WELFARE REFORM, REALLY?!

I have been quite on the political scene because I have been focusing on obtaining sustainable income and obtaining contracts. Some government contracts. But this morning in me in box was this article below. It speaks about President Trump stance on Food Stamp Reform.

Read the article on the President Trump Executive Order on Food Stamp reform:

They are taking an idea from the State of Texas. In 2015, I was on unemployment. When I called in, they asked me if I wanted to apply for Food Stamps, too. I said sure if I am eligible. I few days later I received notification that I had been approved. After about I believe 4 weeks or so, I received a letter letting me know if I did not have employment by a certain date, I was going to have to report to Human Services Administration for work for food program. I thought to myself they must be joking for $60 - $120-month worth of food stamps.

I thought, I would rather find a job. I was not on food stamps because I was too lazy to work. I was on food stamps because I could not find work. Since then I have worked for $9, $10, $12, $14, $24, and $25 per hour. I have received a few small Marketing projects over this journey, but I have not landed that great job or contract yet.

I have written and self-published 15 books. I have had Book Signings and Sales events around Houston, Texas and Baltimore, Maryland. I am still not making enough in royalties or direct books sales at this time to sustain my living expenses. I am still looking for that contract or job to sustain my living expenses.

Lazy, I am not!

Mr. President, this is not the way to handle this situation. Requiring individuals to work for food is not American. Yes, the Bible says if you do not work you don't eat. However, it did not say put people into slave labor. Working for free for food. Many Americans would prefer a job. I know those that sat in Work Force Solutions with me that had degrees never thought that this would be them. They never thought that they would have to beg for employment nor work for free to eat. This is truly un-American.

There are many other solutions to this problem. You could restrict the time someone could be on Food Stamps. You could restrict how many times within a certain period. You could slowly reduce the amount after a time frame of collecting. But to believe that having someone work for free is going to help them is not true. It would be if that work gained them a reasonable salary with the agency that they are forced to work at. Or they gain experience that they did not have that give them value on the job training.

I have my master’s degree. In the last 5 years, I have been out of work or underemployed at least 4 times. I have owned my agency the entire time. I have been trying to obtain the capital I need in order to have sustainable income. I have applied for Small Business Financing. Regular bank financing. But was told NO. Does that mean I should be belittled and forced to work for food? A tax payer. An educated African American female. A Republican. As if that should matter. Someone who voted for Make America Great Again. Who voted for you, Mr. President!

No!

NO!

Hell, No!

I should not be forced to work for free for food. I should be given every means and opportunity to have my American Dream of sustainable income, peace, and prosperity. If I work for others, I should receive monetary compensation for hours worked above minimum wages because my experience, education, and zeal to achieve dictates it.

I suggest that you consider other suggestion before signing this Executive Order. I am willing to come to the White House and discuss other solutions so that the Americans you are trying to help get the help needed. For those that scam the system and abuse it will be the ones that you positively impact from the policies of your White House.

Come on, let's Make America Great Again! Not with a slogan. But by deed.

Humbly submitted.

Ms. Tabu Winslow Morris, MBA DBA Triumphant Athletic Agency