Welfare goes far beyond receiving a check; however, few people are aware of this, especially the people who need the program's many other services. For example, a person on welfare is eligible for a $100 check as a reward for getting a job, followed by another check after 30 days of employment. More important, a person also may receive up to $500 for work clothes and up to $600 for repairing or procuring a car.
To Engler's credit, some of these benefits began just this year. However, Engler provided a mind-boggling counterpoint by line-item-vetoing funds that would accommodate another 150 welfare caseworkers in the state. The caseworkers are the lifeline for every welfare recipient; they make each recipient aware of his or her options and help welfare recipients organize their lives.
Fewer caseworkers mean that welfare recipients have fewer opportunities to meet with the men and women who are the navigators charting the course back to financial independence. This only alienates some of society's most benevolent workers, and leaves those most needy for information in the dark about various aides available. With the mere flick of a pen, Engler could have made the lives of many people on welfare easier. In this case, he chose to make it harder.
The governor also shirks his leadership by not educating caseworkers and recipients about the many facets of welfare. The changes occurring this year have received very little publicity; therefore, those seeking help do not know what to ask for and those helping them do not have the necessary information. The governor should communicate these benefits throughout the state.
People must know about programs that can help them buy clothes or secure transportation. Social norms make it difficult to succeed professionally with a shoddy appearance and a lack of personal transportation. Interviewees are usually at a disadvantage if they cannot "sell themselves" to employers as a tidy package. The paradox for welfare recipients lies in the fact that people cannot maintain a car or buy clothes without a job, and they cannot get a job without transportation or the "right clothes." Professional dress and transportation cost a lot of money, especially to those without. Furthermore, without transportation, a person is severely limited in job-hunting.
Unemployment correlates with a number of social ills: domestic violence, theft, drug abuse, suicide. The idea of people getting "fat on welfare" is largely a myth. The truth is that people have a sense of personal dignity, and being able to support oneself is key to this dignity. Governor Engler must lead the way in providing the support people need to restore themselves when they are wavering. He has the power, but he needs the conscience to do what is right.