James L. Payne

James L. Payne is the author of Overcoming Welfare: Expecting More from the Poor—and from Ourselves. He asserts in the following viewpoint that welfare recipients are cheating the government out of billions of dollars each year through the abuse of welfare programs. Many welfare recipients have income through full- or part-time jobs or from boyfriends and family members that makes them ineligible for public assistance. Payne contends that recipients illegally sell food stamps in order to buy beer, cigarettes, and drugs. In the author’s opinion, welfare officials ignore welfare fraud out of fear that a perception of waste will lead to funding cutbacks that could jeopardize their own jobs.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. In the author’s opinion, why is there pressure on welfare officials...