The
Republican
War on
Welfare
By Huda Alnasir
November 23, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- Remember welfare? The GOP certainly does. Judging by recent statements made by top Republicans, they sure seem to miss the issue, and luckily they've found a few talking points. While poll after poll has shown that the American Public sympathizes with the poor, this tune drastically changes it comes to using government policies to lift them out of poverty. This week, Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House decided to label President Elect Obama's tax plan "welfare". The Republicans have since the Reagan Era waged war on those under welfare. Welfare Queen anyone?
The problem for Republicans is they already reformed welfare, thus losing a major political issue. It was such an easy sell, and so rewarding at the polls. All they had to do was convince working- and middle-class families that while they were slaving away and paying taxes, there were shiftless minorities and poor whites having babies, using drugs, and watching television on their dime.
Welfare reform tends to be composed of recycling the same set of measures that ultimately serve the interests of middle-class voters rather than meeting the needs of poor families Subsequently few of these programs have successfully targeted a reduction in poverty as their primary goal. Republican policies for welfare reform are based on myths rather than realities. They build off incorrect stereotypes of those receiving government aid. Because of the failure of such policies 35 to 40 percent of those who get off welfare are likely to return.
These stereotypes captivate the American mind, they are powerful, yet at the same time they are based on half truths. Welfare will not lift anyone out of poverty, and it certainly is not an excess in anyway. So, why is the Republican party trying to have us run for cover every time the word welfare is mentioned? More importantly, why do they have the audacity to label an Obama plan for tax credits as "welfare" ?
During the 2008 campaign for the GOP nomination, the wolf in sheep's clothing came out again. Acting as if they were from Main Street, a majority of the candidates claimed that government social spending is flawed. Not surprisingly, they blamed unmarried couples for poverty and planned to make life better for America's 37 million poor through a combination of welfare cuts, lower taxes for the rich and strong Christian family values. Redistributing the income is also a very unpatriotic thing according to the right wingers, after all, what's wrong with taxing the middle class into infinity and then bailing out the Wall Street billionaires with that same money.
Speaking of the bailout, wouldn't Newt Gingrich label that as a 'welfare' also? Wait a minute Newt, what are you doing that is as difficult as those who work two jobs to make ends meet, and contributes to America, that we shouldn't call your tax cut "welfare"?
During the Reagan Era, Americans were drilled with the message that we must become 'self sufficient'. As Governor of California, Reagan said: "Here in California," he warned, "nearly a million children are growing up in the stultifying atmosphere of programs that reward people for not working, programs that separate families and doom these children to repeat the cycle in their own adulthood." Not working, okay got it. So, why exactly did we reward the corporate friends of the Republican party for not working with a 700 Billion Dollar Bailout? Now we have welfare queens of Wall Street begging for another bail out while spending all our money at the country club.
Huda Alnasir is a student at the University of Michigan and a writer for http://www.islamicinsights.com/ , a weekly publication in North America.
By Huda Alnasir
November 23, 2008 "Information Clearinghouse" -- Remember welfare? The GOP certainly does. Judging by recent statements made by top Republicans, they sure seem to miss the issue, and luckily they've found a few talking points. While poll after poll has shown that the American Public sympathizes with the poor, this tune drastically changes it comes to using government policies to lift them out of poverty. This week, Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House decided to label President Elect Obama's tax plan "welfare". The Republicans have since the Reagan Era waged war on those under welfare. Welfare Queen anyone?
The problem for Republicans is they already reformed welfare, thus losing a major political issue. It was such an easy sell, and so rewarding at the polls. All they had to do was convince working- and middle-class families that while they were slaving away and paying taxes, there were shiftless minorities and poor whites having babies, using drugs, and watching television on their dime.
Welfare reform tends to be composed of recycling the same set of measures that ultimately serve the interests of middle-class voters rather than meeting the needs of poor families Subsequently few of these programs have successfully targeted a reduction in poverty as their primary goal. Republican policies for welfare reform are based on myths rather than realities. They build off incorrect stereotypes of those receiving government aid. Because of the failure of such policies 35 to 40 percent of those who get off welfare are likely to return.
These stereotypes captivate the American mind, they are powerful, yet at the same time they are based on half truths. Welfare will not lift anyone out of poverty, and it certainly is not an excess in anyway. So, why is the Republican party trying to have us run for cover every time the word welfare is mentioned? More importantly, why do they have the audacity to label an Obama plan for tax credits as "welfare" ?
During the 2008 campaign for the GOP nomination, the wolf in sheep's clothing came out again. Acting as if they were from Main Street, a majority of the candidates claimed that government social spending is flawed. Not surprisingly, they blamed unmarried couples for poverty and planned to make life better for America's 37 million poor through a combination of welfare cuts, lower taxes for the rich and strong Christian family values. Redistributing the income is also a very unpatriotic thing according to the right wingers, after all, what's wrong with taxing the middle class into infinity and then bailing out the Wall Street billionaires with that same money.
Speaking of the bailout, wouldn't Newt Gingrich label that as a 'welfare' also? Wait a minute Newt, what are you doing that is as difficult as those who work two jobs to make ends meet, and contributes to America, that we shouldn't call your tax cut "welfare"?
During the Reagan Era, Americans were drilled with the message that we must become 'self sufficient'. As Governor of California, Reagan said: "Here in California," he warned, "nearly a million children are growing up in the stultifying atmosphere of programs that reward people for not working, programs that separate families and doom these children to repeat the cycle in their own adulthood." Not working, okay got it. So, why exactly did we reward the corporate friends of the Republican party for not working with a 700 Billion Dollar Bailout? Now we have welfare queens of Wall Street begging for another bail out while spending all our money at the country club.
Huda Alnasir is a student at the University of Michigan and a writer for http://www.islamicinsights.com/ , a weekly publication in North America.
