Coolidge Comments: Ill-Directed Charity Often Responsible for Pauperism

"Nothing is finer than the open hand and the generous heart that's prompt free and unselfish giving. But modern social science knows, also, that ill directed charity is often directly responsible for encouragement of pauperism and mendicancy. The best service we can do for the needy and the unfortunate is to help them in such manner that their self respect, their ability to help themselves, shall not be injured but augmented. Nobody is necessarily out merely because he is down. But, being down, nobody gets up again without honest effort of his own. The best help that benevolence and philanthropy can give is that which induces everybody to help himself." — From President Coolidge's telephone remarks to the Federation of Jewish Philanthropic Societies of New York City, Oct. 26, 1924.

Recently, WCVB TV published an article which noted that Massachusetts welfare money was being spent on resorts, nail salons and vacation destinations such as the Carribean. It seems to me that in keeping with President Coolidge's advice on ill-directed charity, the State of Massachusetts should review welfare debit card expenditures and should make sure that they are not being made for frivolous purposes. Our state should also adopt a policy requiring drug testing for all welfare recipients such as that adopted by Governor Rick Scott and the State of Florida in July.

Read more at:

The American Presidency Project: www.presidency.ucsb.edu http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=24173&st=&st1=#ixzz1Yt0ZbSU

Mass. Welfare Money Spent On Resorts, Nail Salons - Boston News Story -WCVB Boston http://bit.ly/p5vvDI via @addthis

Florida governor signs welfare drug-screen measure - CNN http://bit.ly/mH0p5P via @addthis

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