Federalism in Welfare Programs Essay

The United States is often referred to as a ‘reluctant welfare state.’ There are various reasons for this description. One of the primary reasons for this is the differences and diversity of the political parties which are the motivating forces that control government. The Liberal Party, for instance supports government safety nets and social service programs for those in need. “Liberals believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all.” ("Studentnews," 2006) They believe it is the responsibility of government to ensure that the needs of all citizens are met, and to intervene to solve problems. The responsibility of government is to alleviate social ills, to protect civil liberties and sustain individual

Federal Government has the ability to create positive change in many social welfare systems. The support of the government ultimately determines the success of a social welfare program. They play an important role in the decisions of how funds are allocated and the importance of these various vulnerable populations. The federal government is used as a tool, to help implement and support social welfare programs. However, from my own opinion, it is sometimes lacking in the proper support needed in many aspects. This is caused by a plethora of reasons, not to say that the government is completely unsupportive. Yet, there may be a gap in the perception of these social issues. The government puts in place laws, regulations, system structures, and so on. Therefore, because the government are the implementers of how our country is ran, it is their responsibility to be a main facets in the support of the gaps that inevitably occur. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to understand the needs of these population’s and the reality of their hardships. Most in a position of power, such as the federal government, have not experienced the severity of the many situations, that results in individuals needing assistance from these social welfare programs. Moreover, it is essential that there is outreach to these populations. All the same, getting a more realistic view of the life in these contexts. For instance, the time cap of being on assistance throughout one’s

One example of when the National Government withheld funding to the states was during the No Child Left Behind Act. This Act tells us that if the school fails to comply with these conditions that the Government can and will take away the funding. Taking away this funding can destroy a school. The funding they give helps keep the school running by giving the kids everything they need

The welfare system first came into action during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Unemployed citizens needed federal assistance to escape the reality of severe poverty. The welfare system supplies families with services such as: food stamps, medicaid, and housing among others. The welfare system has played a vital role in the US, in controlling the amount of poverty to a certain level. Sadly, the system has been abused and taken for granted by citizens across the country. The welfare system was previously controlled by the federal government until 1996; the federal government handed over the responsibility to the states in hope of reducing welfare abuse. However, this change has not prevented folks from scamming the system. The

In 1996 the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant was created as a way to provide assistance to needy families and to end the dependence on government benefits through encouraging job preparation, marriage with the formation of two parent families, and work. In reality, TANF has created a weakened safety net and provides less protection for individuals facing poverty. It grants less assistance than before to lessen poverty and the hardship that comes along with it. The policy has become more of a Band-Aid that is continually ripped off due to its sanctions and requirements revealing the same deeper issues that were there in the first place. Families are stuck in a hole of poverty where they cannot climb out of, and policies like TANF help to maintain it. Since the year 2000, poverty in the U.S has been on the rise, especially the increase in deep poverty. The number of families in deep poverty rose from 2.7 million to 3 million between 1996 and 2013. This is an extremely important issue that we are currently facing in our country. More time and effort needs to be spent on both the creation and reformation of policies like TANF to help combat this rising issue in our country.

Categorical Grants: Categorical grants are defined as Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport. In other words, categorial grants are the federal grants of money that require the money to be spent on one single project. Categorical grants allow for guidance on what the money is to be spent on. The federal government has more control over the money and what it is to be spent on. Due to this other aspects of the state government are not improved on due to the funds not being able to be put into other categorical programs or projects that are needed. The state government has to somewhat pay back what money the federal government gave them and this is why the amounts given are small amounts of money. An example of categorical grants is when money is to be put into school lunch programs and not to be spent on books or supplies for the

This paper discusses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program that was established in 1996. It examines the development and goals of the policy as well as addresses the target population that benefits from this program. A review of the agencies associated with TANF and the benefits the program provides to its clients is also given. In addition, the funding sources of TANF are addressed. Lastly, it examines the social issue this program is meant to address.

Mandates have been used to expand the power of the federal government over the states. Mandates have forced states to apply policy even if they didn’t really agree to it. So the government use this technique to make states into doing

There are some differences and similarity between the State and Federal budget. The Federal budget is bigger than the State budget. The federal government have the sovereign bank. The Federal government have the ability to print additional money when the need arises. The federal budget needs not balance revenues and expenditures for each fiscal year. At the subnational level, appropriations must not exceed revenues in the State budget. This creates restriction which is mandated for almost all the state and local finances. “This imposes a discipline at state and local government which the federal government may chronically evade. States cope by setting aside reserves in good years to hopefully cover deficits in bad revenue years” (n.d., 2012).

Poverty has been a problem in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for years. The introduction of TANF seemed to be a hopeful new start for families in need, but what has TANF really instituted and accomplished? After years of a system of welfare “recipients” gaining cash assistance from the government, the new system was meant to inspire welfare “participants” to actively work in order to earn their cash assistance. While TANF has been implemented across the country, it’s effect on Milwaukee has yet to show any great significance. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is simply a reformation of the welfare system with stringent work requirements, yet lacking the employment opportunities and resources necessary to accomplish its broad range of goals, ultimately to the disadvantage of those dependent on it.

57). Before the Great Depression of the thirties, the popular opinion was that the federal government should not be heavily involved in providing social welfare. However, the urbanization and industrialization of the early twentieth century, as well as the economic pressure of the 1930s, proved to be more than what state and local governments or private organizations could provide for. These pressures gave way for President Franklin D. Roosevelt to lead America into the New Deal. This included the creation of the U.S. Social Security Program, unemployment assistance, and needs-tested assistance (Salamon 1999, p.58). Roosevelt’s New Deal still left limited coverage, limited funding, and left much of the delivery of social service to state and local governments. Even with all the changes that have occurred in federal programs and policy over the years, Salamon shows that combined state and local governments continued to nearly match the amount of federal spending from 1950 through 1994 (p.59). This again reflects the tension and nature of the American system, which was intended to lean on the strength of the public to innovate and provide for itself. The debate over the amount of government involvement in providing assistance for Americans is still a very important issue as it relates to the role of nonprofit organizations in American society.

I believe that people who are in need should get the proper assistance they deserve. In high school, I volunteered at a soup kitchen and saw how children struggled to obtain their basic needs and in some essence, loss a piece of their childhood. I support TANF especially since it helps families, which includes aiding children who do not have the ability to support themselves. It is hard for me to see the children suffer especially since it is no fault of their own.

United States Government Welfare began in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt thought of this system as an aid for low-income families whose men were off to war, or injured while at war. The welfare system proved to be beneficial early on by giving families temporary aid, just enough to help them accommodate their family’s needs. Fast forward almost 90 years, and it has become apparent that this one once helpful system, has become flawed. Welfare itself and the ideologies it stands on, contains decent fundamentals; furthermore, this system of aid needs only to be reformed to better meet the needs of today’s society.

The funds from the bill were to be allocated to different projects that were designed to create jobs. Part of this was a distribution of the funds to states based on how effectively they would use the funds (Chenn). In an article quoted by Chenn, Daniel Wilson says that the bill is aimed at states that are in need of funds, therefore they will spend the money

The United States federal government spent about $16.5 billion dollars each year to support the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (“Policy” 2). This program, established in 1996, provides a block grant to the states, which use these funds to operate their own programs.