Social Welfare

Chapter 19Chapter 19Social WelfareSocial Welfare

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. How, if at all, have Americans’ views of How, if at all, have Americans’ views of

government’s responsibility to help the government’s responsibility to help the “deserving poor” changed over time?“deserving poor” changed over time?

2.2. Why are some government social Why are some government social welfare programs politically protected welfare programs politically protected while others are politically imperiled?while others are politically imperiled?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. What does the Constitution mean by What does the Constitution mean by

“promote the general Welfare”?“promote the general Welfare”?

2.2. Should religious groups be eligible to Should religious groups be eligible to administer some federal welfare administer some federal welfare programs?programs?

Two Kinds of Welfare ProgramsTwo Kinds of Welfare Programs

Majoritarian Politics/ProgramsMajoritarian Politics/Programs• Examples – Social Security, MedicareExamples – Social Security, Medicare• No means testNo means test• Biggest issue – costBiggest issue – cost

Client Politics/ProgramsClient Politics/Programs• Examples – Medicaid, Food StampsExamples – Medicaid, Food Stamps• Means testedMeans tested• Biggest issue – legitimacyBiggest issue – legitimacy


Social Welfare in the Social Welfare in the United StatesUnited States

United States compared to other United States compared to other nations:nations:

More restrictive view of who is More restrictive view of who is entitled to governmental entitled to governmental assistanceassistance

Slower to embrace the welfare Slower to embrace the welfare statestate

States play a large roleStates play a large role Nongovernmental Nongovernmental

organizations play a large roleorganizations play a large roleCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

Handicapped parking Handicapped parking signs are a common signs are a common reminder of the reminder of the government’sgovernment’sinterest in social interest in social welfare. p. 509welfare. p. 509

Alan Schlein Photography/Corbis

Figure 19.1 AFDC/TANF, Food Figure 19.1 AFDC/TANF, Food Stamps, and SSI RecipientsStamps, and SSI Recipients

1975-20061975-2006


Note: AFDC/TANF refers to Aid Note: AFDC/TANF refers to Aid to Families with Dependent to Families with Dependent Children/Children/Temporary Assistance for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; TANF Needy Families; TANF replaced AFDC after 1996. SSI replaced AFDC after 1996. SSI refers to Supplemental refers to Supplemental Security Income.Security Income.

Source: Adapted from U.S. Source: Adapted from U.S. Department of Health and Department of Health and Human Services, Human Services, Indicators of Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to CongressReport to Congress, 2006., 2006.

Social Welfare in theSocial Welfare in theUnited StatesUnited States

Charitable ChoiceCharitable Choice Majoritarian Welfare Programs: Majoritarian Welfare Programs:

Social Security and MedicareSocial Security and Medicare Reforming Majoritarian Welfare Reforming Majoritarian Welfare

ProgramsPrograms Client Welfare Programs: Aid to Client Welfare Programs: Aid to

Families with Dependent ChildrenFamilies with Dependent Children Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)



p. 511


In 1932, unemployed In 1932, unemployed workers line up at a soup workers line up at a soup kitchen during the Great kitchen during the Great Depression. Depression. Source: Topham/The Image Works. Source: Topham/The Image Works.

In 1934, Huey Long, the popular governor of In 1934, Huey Long, the popular governor of Louisiana, claimed that Roosevelt was not Louisiana, claimed that Roosevelt was not doing enough to help the common man. But doing enough to help the common man. But before he could become a serious threat to before he could become a serious threat to Roosevelt in the 1936 election, Long was Roosevelt in the 1936 election, Long was assassinated in 1935.assassinated in 1935.Source: Bettmann/CORBISSource: Bettmann/CORBIS


p. 514


President Lyndon Johnson (left) President Lyndon Johnson (left) signs the Medicare Act in 1965 signs the Medicare Act in 1965 in the company of Vice in the company of Vice President Hubert Humphrey President Hubert Humphrey (standing) and former (standing) and former president Harry S. Truman president Harry S. Truman (right). (right). Source: Lyndon Baines Source: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library/National ArchivesJohnson Library/National Archives

Mitt Romney, then the Mitt Romney, then the Republican governor of Republican governor of Massachusetts, signs a bill Massachusetts, signs a bill requiring every state resident requiring every state resident to have health insurance.to have health insurance.Source: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesSource: Joe Raedle/Getty Images


Source: Knowledge Networks, survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,514 adults age twenty-one Source: Knowledge Networks, survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,514 adults age twenty-one and older, conducted January 19–29, 2007, as reported in and older, conducted January 19–29, 2007, as reported in Retirement Security Survey Report Retirement Security Survey Report (Washington, (Washington, D.C.: American Association of RetiredD.C.: American Association of Retired Persons, February 2007); and Public Agenda Foundation, “Social Persons, February 2007); and Public Agenda Foundation, “Social Security: Bills and Proposals,” 2007, at Security: Bills and Proposals,” 2007, at http://www.publicagenda. org/issues/major proposals, citing a January 2005 survey by the Pew Research Center of the Pew Charitable Trusts.


Source: Laurence Source: Laurence Kotlilkoff and Christian Kotlilkoff and Christian Hagist, National Bureau of Hagist, National Bureau of Economic Research, Economic Research, Working paper no. 11833, Working paper no. 11833, 2005, reporting OECD 2005, reporting OECD data and rounded data and rounded averages for the period averages for the period 1970–2002, as1970–2002, ascited in National Center cited in National Center for Policy Analysis, for Policy Analysis, Health Health Care Spending TrendsCare Spending Trends, , 2004, table 1.2004, table 1.


When members of When members of Congress went home in Congress went home in August 2009, they August 2009, they encountered a long line encountered a long line of voters angry over the of voters angry over the health care debate. health care debate. Source: Bradley C Bower/AP Source: Bradley C Bower/AP PhotoPhoto

A girl looks on as her mother A girl looks on as her mother displays food stamps.displays food stamps.Source: A. Ramey/PhotoEditSource: A. Ramey/PhotoEdit

Majoritarian versus Client Majoritarian versus Client PoliticsPolitics

Majoritarian PoliticsMajoritarian Politics Client PoliticsClient Politics Service StrategyService Strategy – A policy providing – A policy providing

education and job training to help lift people education and job training to help lift people out of povertyout of poverty

Income Strategy - Income Strategy - A policy giving money A policy giving money

to help lift people out of poverty to help lift people out of poverty


M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: Ursula Marx, Senate Committee chairUrsula Marx, Senate Committee chair

From: From: Cindy Fried, senior staff memberCindy Fried, senior staff member

Subject: Subject: Universal Health Care LegislationUniversal Health Care Legislation

You and the committee have two fairly distinct sets ofYou and the committee have two fairly distinct sets of

options on this universal health care package.options on this universal health care package.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. With more than 47 million Americans, or one in seven, 1. With more than 47 million Americans, or one in seven, lacking health care coverage, the government needs to lacking health care coverage, the government needs to enact far-reaching reform to ensure that everyone receives enact far-reaching reform to ensure that everyone receives quality medical care.quality medical care.

2. The soaring cost of health care (which is expected to reach 2. The soaring cost of health care (which is expected to reach approximately one-fifth of the federal budget in the next approximately one-fifth of the federal budget in the next decade) can be contained only by a public system that has decade) can be contained only by a public system that has the power to set prices and control costs.the power to set prices and control costs.

3. Universal health care is a logical expansion of the Medicare 3. Universal health care is a logical expansion of the Medicare and Medicaid programs created in 1965; nearly half a and Medicaid programs created in 1965; nearly half a century later, health care should be a fundamental right century later, health care should be a fundamental right guaranteed for everyone who lives in the United States.guaranteed for everyone who lives in the United States.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. Though many people lack health insurance, most of them 1. Though many people lack health insurance, most of them get health care in hospital emergency rooms and from get health care in hospital emergency rooms and from doctors who donate their services.doctors who donate their services.

2. Medical services in the United States are the best in the 2. Medical services in the United States are the best in the world, and government controls on costs will serve only to world, and government controls on costs will serve only to reduce the quality of care available.reduce the quality of care available.

3. In an era of budget deficits and trillions of dollars in national 3. In an era of budget deficits and trillions of dollars in national debt, the United States cannot afford to expand social debt, the United States cannot afford to expand social welfare programs.welfare programs.



Your decision:Your decision:

Support?Support?

Oppose?Oppose?



Social Welfare

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