chapter 19 social welfare. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.how, if at all,...

Chapter 19Chapter 19Social WelfareSocial Welfare

Copyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. How, if at all, have AmericansHow, if at all, have Americans’’ views of views of

governmentgovernment’’s responsibility to help the s responsibility to help the ““deserving poordeserving poor”” changed over time? changed over time?

2.2. Why are some government social Why are some government social welfare programs politically protected welfare programs politically protected while others are politically imperiled?while others are politically imperiled?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. What does the Constitution mean by What does the Constitution mean by

““promote the general Welfarepromote the general Welfare””??

2.2. Should religious groups be eligible to Should religious groups be eligible to administer some federal welfare administer some federal welfare programs?programs?


RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom

Two Kinds of Social Welfare Two Kinds of Social Welfare ProgramsPrograms

Majoritarian Politics/ProgramsMajoritarian Politics/Programs• Examples – Social Security, MedicareExamples – Social Security, Medicare• No means testNo means test• Biggest issue – costBiggest issue – cost

Client Politics/ProgramsClient Politics/Programs• Examples – Medicaid, Food StampsExamples – Medicaid, Food Stamps• Means testedMeans tested• Biggest issue – legitimacyBiggest issue – legitimacy


Social Welfare in the Social Welfare in the United StatesUnited States

United States compared to other United States compared to other nations:nations:

More restrictive view of who is More restrictive view of who is entitled to governmental entitled to governmental assistanceassistance

Slower to embrace the welfare Slower to embrace the welfare statestate

States play a large roleStates play a large role Nongovernmental Nongovernmental

organizations play a large roleorganizations play a large roleCopyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage


The attorneys general of several states have filed suit challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care law. Here supporters of the law denounce the Washington state attorney general for joining the suit.

AP Images

Social Welfare in the U. S.Social Welfare in the U. S.

Who Benefits?Who Benefits?• Separating the Separating the ““deservingdeserving”” from the from the

““undeservingundeserving”” poor poor• Redistribution to produce fair sharesRedistribution to produce fair shares• Giving services not moneyGiving services not money



Slow to Embrace the Welfare StateSlow to Embrace the Welfare State

• Social Welfare Examples:Social Welfare Examples: U.S. Social Security in 1935U.S. Social Security in 1935 22 European countries, Australia and Japan 22 European countries, Australia and Japan

acted earlier than 1935acted earlier than 1935 England contrasted with the U.S.England contrasted with the U.S.



FederalismFederalism’’s Roles Role

• U. S. Supreme CourtU. S. Supreme Court’’s reinterpretation in s reinterpretation in the 1930the 1930’’ss

• Individual statesIndividual states’’ experiments with experiments with welfare programswelfare programs


Social Welfare in the U.S.Social Welfare in the U.S.

State ProgramsState Programs’’ Double-Edged Effect Double-Edged Effect

• Opponents of a federal social welfare Opponents of a federal social welfare system would say: system would say: ““The states are The states are already providing assistance.already providing assistance.””

• Supporters would say: Supporters would say: ““The states need The states need national legislation to help them out.national legislation to help them out.””


Social Welfare in the U.S.Social Welfare in the U.S.

Nongovernmental OrganizationsNongovernmental Organizations’’ RoleRole• Grants and ContractsGrants and Contracts

Profit and NonprofitsProfit and Nonprofits Examples: Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Examples: Big Brothers, Big Sisters of

AmericaAmerica

• Charitable ChoiceCharitable Choice


Majoritarian Welfare ProgramsMajoritarian Welfare Programs

Social SecuritySocial Security

• The Great DepressionThe Great Depression’’s Effects Effect• Two Parts Two Parts

Insurance Insurance AssistanceAssistance



In 1932, unemployed In 1932, unemployed workers line up at a soup workers line up at a soup kitchen during the Great kitchen during the Great Depression.Depression.Topham/The Image Works Topham/The Image Works

In 1934, Huey Long, the popular governor of In 1934, Huey Long, the popular governor of Louisiana, claimed that Roosevelt was not Louisiana, claimed that Roosevelt was not doing enough to help the common man. But doing enough to help the common man. But before he could become a serious threat to before he could become a serious threat to Roosevelt in the 1936 election, Long was Roosevelt in the 1936 election, Long was assassinated in 1935.assassinated in 1935.Source: Bettmann/CORBISSource: Bettmann/CORBIS

Majoritarian Welfare ProgramsMajoritarian Welfare Programs

MedicareMedicare• ControversyControversy

Not included in the original Social Security Not included in the original Social Security billbill

Actions of the House Ways and Means Actions of the House Ways and Means CommitteeCommittee

The 1964 Presidential ElectionThe 1964 Presidential Election Becomes law with Medicaid attachedBecomes law with Medicaid attached



President Lyndon Johnson signs the Medicare Act in 1965.President Lyndon Johnson signs the Medicare Act in 1965.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library/MCT/Newscom


President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Health Care for America Act in 2010.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images


Source: Laurence Kotlilkoff and Christian Hagist, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working paper no. 11833, 2005, reporting OECD data and rounded averages for the period 1970–2002, ascited in National Center for Policy Analysis, Health Care Spending Trends, 2004, table 1.


When members of Congress went home in August 2009, they encountered a long line of voters angry over the health care debate.

AP Images


Source: Adapted from ABC News/Washington Post Poll, March 10–13, 2011; Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Poll, January 4–14, 2011; and School of Public Policy, University of Maryland and Center on Policy Attitudes, “How Americans Would Deal with the Budget Deficit,” February 3, 2011, p. 49.


An Electronic Benefits Transfer card is like a debit card that allows a person to use food stamps and spend TANF money.

MILLER EMILY/SIPA/Newscom

Client Welfare ProgramsClient Welfare Programs

Aid to Families with Dependent ChildrenAid to Families with Dependent Children

• Existing State ProgramsExisting State Programs• Federal Government Regulations Governing Federal Government Regulations Governing

the Programsthe Programs• Public Opinion ChangesPublic Opinion Changes• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

(TANF)(TANF)


Majoritarian versus Client Majoritarian versus Client PoliticsPolitics

Majoritarian PoliticsMajoritarian Politics Client PoliticsClient Politics Service StrategyService Strategy – A policy providing – A policy providing

education and job training to help lift people education and job training to help lift people out of povertyout of poverty

Income Strategy - Income Strategy - A policy giving money A policy giving money

to help lift people out of poverty to help lift people out of poverty


M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: Ursula Marx, Senate Committee chairUrsula Marx, Senate Committee chair

From: From: Cindy Fried, senior staff memberCindy Fried, senior staff member

Subject: Subject: Universal Health Care LegislationUniversal Health Care Legislation

You and the committee have two fairly distinct sets ofYou and the committee have two fairly distinct sets of

options on this universal health care package.options on this universal health care package.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. With more than 47 million Americans, or one in seven, 1. With more than 47 million Americans, or one in seven, lacking health care coverage, the government needs to lacking health care coverage, the government needs to enact far-reaching reform to ensure that everyone receives enact far-reaching reform to ensure that everyone receives quality medical care.quality medical care.

2. The soaring cost of health care (which is expected to reach 2. The soaring cost of health care (which is expected to reach approximately one-fifth of the federal budget in the next approximately one-fifth of the federal budget in the next decade) can be contained only by a public system that has decade) can be contained only by a public system that has the power to set prices and control costs.the power to set prices and control costs.

3. Universal health care is a logical expansion of the Medicare 3. Universal health care is a logical expansion of the Medicare and Medicaid programs created in 1965; nearly half a and Medicaid programs created in 1965; nearly half a century later, health care should be a fundamental right century later, health care should be a fundamental right guaranteed for everyone who lives in the United States.guaranteed for everyone who lives in the United States.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. Though many people lack health insurance, most of them 1. Though many people lack health insurance, most of them get health care in hospital emergency rooms and from get health care in hospital emergency rooms and from doctors who donate their services.doctors who donate their services.

2. Medical services in the United States are the best in the 2. Medical services in the United States are the best in the world, and government controls on costs will serve only to world, and government controls on costs will serve only to reduce the quality of care available.reduce the quality of care available.

3. In an era of budget deficits and trillions of dollars in national 3. In an era of budget deficits and trillions of dollars in national debt, the United States cannot afford to expand social debt, the United States cannot afford to expand social welfare programs.welfare programs.



Your decision:Your decision:

Support?Support?

Oppose?Oppose?



chapter 19 social welfare. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.how, if at all,...

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