Cons Of the Welfare Reform

             Trying to decide if the nation's current experiment with welfare reform is good or bad can be a rather perplexing problem for the average individual. Read one article, and it sounds as if welfare reform is a boon both to the nation and its lowest socioeconomic class. On the other hand, read another article and it sounds as if we have collectively hardened our hearts and transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge-let them die and decrease the surplus population.

             On closer scrutiny, it would appear that both views contain some truth-how much is still debatable. The key seems to lie in which particular subset of the welfare rolls that one is addressing. For example, one article spoke glowingly about a program under the new system in which the administrator provided the means for job training and matched welfare recipients to the right job. The story of "Jim" was typical of those reported in the article. .

             Jim, age 19, has 2 kids, and little education. He is aided by the administrator of this program in 1) finding a better place to live-in a better neighborhood; 2) being placed in a good job with on-the-job training; that 3) resulted in a promotion within months to a decent salary with benefits (Haskins 62). This administrator noticed that there was a big demand for forklift operators in his area, so he arranged for a local college to design and present a four day course in forklift operation and that resulted in more job placements (Haskins 62). .

             While this article makes it sound as it the thrust of welfare reform is to place people in jobs, other articles disagreed. One writer stated that long "term training and education are discouraged and in some states virtually prohibited" (Albelda 15). This brings up the question of exactly what is being referred to by the term "welfare reform." .

             The Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), a federal entitlement program, was replaced by welfare reform legislation with a block grant, Temporary Assistance to Needy families (TANF) that went to the states (Tilly 15).

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