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Poverty and Welfare. Kelechi Iwuaba, Ben Wright, Weston Upchurch. Entitlement programs Government aid to poor. History of Welfare. Colonies and British Poor Laws Unable to work received help Able but unemployed given public service employment 1880s and 1890s Less dependent on gov’t
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Poverty and Welfare Kelechi Iwuaba, Ben Wright, Weston Upchurch
Entitlement programs • Government aid to poor
History of Welfare • Colonies and British Poor Laws • Unable to work received help • Able but unemployed given public service employment • 1880s and 1890s • Less dependent on gov’t • Caseworkers trained unemployed in morals and work ethic • FDR and Great Depression • 1935 Social Security Act • Created numerous welfare programs • Unemployment compensation and AFDC still around • Agencies were created to oversee the welfare programs • Clinton • Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act • Each state receives fixed amount of money to run own welfare program • Must find work within two years or lose benefits • Maximum of 5 years
Policymaking Actions • Legislative- make laws • Many committees • Ex. • Finance Committee • Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee • Ways and Means Committee • Executive- carry out • Bureaucracy/ governmental workers • Judicial- interpret laws • Sort out problems
Non-Governmental Groups • Special Interest Groups • Influence elected officials through lobbying for a specific policy • Examples: • Association of Community Organization for Reform Now (ACORN) • Bread for the World
Impact on American Public • Welfare is the largest burden on the government • Taxes are increased to help fund • The poor get government assistance • Entitlement Programs- “social insurance”
Modern Welfare • Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act • Basically reformed Welfare to a certain degree • Goal was to end long-term dependence on welfare programs • Shifted some of federal government’s roles to states and cut benefits • Recent Health Care Bill • Increases the amount of money spent on Medicare and Medicaid • Expands the area that the money is spent on most people will be able to qualify for its benefits
Analysis • Kelechi • Welfare should be made more job oriented • Money should not be given for doing nothing except if injured and unable to work not unemployed. • Weston • Tax payers should not pay for those who do not do anything to help the country • Ben • Welfare should be completely done away with • Not needed
Work Cited • http://www.welfareinfo.org/history/ • http://www.votesmart.org/issue_group.php?type=category&category=67&go2.x=9&go2.y=15 • http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/s/social_welfare.asp • http://acct.tamu.edu/smith/ethics/taxes.htm • http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0861156.html • http://www.dnet.congress.org/congressorg/directory/committees.tt?show=all • Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy Textbook (Edwards)