Social assistance should be private

Published 12:01 am Monday, March 21, 2011

The Government Accounting Office released a report showing that in 2009 the federal government spent $2.9 billion on more than 20 programs designed to fight homelessness. Of course they had to create another bureaucracy with a new agency, U.S. Inter-Agency Council on Homelessness (USICH), which consists of 19 agencies.

It is obvious that we want to help those less fortunate, but it is ever apparent that our federal government is too large and inefficient to assist correctly. Eliminating many of these programs and related government offices will clear up money and resources that could be used in other areas of government.

Private charities are better equipped and can administer programs for the homeless and hungry much better than any government agency. It is time we stop putting our hopes and money into inefficient government programs, return more money to our citizens and therefore allow them to donate, if they wish, to charities of their choosing.

Todd Welch
Lake Stevens