Welfare Reform

Former President Bill Clinton was booed when he signed the 1996 Act for Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation. In fact, a graffiti written in one of those Brooklyn ghettos directly insulted Clinton's face and his Monica Lewinsky affair. The bill was supposed to send welfare people to the employment world and teach them to earn their keep. The government provided some support programs such as training, placement, and employer subsidies.

Former President Bill Clinton was booed when he signed the 1996 Act for Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation. In fact, a graffiti written in one of those Brooklyn ghettos directly insulted Clinton's face and his Monica Lewinsky affair. The bill was supposed to send welfare people to the employment world and teach them to earn their keep. The government provided some support programs such as training, placement, and employer subsidies.

About the same time this bill took effect, millions of mothers with children out of wedlock struggled to find jobs and work outside of the cash aid and food stamp lines. Most of them were Black, Hispanic, and white Americans who have reached the ages of 30 and had several children to support. The kids get into Medicaid, while the unskilled parents went to dismal-paying jobs. Back in 1996, earning $6.50 per hour was sufficient, but no longer today. Still, these welfare dependents chose to either work or go back to school and get some training.

I could still see a lot of people lining up for food stamp goods and Medicaid. The bill didn't intend for these poor people to die hungry, but to teach them that the government cannot be responsible for financial support 24/7. Indigent people needed all the help they could get, but because they were poorly educated, they couldn't manage their lives well, resulting in bastard children with no fatherly support. The welfare reform forced them to hustle their butts and do something for their future and their children's.

Welfare reform, which was a major component of the 1994 Contract with America proposed by the House of Republicans, was opposed twice in the Congress before it was finally approved in 1996 during the administration of President Bill Clinton. Since its implementation, the new law has brought about dramatic developments throughout the country. Millions of citizens have shifted from welfare to work. Caseloads sharply decreased by 50%. More importantly, the rate of child poverty has fallen.

Then in April 2002, Chairman McKeon proposed the Working Toward Independence Act (H.R. 4090). The new bill, which was the 2nd stage of the welfare reform was approved in May 2002. The new law aimed at strengthening work requirements in order to open more opportunities for Americans. Moreover, it also encourages the various states to address the cognitive needs of kids in order to prepare them for school. The new law also aimed at boosting the fund for Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provided support to welfare recipients in the process of joining the workforce.

Florida is the fourth most populous state in America. In 1991, there were over 14 million inhabitants in the state that were recorded. To promote self-sufficiency, Florida provided income support programs through employment and training, subsidized child care, child support collection efforts, and health insurance coverage.

Included in the supports that Florida gives for its people is the Work and Gain Economic Self-Sufficiency (WAGES), which was enacted in October 1996. This Act was established to enforce the requirements of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and to promote work, encourage self-sufficiency, uplift personal responsibility, and provide time-limited assistance. The TANF legislation modified the state's welfare system; from receiving cash assistance to work required for time-limited help.

In 2000, when the Senate Bill 2050 was passed, the state's welfare delivery system replaced the WAGES program with the Welfare Transition (WT) program; helping the recipients to advance from welfare assistance to work. The legislation streamlined the Florida's labor and TANF programs under Workforce Florida, Inc. (WFI). At present, the welfare, employment services, and workforce are provided through One-Stop Career Centers.

Who cares about the welfare system of America? I do. Really, I must have blessed to be sheltered by a government that prioritizes its citizens rather than its political agenda. Does this sound like an opinion or exaggeration? I believe, and as far I could see, the reformed welfare system of America is beneficial to each and every legitimate US citizen.

One thing, as an entrepreneur, I am aware of the benefits I must provide my employees. I also am enjoying compensations from the government, since I pay my taxes honestly and regularly. The present welfare policy, if I am not mistaken, puts the family in the center of its implementation. This is good news, since American families these days are suffering from financial crisis due to lack of jobs for the parents which in turn results to not enough educational support for the children. Family is the basic unit of the community that greatly contributes to the welfare of the society. I realized that if we are not well compensated, we will lose the interest and will not be motivated for our country.

I still remember how the President spoke about marriage and work. The actual plan of the reformed welfare system is to promote marriages. You might be wondering just what the connection between marriage and welfare is. The effect of marriage in population will definitely test the effectivity of the new policy. I can not imagine how the President can confidently say that the administration can readily support millions of children in the next 30 years. Aside from providing health, medical, educational, and financial assistance, the reformed policy also opens opportunity for employment. This new policy brings good news. I just hope that it will work.