Why Is California Penalizing Poor Women for Wanting to Be Parents?

[Xithras]

69. California has a 4 year lifetime limit on welfare.

The notion that women are having babies to become "welfare queens" is idiotic. After four years, the mother loses ALL of her welfare benefits, and she will never be able to apply for them again. She'll still get $125 a month per child, but any parent knows that you can't raise a kid on $125 a month. There are no "welfare lifers" in this state, and there is zero reason to deny this benefit to children.

California does make birth control free for the poor, and I do believe that families on assistance should be encouraged to use it*, but no child should be punished simply for being born poor.


*I believe they should use it simply because newborn babies make it harder to work, and with California's four year limit it's important to use your time wisely to take advantage of the educational and job training opportunities that CalWorks offers. Having a baby while on CalWorks increases the chances that you'll still be unemployed when your benefits run out...a nightmare scenario for many poor families.