the shrinking welfare state

The United States has had a welfare program from 1935 until 1996. From the time of the Regan administration, the welfare program has been slowly diminishing. In 1996 the federal government made welfare assistance available to those in need temporary. This change withdrew $55 billion that had been used to aid the poor. There was no more long term income for those families who were in need of support from the federal government (Schorr, 1987, cited in Eitzen and Zinn, 1998).
Prior to 1996 the welfare system that the United States had was in need of a face-lift. The welfare system made its recipients very dependant on the program, recipients also would receive Medicaid. Any income that was earned while on welfare would be deducted from the recipient’s welfare payments. The welfare recipients were unmotivated to go to work because they would make better income by not working and staying on welfare, which also included the Medicaid benefit. The personal Responsibility and Work Opp...