It was once the mantra of America. The harder you work the more you will get. Then came political social programs designed to help those in need. Then those in need became those who weren't willing. Then those who weren't willing became the generation of the entitled. Then the entitled became a generation of those who have no idea what working for a paycheck is all about.

A Louisiana House of Representatives committee has passed a bill that could start to change decades of government dependence. Wednesday the House Health and Welfare Committee agreed to send legislation to the full House that would basically eliminate a loophole in Louisiana's food stamp program.

Currently under federal law food stamp recipients are required to work or perform community service for at least 20 hours per week in order to claim benefits. That's not the case in Louisiana. Our state has a waiver that doesn't require food stamp recipients to do anything but cash in their benefits when they become available.

We need to incentivize a good, healthy activity, and if the jobs aren’t available, then community service. There are lots of groups that would love to have some help from time to time.

Those comments by Monroe Representative Jay Morris were reported by the Louisiana Radio Network.

As you might imagine this legislation falls along political party lines. Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards is in favor of keeping the waiver in place. While his Republican counter parts for the most part support the legislation that would require either a job or community service in order to claim benefits.

So, how many able bodied citizens of our state are we talking about that receive money for nothing? About 31-thousand according to estimates by the Department of Children and Family Services. If you take the average amount of the monthly stipend which is $200 and do the math, that would suggest our state is handing out $6.2 million in benefits with nothing in return.

Now, let's assume those same 31-thousand people work 20 hours a week at minimum wage. That's $19.1 million dollars generated in disposable income. Some how I think our state's economy could better stand an infusion of almost 20 million dollars and get something in return than just dolling out free money. At least that's my opinion.

I guess we will see how it all works or doesn't work out.

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