Larry Knight
History 122: U.S. History II
December 1, 2016
The Positive Impacts of Welfare Reform The Positive Impacts of Welfare Reform In 1996, then President Bill Clinton passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). The Aid to Dependent Children (AFDC), a federal entitlement program, was replaced by the welfare reform legislation with a block grant, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) that went to the states. This paper will discuss the changes that have been made to the welfare system under this new law and why welfare reform has been a much-needed step in the right direction. Finally, the paper will give an example of how one model county is approaching …show more content…
I believe that any unemployed, able-bodied person, no matter their skill level, should actively look for work and at least attempt to become self-sufficient. There are always extenuating circumstances, but being employed raises your self-esteem and makes you feel like a contributing member of society. I have experienced hardship and I was a single-mother for over 8 years. I was a welfare recipient before the enactment of welfare reform and was determined to use the resources given to me to become a productive member of society. There are even more options available to those on welfare after 1996. Let’s face it; the welfare system has needed an overhaul for …show more content…
This made it essential to put efforts and money towards educating and training those on public aid. Before 1996, there was not really an incentive to motivate people to go to work and get off welfare because any money they earned was taken directly off the amount of aid they would receive. So, why should someone on welfare take a minimum wage job when they could stay on aid, get the same amount, and not have to work? Since the reform, the incentive has improved, but only slightly. Now, for every dollar gained in extra earnings, people loose around 40 cents in benefits. However, if you add that to the other benefits like food stamps and medical, the picture looks a little brighter. In my opinion, this is still an improvement that should be
History 122: U.S. History II
December 1, 2016
The Positive Impacts of Welfare Reform The Positive Impacts of Welfare Reform In 1996, then President Bill Clinton passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). The Aid to Dependent Children (AFDC), a federal entitlement program, was replaced by the welfare reform legislation with a block grant, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) that went to the states. This paper will discuss the changes that have been made to the welfare system under this new law and why welfare reform has been a much-needed step in the right direction. Finally, the paper will give an example of how one model county is approaching …show more content…
I believe that any unemployed, able-bodied person, no matter their skill level, should actively look for work and at least attempt to become self-sufficient. There are always extenuating circumstances, but being employed raises your self-esteem and makes you feel like a contributing member of society. I have experienced hardship and I was a single-mother for over 8 years. I was a welfare recipient before the enactment of welfare reform and was determined to use the resources given to me to become a productive member of society. There are even more options available to those on welfare after 1996. Let’s face it; the welfare system has needed an overhaul for …show more content…
This made it essential to put efforts and money towards educating and training those on public aid. Before 1996, there was not really an incentive to motivate people to go to work and get off welfare because any money they earned was taken directly off the amount of aid they would receive. So, why should someone on welfare take a minimum wage job when they could stay on aid, get the same amount, and not have to work? Since the reform, the incentive has improved, but only slightly. Now, for every dollar gained in extra earnings, people loose around 40 cents in benefits. However, if you add that to the other benefits like food stamps and medical, the picture looks a little brighter. In my opinion, this is still an improvement that should be