Welfare Reform Proposals

In response to the article “Ford Foundation Panel to Urge Major Changes in Social Welfare System,” by John J. Goldman Part I, May 11:

I find it particularly significant that at long last a nationally recognized organization has spoken out about the inability of our welfare system to provide for the needs of the American people. Unfortunately, the report suggests the taxing of Social Security benefits to fund these proposed changes in the welfare system. In other words, tax one welfare program to fund another! How much sense does this make?

As the bastion of the free world capitalistic system, we in the United States have refused to accept any program for social equality that is not based upon the profit motive for fear that it could lead to the acceptance of the need to nationalize certain industries to provide the money to fund these social benefits.

Actually we have not had a free private capitalistic system in this country for many years, as we subsidize industries with government outlays to keep them from going bankrupt through poor management and fraud. The savings and loan mess is one example.

As has become unmistakably clear, the federal government’s tax dollars can no longer fund social programs through welfare. Therefore, the only way left to fund present and future welfare programs is through a socialistic system. The largest and by far the most eligible industry ripe for nationalization is the oil industry.

The editorial “The Risk of Underregulation” (May 6) indicated that Exxon was the third largest industrial corporation, earning $5.3 billion in profits on sales of $80 billion last year--but has failed to come to grips with the oil spill in Prince William Sound.

Suppose Exxon was appropriated by the United States government and these $5.3 billions in profits were used now and in future years to fund a national medical program for every man, woman and child in this country?

Sooner or later, we are going to come to the realization that we can no longer provide the necessary services to the people of this nation through a welfare system funded on the backs of the working people, and take the same measures as other nations with a step-by-step nationalization of industries whose outlandish profits could help pay society’s bill through a social-democratic society.

GORDON FISHER

Hemet