeleon3368]

Thanks!!

[@incognito7479]

I was involved in a terrible accident and nearly died. Didn’t realize I qualified for so many benefits, SS and SNAP has kept me alive. I thank God I was born in the USA.

[@alexbarbo920]

Keep up the good work John!!