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Social Welfare

Social Welfare. Wilson 19. Objective Questions. Who Governs? . To What Ends?. How, if at all, have Americans’ views of government’s responsibility to help the “deserving poor” changed over time?

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Social Welfare

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  1. Social Welfare Wilson 19

  2. Objective Questions Who Governs? To What Ends? How, if at all, have Americans’ views of government’s responsibility to help the “deserving poor” changed over time? Why are some government social welfare programs politically protected while others are politically imperiled? What does the Constitution mean by “promote the general welfare”? Should religious groups be eligible to administer some federal welfare programs?

  3. Nature of Social Welfare • Purpose of the chapter is to explain the key features of the 2 kinds of programs • Majoritarian: SS and Medicare • No means test, debate costs • Benefits > costs and legitimate role of government • Client Politics: Medicaid, food stamps • Means tested, debate legitimacy • Hidden or small costs and deserving clients • Many other programs

  4. Major Social Welfare Programs No Means Test Means Tested Social Security Medicare Unemployment Insurance Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Supplemental Security Income Food Stamps Medicaid Earned Income Tax Credit

  5. US view of Welfare • More restrictive view of those who deserve it • Slower to embrace a welfare state • Insist that states play a large role in managing • Nongovernmental organizations play large role • Deserving vs. undeserving poor • Fair share of national income • Money vs. in-kind benefits • Charitable choice laws • Executive Office of Faith Based Initiative

  6. Majoritarian Policies • Great Depression emergency measures • Cabinet Committee on Economic Security • Insurance program • Assistance program • Social Security Act – 1935 • Politics of socialized medicine • Adding Medicare – 1965 • Democratic majorities in Congress • Johnson’s election

  7. Saving an Ailing System • From 16:1 to 2:1 • Risks in private stock markets • Inefficiencies in public health care • Al Gore “lock box” • Bush prescription drug plan • Medicare Modernization Act – 2003 • Privatization • Universal Healthcare • Romney/Kennedy • “Obamacare”

  8. Client Welfare Policies • AFDC – 1935 • States administer under federal rules • Earned Income Tax Credit • Believed to encourage ‘bad behavior’ • Cost and legitimacy critics • Clients changed from widows to never-married • TANF – 1996 • State block grant program • Service strategy preferred to an income strategy

  9. Reforming Majoritarian Education Programs • Comprehensive public education • Historically Democratic issue • Republicans and school vouchers • Market-based solution to the problem of underperforming schools in poor areas • No child Left Behind – Bush • Performance based • Funding to top schools • Race to the Top - Obama • Money to underperforming schools

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