Uh oh, here comes the welfare topic. Whenever you hear the words "welfare reform" you know that's code words for cutting people off the take just to claim success at reducing the total number of people on welfare. It's certainly never a good thing for the poor. I'm really worried what "welfare reform" means this time. I don't have any specifics yet, but I'm going to be very surprised if it improves the benefits of anyone. I'm expecting it to reduce benefits for everyone and boot a fair number of people off of it to boot. You know, the Republican position of making poverty hard. Trump: I'm looking 'very strongly' at reforming welfare system http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/16/trump-welfare-reform-243817
This is the BIG problem with Trump. He just throws this vague s**t out there and walks away. Welfare reform is not a bad thing. But to just put vague statements out there and let everyone throw their own interpretations to what that means is a recipe for stalemate. If Trump had said that he wanted to look at specific issues within welfare systems and that he was going to make some specific proposals - fine.
From the link provided in the OP: "The White House began circulating a draft order in late September. The draft calls on agencies to review regulations and propose new rules that conform to a broad set of principles, streamline or eliminate duplicative services, set metrics to measure accountability and create greater cooperation with state and local governments."
The goal of any government is to have the fewest number of people on welfare possible. Basically they should only be people who literally can't work for some reason. Debilitating disease, mental incapacities, etc.
What more are you expecting from Trump? He's essentially ordered the various agencies to propose changes which might eliminate waste, corruption, duplication, etc. He's made no changes,yet.
How about work requirements for disability??? No males ages 16-64??? Cut benefits for the working poor? Ect...
How about we wait and see if the agencies respond with some rational suggestions and if not maybe then Trump should pen some orders over them.
Well in order for the Trump tax reform plan to raise income for the rich without totally making the budget deficit high enough to annoy even the overly cynical Republican party, cuts have to be made somewhere. And where better than the poor who have no political power anyway.
The last thing that ever should be done is addressing welfare fraud that steals from the truly needy.
That would be a valid goal if work was actually available for everyone able to work at a wage that would allow at least a moderatly decent standard of living. I think the availability of full time work meeting that criteria for everyone is open to some discussion at this point in time.
The most reasonable and rationale solution would be to provide 'welfare' for those who are determined to be incapable of functioning in a productive way, and provide 'workfare' at the minimum wage level for all others, allowing private charities and individuals and perhaps even State and/or local governments to provide any additional aid/assistance agreeable by those who would be providing.