Welfare

I’m posting this topic because it has almost entirely disappeared from public discussion since Clinton left office. It amazes me that it was completely absent from the Presidential campaigns (shame on you, John Kerry and George Bush). 35.9 million people are in poverty in the US and that number is rising (by 1.3 billion over the last year). Sadly, children account for most of that increase (rose from 16.7 to 17.6 percent in 2003). I also think that it’s important to discuss this because it demonstrates some of the basic attitudes that I think, unfortunately, separate Republicans and Democrats.

The current welfare program, TANF (click here for a comprehensive journal article on the program), has been in place since 1996/1997. It implemented new work requirements for welfare recipients and transferred much of the program implementation responsibilities to states and counties. While the effectiveness and merits of the new program, which dramatically reformed the previous welfare system, can be debated endlessly, I’d like to focus on the more basic questions behind the program. However, I expect that much of the discussion, if there is one, will inevitably turn to the merits of the current program. For a great resource on the current program, check out this page by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Among the many questions worth considering, here are some of the following I’d like to address. I hope some of our Republican readers can chime in here to give us an understanding of their view on this issue:

1. Why are people in poverty in this country to begin with? Is it a problem created by sociological and historical phenomena? Is the reason rooted in cultural aspects related to certain groups of people? Who’s responsible for their situations? Are they responsible? Are they entirely responsible?

2. By implementing new work requirements, is there an assumption that the problem with welfare recipients–ALL recipients, like people with substance abuse problems, people with mental illnesses, restrictions to infrastructure, etc.–is that they’re being apathetic towards working? In other words, is the primary problem with welfare recipients a lack of will to work?

3. Is it feasible that people in poverty–ALL types of people–can enroll and sustain participation in current welfare programs and subsequently move out of poverty as a result (notice I said move out of poverty, not move off of welfare, which is quite different. While people continue to move off welfare, the poverty rate continues to rise. Most states don’t track what happens to people when they move off welfare, even if they complete the necessary requirements while in the program).