The following is part of a Point / Counter-Point series highlighting important issues and platform points for both candidates in the upcoming election.
We live in a government that is “of the people, by the people and for the people.”
I think Gov. Mitt Romney neglects the “for” part.
Welfare isn’t the hottest issue in the 2012 election, but it is for working Americans who need assistance from the government.
President Barack Obama is the candidate to turn to for assistance for those who work hard and still need a little government assistance.
Just like on the immigration issue, Obama is not a pushover when it comes to welfare.
The president has made modest strides in reforming welfare, focusing more on getting the recipients on their feet while they look for work in states that have asked for flexibility.
A Romney attack ad suggested Obama completely overhauled the work requirement for welfare, according to CNN. Actually, a handful of states simply requested a little leeway for all the federal paperwork so they could focus more on getting jobs for welfare recipients.
It’s more important that the recipients receive some form of aid before they begin looking for work. The idea that all people on welfare are lazy is inaccurate.
Gov. Romney has another idea in mind on the government’s attitude and direction toward welfare.
In February, before he was the GOP candidate for president, Romney said he’s “not concerned about the very poor” and if they fall, they fall on safety nets, according to The Huffington Post.
The same article cites that Romney said he would cut from the federal spending and “reconfigure that safety net.”
Maybe we should take a step back, realize what is and what isn’t welfare and then tackle the issue. Romney is attacking the generalization of welfare while Obama is looking to help those need it.
Bragg, a junior journalism and public relations major from Lillington, is the Arts and Entertainment editor.