🚀 go-pugleaf

Mohit K Goyal (goyal@utdallas.edu) wrote:
> : |> and does nothing about entitlements!
> : I don't have a copy of the Contract handy, but I recall there being some
> : kind of welfare reform in there.

> Welfare currently takes up a whopping **1%** of the federal
> budget.  Welfare reform will in all likelihood, end up costing more
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> than the current system.                        
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, this was true in BOTH the Republican and Democratic welfare reform 
bills.  That's because the cheapest thing to do is cut checks.  Training, 
daycare, workfare slots, etc., all cost more than cutting checks.  Even 
if you totally eliminate welfare instantaneously, you would probably 
still have to spend more: in the short run on foster care, in the long 
run on juvenile detention facilities and prisons.

--

-- Paul A. Jargowsky (jargo @ utdallas.edu)   214-690-2992 (Voice)
   Assistant Professor of Political Economy   214-690-2735 (Fax)
   University of Texas at Dallas