Monday, July 18, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com C, 4Cfirt~t-pn DA STEVEN BRAID I World Cup wonder Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu 0 BETHANY BIRON EDITOR IN CHIEF MARK BURNS MANAGING EDITOR TEDDY PAPES EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflectthe official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Stymying support Michigan shouldn't cut funding to welfare recipients Michigan is in a critical economic position. It's no secret that the state is facing vast deficit problems, but the measures the current government are tak- ing to address them seem to ignore the fact that the citizens of Michigan are also facing the same problems. Last week, the Michigan State Senate passed a bill to put a 48-month lifetime limit on the state's welfare programs in order to cut govern- mental spending. At a time when many Americans, especially those from Michigan are struggle to find a job, let alone gain- ful income for their families, this legislation couldn't be less appropriate. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder must not sign this bill into law. There's something magical about the FIFA World Cup. How else do you explain a nation passionately supporting a sport that it has little to no interest in dur- ing the in-between years? Paling in comparison to other sports' fan base during the non-World Cup years, the soccer fandom in America sud- denly comes to life at the sight of seeing the red, white and blue take on the world. Whether watching the men or women's team, Ameri- cans find themselves sitting on the edge of their seat during every World Cup game. Most American sports fans will say they like watching soccer. But if they were at home in search of some good quality time with their televi- sion and a sports game, the sport of choice probably wouldn't be soccer. Given the choice between watch- ing the Major League Soccer or any other sport, most people would choose the NFL, NBA, MLB or even the NHL. Most Americans would probably prefer to watch at least half a dozen other sports before being forced to watch MLS. But why is it that when USA is competing in the World Cup, the sport has America's full attentioni Sports fans who couldn't care less about soccer suddenly have up-to- date knowledge of the sport and think they are expert analysts and strategists. Non-sports fans are suddenly intrigued by sports and delighted to be able to participate in water-cooler conversations at work. Not only do non-sports fans rise from the dead during the World Cup, but there also isn't another sporting event that ignites such enthusiasm and fervor among them. Everyone knows what Brandi Chastain did in 1999. Her penalty kick goal that won the Women's World Cup and her celebratory dis- robing is an iconic moment in Amer- ican sports. And any person with a capable memory won't be forgetting what Landon Donovan did any time soon. His dramatic goal against Algeria during the group stage of last year's World Cuphadthe whole nation run- ning around their houses screaming with pride and excitement. And now, Abby Wambach is the latest soccer player to receive instant fame through the World Cup. Her miraculous header against Brazil mesmerized the nation and cemented her into American sports lore, as athletes and even the presi- dent tweeted about her goal. Her repeat performances against France and Japan only made the legend grow. So what exactly is it about the World Cup that gets America watching? Well, it definitely has nothing to do with our love for the sport, that's for sure. Some might answer that we're enthralled because of our patrio- tism. But when's the last time a United States National team was as celebrated as when the men's or women's national soccer team is in the World Cup? It definitely wasn't the USA Basketball team - nick- named the "Redeem Team" - that finally won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics after countless failed efforts at various interna- tional events. Nor was it the USA women's soccer team that won the gold medal at the last two summer Olympics, two achievements that received little fanfare. You might have to goallthe back to the 1980 Olympics, when the Unit- ed States Hockey team won the gold medal at Lake Placid, to find a time when most Americans were invest- ing so much effort into following a national team. But still, they were mainly celebrated for just beating the Soviet Union, our cold war rivals and hockey powerhouse. While the Olympics might have us all cheering for USA, the multi- tude of events divides our unity. The FIFA World Cup is different. Our undivided attention is focused on soccer, and soccer only. The com- petition electrifies the whole nation, creating an inextinguishable unity. During group stage games, fans are preoccupied by soccer, glued to their televisions. And during Knock-out round games, American flags and USA soccer jerseys can be seen draping even the most casual fans. We watch because it unites us. In unity, we all watched USA's agonizing defeat to Japan. It was a crushing blow, but also a feel-good story. For Japan, the win lifted the spirits and hopes of a nation that had been crushed by disaster. It brought immense joy to a country that hasn't had many reasons to smile of late. So maybe there is something mag- ical about this tournament after all. Steven Braid is a Daily sports writer. The new lifetime limit will not only affect future recipients of welfare, but also the current families who receive benefits. No families will be grandfa- thered in and those who expect- ed to receive benefits into the next year will suddenly see their monthly income drop by an aver- age of $515. 12,600 families will lose benefits on Oct. 1 and the majority of the people affected will be children. Many adults in this program already have jobs and are struggling to re-enter or stay in the workforce, but can- not earn enough money to sup- port their families. These are not people who should be cut off from welfare. Officially, the national unem- ployment rate is just under 10 percent. But most economists estimate that the percentage of people who do not have full-time jobs or are not currently seek- ing work is closer to 15 percent. At a time when even the most experienced professionals are out of work and filling jobs they are overqualified for, it's going to be extremely difficult for low- income families to find employ- ment that provides enough money to cover their basic cost of living. The current economic crisis has placed many people in a financial situation that they couldn't antici- pate. They're not just freeload- ers, as some lawmakers suggest. Many of these people are victims of recent economic troubles and abruptly slashing their income supplements could be disastrous. These are families with children, and cutting them off from welfare is one of the most callous ways for the state to save money. Welfare has been reformed and adjusted since its inception. Unfortunately, there will always be people who take advantage of loopholes in governmental ben- efits if they can. There is good language in the current welfare bill that disallows the spending of benefits onthings like alcohol and the lottery, but this hardly makes up for the detriment it imposes on struggling families. Michigan's welfare system may need further revision, but reducing lifetime limits at a time like this is the wrong solution to save money. Democrats suggested providing exceptions to the 48-month limit in communities where unemploy- ment is greater than 25 percent, but Republicans passed on the offer. Michigan citizens deserve more than a tough-luck attitude from its government. This aus- tere legislation will cost Michigan families and children far more than the government will save.