What is your opinion regarding social and human services?

[RCIAGraduate]

Hello everyone, how is your day? Are there any specific social services do you believe ought to have more funding or support (i.e drug and alcohol treatment programs, homeless resources (getting skeptical about those after reading some reviews), domestic violence shelters and supports, mental health care programs, supports for the disabled, CPS/Child Welfare and Foster Care etc)? Or would you rather see an increase in private charity rather than social programs?

On one hand, do you think republicans, conservatives and libertarians don’t take into account these issues enough and ought to be more supportive of social services (though not necessarily entitlements)? On the flip-side, do you think democrats, liberals and progressives overcompensate and use the federal government as a bludgeon through ideas like universal health care to meet their goals?

Please keep this thread civil but with candor. I would rather prefer that this thread doesn’t get too many flags, doesn’t alienate people (though I understand politics tends to do that) but see engaging dialogue.

Have a good week.

 

[pensmama87]

I don’t mind government money being used for social services, but I’d much prefer it administered at state and local levels rather than federal. I think many Americans have forgotten that these levels of government even exist.

 

[DENNYINMI]

I think it’s a great topic for discussion in candor. The first one to post brings up a great point, one of the issue of subsidiarity and I’d agree for the most part. But one issue in particular brings up the fact we have an opiate epidemic which begs the question, can a state and local government fall on hard enough times to the point of being unable to handle the needs of those in need? Strong safety nets are essential. We’ve bailed out “too big to fail” banks and systems that have exploited those that were saving for retirement. We should be able to assist those with problematic circumstances at a time in our country when we see some of the greatest needs. PTSD for veterans is another major concern right now. Great topic!~

 

[Rob2]

Please keep this thread civil but with candor. I would rather prefer that this thread doesn’t get too many flags, doesn’t alienate people (though I understand politics tends to do that) but see engaging dialogue.

Do you believe in miracles , @RCIAGraduate ?

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Annie]

This is a big issue.

I do think that human and social services should exist. For me, in an ideal world, this would be done by the Catholic Church, which is 1. the proper entity to do it and 2. the only institution which could manage it without violating subsidiarity.

When the Protestants and Anglicans dismantled the social safety net the Church had in place and took all the resources sustaining it, we were left with only the government capable of instituting and managing it.

The result has been the professionalization of this area of social endeavour. Those who used to care for people as the main part of their lives (supplemented by voluntary aid from others) have been replaced by people who “have lives” and who therefore need money. Instead of 24/7 monks vowed to poverty and supported by their communities, we have 9-5 social workers with mortgage payments and student loans.

So I do see society as having an obligation to help those in need, but I also see that our current system has no boundaries and is therefore too much in some ways and too little in others in regards to financing, priorities, allocation of aid, and many other things.

But my main problem is that we can say, I gave at the office (via taxes), so because of that attitude and because we must work so much to pay for that, there is so little voluntary personal involvement with people who could really benefit from that.