U.S. taxpayers fall victim to current welfare system: The Hill

WASHINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Taxpayers have been bearing the burden of the current welfare system, paying for able-bodied adults who do not work at all, a testament to a defective welfare system, reported The Hill, a top U.S. political website.

"Medicaid and food stamps were originally designed as a safety net during a time of need. However, it has expanded much beyond its original intent and is now disincentivizing work for able-bodied adults," said the report, noting that the U.S. Congress must reorient these programs toward what they were originally designed to do.

An estimated 40 million able-bodied adults are enrolled in Medicaid, and 64 percent of able-bodied adults receiving food stamps do not work at all. At the same time, there are over 10 million job openings in the United States.

"Allowing anyone to qualify for welfare when they simply don't want to work isn't making things any better," it said.

"The current system is simply not working. Too many Americans are trapped in a cycle of poverty and dependency, and too many taxpayers are bearing the burden of this system. We owe it to both groups to do better," it added.