After the lengthly talks the past few days over Frank Antenori and his Welform Reform bill I figured I would post a handful of the many emails I received.

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Jon,

 I have a rather simple solution to the welfare situation.  Make it mandatory for anyone receiving welfare to work at public service type jobs.  All the jobs no one wants to do or that the state can’t afford to pay for anymore.  If you work for welfare you can only make minimum wage, never more than that.  If you don’t work, you don’t get paid (like in the real world).  Got kids?? No problem, have some of the “welfare workers” staff child care facilities and do not allow those with children to staff the child care facilities (maybe having to deal with kids all day will encourage welfare recipients to think before having them).  The key is, no work, no pay and if you want to make more than minimum wage, then you have to get off welfare.  I’ll guarantee you that true welfare cheaters will find another state to live in.  You like?

Best Regards,

D. Cathy
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Jon,
I appreciate what you're doing with the show.  Thanks.

 - On the issue of applying more restrictions to welfare recipients:
I have two family members who, unfortunately, rely on both myself and welfare to get along.  I agree with being more tolerant to those who get jobs and work, and less tolerant to those who load up on goodies and cry wolf about being unable to find work.  I also agree with youself, Antenori and Gowen on wanting to make the recipients less "comfortable" about receiving welfare and wanting to live off of the system.  However, the Antenori / Gowen proposal scares me and here's why:

The proposed legislation can (and will) be mis-interpreted in the future by liberals so that if a recipient violates the terms, such as by buying tobacco and alcohol while receiving welfare, that instead of merely being terminated from welfare (which I think is the proposed idea) the liberals will make it a criminal offense, and thereby justify huge amounts of governmental tax money to be spent on enforcing it.  This would make it more communist than socialist - and that scares me.  Additionally, as we all know, the current administration is wrecking the economy such that many more people will be forced to turn towards welfare.  That effectively means that the government is going to dictate more and more of how we live our lives, and criminal consequences if we don't.  This is Stalinist communism in my opinion, cultural genocide, or whatever you want to call it.  How about "VERY BAD".

History has shown that it is futile to legislate morality (e.g. look at Prohibition), so the government should get out of the morality business entirely.  Let the non-profit organizations (e.g. churches) and for-profit private industry (e.g. unemployment insurance) and family members do it - NOT the government.  The government's prime objective should be (and only be) to protect us, facilitate commerce and protect our freedoms.  THATS IT.  Healh, education and welfare can and should be done through private industry.  That is what made America great in the first place.  Lets not lose the principles that are the foundation of our greatness.  Our founding fathers were wise to this, God bless them.

Keep up the good work.  I love to listen.  Thanks.

Scott

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Jon,
 
You seem to forget that some recipients are also taxpayers and who are going to school to get out of this mess. I am not proud to whip out my food card when I go grocery shopping. That is why I go to the store late at night. I do not get steaks, shrimps, ribs or stuff like that. I actually cook our meals at home. I even get flour to make my own bread in the bread maker!
 
My husband works part time and goes to school online for an associates in criminal justice. I have to put my education on hold for an associates in veterinary technology from Pima Community College because I am due to have my baby next month. I am hoping I can go back to school this fall. My husband is working very hard to support us. He is looking for a second job and he is wanting to volunteer for the Sheriff's Department.
 
We do not abuse the system. We do not drink, smoke, or do drugs. We do not have a car. We do not have cable. We don't wear designer clothes. We do not have a cell phone. The only thing that is considered as an extra is the internet but that is needed for my husband's schooling. The last thing we need is to have a bright orange card identifying us that we are struggling when other people do not know what our story is. I agree with the person who wants to make it illegal to purchase smokes and booze while on government aid. Actually, I want recipients to take a drug test to prove that they are clean to be on the system. Like everyone else, I get annoyed when I see someone (I used to work for Circle K) use their food card to buy $80 worth of junk food and then climb into their Escalade and drive off into the sunset.
 
We are trying to get out of welfare through getting our education. It is only temporary, not forever. Thank you for reading!
 
Air Force veteran (2001-2005)

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Jon,

I believe that the welfare program should be reformed to model the way that the church I attend has it setup.  This last summer I was laid off and had to use our system first hand.  They way it is setup is that we have what are called Bishop store houses, these store houses have foods much like if you were to visit a grocery store.  A person comes to your home every 2 weeks and asseses what the needs are of your family, (food wise) and they fill out a form checking the food items they think you need.  This is then taken and approved by our Bishop, once done you take it down to the store house and your order is filled.  This is not done without strings, you must visit the church career center, actively search for a job, and make sure you get yourself back on your feet asap.  The church does and will help with bills, but as a very last resort, you are NEVER given cash assistance, or given any chances to abuse the system. This may seem a little controling, but people have given us no choice in the matter.  Email me back, I can give you much more info on how this is setup.
 
Thanks,

Stephen  P.S. Love your morning show
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Hi,
 
Frank Antenori might want to return to Jonathon Swift's "A Modest Proposal" (1729).
 
People on welfare should sell their plump little 1-year-olds to the rich.  The welfare leaches get compensated for their biological resources/efforts and the wealthy get a delicious new food source.  We cut down on future welfare cheats because they are gobbled up before they can learn the lazy, no-account ways of their parents.
 
And, since we have advanced medically so much since the original writing, we could use those poor teenagers for organ harvesting and stick their healthy hearts, kidneys, eyes, livers, etc. into the rich old farts whose own biological systems are failing.
 
Brilliant, I tell you!  Pass it along to Frank, please.
 
Love & peace-
Mary DeCamp