I don't know who you are talking to, but reasonable people don't think people truly down on their luck should be left out in the cold. That's why there are so many charities that get donations to help the poor and homeless. I don't know how anyone could think welfare life is posh living. But there are people on welfare who don't want off welfare.
What taxpayers don't like is seeing third, forth, and fifth generation welfare families who seem to be content living in poverty. They don't work, don't want to work, and somehow keep their kids. In Oregon, where I live, food stamps now come on a debit card along with an allowance. So not only is there no embarrassing disincentive associated with a card, like there would be with regular food stamps, but people can buy themselves cigarettes, bear, etc. when they should be providing healthy food for their children. I worked at a grocery store for a number of years and it killed me that a portion of my check was going to social slugs. I'm happy to pay taxes when the money goes to people who deserve it. There is a very real need for government help for the ones who are trying and to provide a safety net for innocent children. But, welfare is supposed to help people get back on their feet not allow them to never try by intentionally blowing job interviews. Unfortunately the reality of the situation is that America is full of people content with living on government cheese so long as they don't have to work. I don't understand it, but apparently there are a lot of people who do want to live in a van down by the river.
I don't lump everyone on welfare into one stinky generalized mass. I know there are many good people who just need a little help getting back on their feet. But the fact is there are tons of human wastes of space that want nothing more out of life than more welfare. I don't have any easy solution, but as I see it the welfare system in the USA is broken. Not because it's hard living on welfare, but because so many people have found a way to permanently eek out a welfare life.
