Welfare and Education Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need Chapter 16

Poverty in America: The Nature of the Problem The Poor: The Poor: Who? Who? How Many? How Many? Living in Poverty: Living in Poverty: By Choice? By Choice? Chance? Chance? © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.2

Politics and Policies of Social Welfare Negative government: staying out of people’s lives, giving people maximum freedom Negative government: staying out of people’s lives, giving people maximum freedom Positive government: intervention necessary to buffer economic and social forces beyond a persons’ control Positive government: intervention necessary to buffer economic and social forces beyond a persons’ control © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.3

Politics and Policies of Social Welfare Social insurance programs Social insurance programs Social Security Social Security Unemployment insurance Unemployment insurance Medicare Medicare © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.4

Politics and Policies of Social Welfare Public assistance programs Public assistance programs Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Food Stamps Food Stamps Subsidized housing Subsidized housing Medicaid Medicaid © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.5

Politics and Policies of Social Welfare Culture, welfare, and income Culture, welfare, and income Inefficiency and inequity Inefficiency and inequity Income and tax measures Income and tax measures © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.6

Cumbersome Administrative Process of Receiving Welfare Benefits © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.7

Education as Equality of Opportunity Public education: leveling through the schools Public education: leveling through the schools America’s heavy investment in public education America’s heavy investment in public education Relatively standardized curriculum Relatively standardized curriculum Public school issues Public school issues Disorder in some schools Disorder in some schools Standardized test scores Standardized test scores The federal role in education: political differences The federal role in education: political differences © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.8

The American Way of Promoting the General Welfare Democracy and economic security Democracy and economic security The American way of welfare The American way of welfare Differences between the European and American approach Differences between the European and American approach © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.9