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34
42
YES NO
Debate Score:76
Arguments:70
Total Votes:82
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 YES (32)
 
 NO (38)

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Are teen mothers to blame for welfare?

Teenage births are associated with lower annual income for the mother. Eighty percent of teen mothers must rely on welfare at some point

Teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of school. Only about one-third of teen mothers obtain a high school diploma. Teenage Pregnancy

Survey explains why stead teenage pregnancy.

YES

Side Score: 34
VS.

NO

Side Score: 42

I don't know if they are to blame but hey.... we have to blame someone, and they're as good as any ;)

Side: yes
0 points

Of course they are if they make up 80% of the welfare system. But not by themselves. Teen mothers and the fathers of these children ultimately make the decision to have children that they are not capable of providing for and that is bad. What is even worse is the fact that our society promotes this behavior by being "accepting" of everyone, all personal beliefs and all behaviors regardless of principal. Government policy reflects this social viewpoint and facilitates by providing social programs that take away the consequences of poor judgement.

Side: yes
brycer2012(1002) Disputed
1 point

Did you read the statistics carefully? It says that 80% of teen mothers are on welfare within 5 years of the child's birth, not teen mothers make up 80% of the welfare system.

Side: No

Yes, I did read the statistics carefully. I understand that teen mothers don't make up 80% of the welfare system, yet again it doesn't mean that I have to like paying for it for their irresponsible and selfish behavior.

Side: No
0 points

Of course they are if they make up 80% of the welfare system. But not by themselves. Teen mothers and the fathers of these children ultimately make the decision to have children that they are not capable of providing for and that is bad. What is even worse is the fact that our society promotes this behavior by being "accepting" of everyone, all personal beliefs and all behaviors regardless of principal. Government policy reflects this social viewpoint and facilitates by providing social programs that take away the consequences of poor judgement.

Side: yes

They are part of the blame, but they aren't the full blame. As you stated, teen moms only use 80% of the welfare system. That is a majority, but the other 20% aren't teen moms.

Side: No
1 point

Well, isn't 80% a significant amount. It is more than simple majority, it is more than majority, it is even more than super-majority, it is more than 3/4. How can only 20% be blamed while 80% are only partly to be blamed?

Sure, teenage are the free will to have a sex, I am in favor of liberty, but shouldn't there be more responsibility instead of taking money from those who are responsible and giving to those who are not. Isn't society a little backwards?

Side: yes
brycer2012(1002) Disputed
1 point

Sure, teenage are the free will to have a sex, I am in favor of liberty, but shouldn't there be more responsibility instead of taking money from those who are responsible and giving to those who are not. Isn't society a little backwards?

You are completely off topic. The debate is about who should be blamed for welfare.

I'm not saying that teenage mothers aren't a blame, I just think that they aren't the only blame. You can't point the finger at one group just because a large part of them use welfare.

What welfare program are you looking at? All, or just a few?

Side: No
1 point

I disagree with the premise of this question.

Side: No
1 point

Why? If you do, then at least, explain.----------------------

Side: yes
Akulakhan(2985) Disputed
2 points

You've inferred welfare is wrong by claiming there is someone to blame for it's existence. This is not true.

Side: No

ok, so 80% of teen mothers are on welfare at some point. what percentage of people on welfare is that? over what time period? ...people need to learn to read.

Side: No
1 point

So even if the percentage of people on welfare is small, should they still be able to live irresponsible, and force taxpayers pay for them.

Side: yes
casper3912(1581) Disputed
2 points

Are you suggesting we force them to have abortions, isolate them from men or wear steel underwear with a lock and key? Or are you suggesting we don't try to encourage a decent/livable environment for children of teen mothers to grow up in? Those seem to be our alternatives once a teen becomes pregnant, Allowing them to go on welfare seems the best choice. Should they of been responsible, of course; but whats done is done. There certainly should be good sex education, and just good general education, making sure thats the case seems the best way to have less teens become pregnant.

Side: No

What do you mean by welfare? The term "welfare" refers to a number of services and/or programs.

Side: No
0 points

What other services or programs?

Welfare is often also used to refer to financial aid.

Who is to blame for welfare if not teen mothers?

The country was working fine before 1935.

Side: yes
Mahollinder(900) Disputed
3 points

What other services or programs?

Adoption and Foster care services, child abuse and neglect services, child care services, child support services, Disabilities services, Native American tribal services, TANF, APHSA, Disaster assistance (among other services).

Welfare is often also used to refer to financial aid.

Fine, but what program or service are you talking about? What financial aid service or services are you referencing?

Who is to blame for welfare if not teen mothers?

No one is to "blame" for welfare services and programs. They grew out of a need that had nothing to do with teen mothers and damn near everything to do with the great depression. And why or how would you blame teen mothers in the first place?

The country was working fine before 1935.

No it wasn't. The country was going through a great depression in the 1930s. The 1920s and the beginning of the twentieth century was marred by horrible working conditions, social and political disparity: unresolved race and gender issues. If you were white, rich and a man, it was "great", I suppose.

Side: No
brycer2012(1002) Disputed
1 point

Social Security and Unemployment checks are part of the welfare system.

Side: No
DaWolfman(3324) Disputed
1 point

The country was working fine before 1935.

HAHAHAHAHA

Last time I checked we had been in a depression for at least 5 years prior to 1935.

Side: No

Teen mothers are partially responsible, but not entirely - nor even mostly.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm

According to the above link, most people on welfare are in their twenties, unmarried, and white.

Side: No
1 point

half and half. I think whos to blame is the teen parents, and the education system for not giving them a proper sex education (depends on where they live)

Side: No
TERMINATOR(6780) Disputed
1 point

They get proper sex education !

Abstinence sex education does not work !

On the other hand, if they are taught the 'safe sex' methods, they are much less likely to get an STD/pregnant.

Side: yes
1 point

No. But can I blame Sara Palin for teen mothers?

The minimum length for an argument is 50 characters. The purpose of this restriction is to cut down on the amount of dumb jokes, so we can keep the quality of debate and discourse as high as possible.

Side: palin is to blame for teen mothers

That I can definitively agree with that. The Palin family is the biggest hypocrite on this planet. Sara's daughter has child out of wedlock and then promotes abstinence and now getting paid.

Side: No
TERMINATOR(6780) Disputed
1 point

Teen mother have been around much longer than Sara Palin; thus, she is not to blame.

Side: yes
iamdavidh(4856) Disputed
1 point

And irony again escapes you. ////////////// Congratulations ._.

Side: No
1 point

The facts simply don't support the myth of the teen mother, or even the myth of the non-white mother with tons of children milking the system. Sorry, folks!

Edit: Apologies, I've been using this link for so long I didn't even realize someone else already had--touche!

Side: No
1 point

Black teen mothers nor white teen mothers were insinuated in this debate or question; this debate is in no way discriminatory towards one race or another.

This debate is aimed at all teen mothers.

Side: yes
YvetteL(18) Disputed
1 point

I fail to see how you're disputing anything I've said. I provided evidence (that was unfortunately already provided) that teen mothers make up 7.6%--seven point six percent!--of mothers on welfare.

Mentioning that other welfare myths exist (you mentioned black, nice to know you're aware of such myths) doesn't invalidate my point at all.

Side: No
1 point

they are definitely part of the blame but its all of these females popping out 20 kids with no job no husband trying to get that extra few bucks from the welfare so they can get their hair down. i think welfare is great thing to have, but no when you have a mom with 10 kids and 9 different daddies trying to get that check every month

Side: No
1 point

It's not fair to blame just teenage mothers, yes they may make up most of the welfare majority but would you rather them have horrid homes and children living in poverty. Its wrong to stereotype, and excluding the statistics I believe its more the alcoholics and drug users that are on welfare.

Side: NO
0 points

no ghetto people in the mcdunnah projects are to blame for welfare. they simlpy feed off of welfare so if its removed then the country will fall. its as simple as that. plus teen mothers give moeny to the nation. they provide entertainment on shows like montel and maury and ppl pay to go to those shows. people on welfare just wait for their money and they dont even share. nikkas crazy!

Side: No