Should there be fewer or more restrictions on current welfare benefits?

Emphasize health coverage benefits. There should not be tens of millions of uninsured American citizens under any circumstances.

I'm in the middle but they should be more depending on the situation as in do back ground checks and drug tests and if they are positive for illegal drugs or have a habit of dropping jobs often then yes more restrictions but if they don't fall in line with either of these things then fewer to no more restrictions.

Fewer, and replace most existing welfare benefits with a Universal Basic Income program

There should be no welfare benefits from the federal level

Replace welfare with universal basic income to remove the incentive structure to remain poor in the current welfare system

More, and ensure benefits go to those that need it most and not to those who abuse the system. In addition, for those who are able to work reform the system so that it supplements, rather than replaces, a working income.

It should be abolished and replaced by a UBI

I don´t have enough information on this topic

More, although ideally welfare should be eliminated and replaced by a UBI of some sort to eliminate negative incentives (welfare) and replace them with positive incentives.

change based on what is working and what isn't working based on each persons situation. If said person needs skills, education, transportation, child care, etc. Implement programs to support the person for personal success (teach a man to fish). Vs. the elderly and disabled may require different programs/support.

Fewer, and establish a public option healthcare program that people can opt into in lieu of private insurance

Switch to negative income tax

it should stay the same

The government should only subsidize individuals who are unable to work.

The welfare system needs reform as many recipients don’t do what is needed to be removed from it.

Give people a Universal Basic Income and allow them to choose which option is best for them.

I don't think restrictions should be made. However, there should be a time cap put on the program. The program should be used to get back on your feet, not to live off of for the rest of your life.

Increases only for the elderly and the disabled. Reform the system, ensure welfare recipients are actively doing what they need to do to remove themselves from welfare. Oversight needs to be better. A pipeline out of the system needs to be created to limit dependency on welfare. welfare should not be lifelong.

Eliminate some of the red tape and wasted resources in this government agency. Make it possible to upload/email documents rather than fax. Favor hiring among those who receive(d) benefits.

More, but increase for elderly and disabled, add a drug screening, deny to illegal immigrants, use as a replacement for 6 months and then drop to a supplemental.

More. We should raise the minimum wage to a beginner's living wage and only provide welfare to those who are incapable of working. People with repairable conditions should be actively getting treatment and doing all that they can to support themselves. The government should find ways besides direct funding from the government to help people get treatment when they can't afford it. For example, they can ask people to donate to charity, do crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, and hire a paid or unpaid (volunteer) worker to find ways to make money for the person, such as through GoFundMe.

More to ensure that it isn't being taken advantage of. However we should increase benefits for those that need it most (ie. the elderly, disabled, and struggling families with children)

Only allow welfare benefits if the person has a disability or if they have shown that they have tried to get and keep a job, including going to rehab for drug addiction, but have not been able to keep one. If they refuse to try to get a job then allow them to go to a shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Increase funding and safety precautions and living conditions for those. Only allow non communal (same gender or family in communal) living if they have a disability or have not been able to keep a job despite trying.

Welfare as it is should be eliminated and replaced with local and community-based initiatives raised from local income, sales and property taxes.

More, phase them out

Get rid of all welfare programs. Replace with socialized healthcare and UBI. Citizens have a choice between one or the other.

Fewer, reform the system so that it supplements, rather than replaces a working income, but increase for the elderly and physically disabled.

People should be incentivized to get off of welfare not incentivized to have more children and stay home because that is more cost effective. I would have to see how the budget for welfare is managed in order to give a better answer, but if you want people to be productive you should incentivize them to do so.

We should replace welfare programs with a basic income/citizen's dividend.

Fewer, so long as not conflating the truly disabled (not those self destructing on a vice).

Abolish and create a UBI instead.

More, and abolish some welfare programs.

Regardless, there needs to be a major revamp of the welfare system as it encourages individuals to live in poverty and have as many children as possible.

Only give it for those who actually need it.

Replace with a universal basic income or negative income tax.

More, but only increase by a little bit.

Level, but reform benefits to grade away, instead of current income cliffs.

Privatize social security and eliminate other welfare benefits

Repeal and replace with UBI

The current system should be replaced with a Universal Basic Income that supplements a working income, while continuing to help those "get by" who have lost their job in the interim

Neither, rework the system from the ground up to provide a safety net for all citizens and residents along the lines of a UBI

Only give it to those who actually need it. It shouldn't be lifelong also.

Abolish the entire welfare system.

It should only be given to citizens who actually need it and are planning on getting off it. Should never be life long.

Fewer, and reform the welfare system to be universal public services.

More, but increase benefits for the elderly and disabled, and reform the system so that it supplements, rather than replaces, a working income

Replace the current welfare system with a negative income tax

More, do drug test and give it to immigrants that pay taxes

More, and ensure that benefits go to those that need it the most.

More, and ensure benefits go to those that need it the most.

The loopholes attached to qualifications needs to be closed.

Fewer, and progressively provide aid according to need to ensure a smooth transition off of welfare

Only give it to people that need it

Only give it to those who actually need it.

More, and replace welfare with a negative income tax

Fewer, Welfare should be replaced with more specific programs.

More, and the goal should be to eliminate all government welfare.

Fewer, replace welfare with UBI

Fewer, and abolish currency

More restrictions, able-bodied people should not be able to receive welfare.

Regardless, implement a Negative Income Tax.

Get rid of the current welfare system and replace it with a Negative Income Tax.

More, cap benefits so no one leaches off welfare forever; increase benefits for the elderly and disabled; remove and deny immigrants, especially illegal immgrants, from welfare programs; make it supplemental rather than a replacement for work income.

I don't have enough information at the moment to create my own opinon.

I just feel like there should be benefits for those who need it.

We don't need less or more benefits or restrictions, just correctly directed benefits. Any benefit given by the federal government should be precise. An example: Food stamps should be more like WIC, as some food stamps are used to buy junk food, instead of the much needed fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats needed.

Give it to people that actually need it. These systems should not be abused.

More, but institute a universal basic income

eliminate welfare and just offer a basic income

More, but move towards a UBI instead

Add more benefits for all types of people and situations

The whole system needs revamping so that people with actual disability get the help they need to get off welfare, and so that the paltry amount paid actually provides value.

More, but I’d prefer the welfare system be abolished.

More, but I’d prefer that the welfare system be abolished.

More, but I’d prefer that the welfare system be abolished

More, as long as those that truly need it do get it.

Fewer, there should be no restrictions at all (this is called a UBI)

lower restrictions on lower and middle class but increase the restrictions on high class

Abolish welfare, un-ban high density public housing construction and provide both universal healthcare and a small UBI to all citizens as a dividend of investment on their providing to our prosperity

More. We should raise the minimum wage to a beginner's living wage and only provide welfare to those who are incapable of working and for up to 6 months in between jobs. People with repairable conditions should be actively getting treatment and doing all that they can to support themselves. The government should find ways besides direct funding from the government to help people get treatment when they can't afford it. For example, they can ask people to donate to charity, do crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, and hire a paid or unpaid (volunteer) worker to find ways to make money for the person, such as through GoFundMe.

Eliminate all existing welfare programs and replace them with a monthly income stipend for all citizen households

The federal government should not be providing welfare benefits. This should be a State or Private issue.

More, but I would prefer to end all social welfare programs

Regardless, reform the system so that it rewards, not penalizes, getting a job.

Deny benefits for single parents

Abolish the current welfare system and replace it with universal basic income.

Welfare should be abolished entirely and replaced by voluntary charity.

cut all welfare

More, and eliminate illegally resident aliens from benefits.

Entitlement expenditures must be reduced but either by capping total allocations or by across-the-board reductions of the number of people who qualify, not through subjecting recipients to even more red tape.

Too many fakers. We need to reform the system to root out fakers and immigrant non-citizens and those trying to avoid work and ensure that legal citizens who are genuinely trying to find work but can't receive welfare. So right now, I lean towards more. But whatever ensures reform sometimes.

Welfare should be ended, and instead the federal government should fund and support local private charities and nonprofits

More, but welfare should be ended, and instead the federal government should fund and support local private charities and nonprofits

Welfare makes individuals more dependent on the government, rather than self and community

Fewer, but deny benefits to llegal immigrants

How do you think welfare benefits should be distributed to maintain fairness among citizens?

What are the most common misconceptions about people receiving welfare, and why do they persist?

How might changes in welfare spending impact communities and their ability to support vulnerable populations?

Discuss how welfare systems in other countries compare to your own; what practices could be adopted or avoided?