1. Social Welfare Policy
Public Policy

2. How does the government attempt to alleviate poverty?
Public Policy
intro
How does the government attempt to alleviate poverty?

3. Poverty
Public Policy

4. Social Policy Poverty Poverty Rate
“Poor” is a “subjective term. People feel poor relative to those around them
Poverty gives the government an objective way to measure who is “poor”
The “poverty threshold” or poverty line sets an income limit for people to be considered living in poverty by family size
“Poverty Rate” refers to the percentage of people living below or at the poverty threshold.
The “poverty rate” in 2016 in Memphis was 26.2%
The “poverty rate” in 2016 was 12.7% which means 40 million people were living in poverty

5. Social Policy Poverty Poverty Threshold for 2017
One person under 65 - $12,752
Two people under 65 - $16,414
Three People under 65 - $19,173
Four people under 65 - $25,283
Five People under 65 - $30,490

6. Social Policy Poverty Poverty Rate
The percentage of people living in poverty in the US has been increasing

7. Poverty impacts different demographic groups differently
Social Policy
Poverty
Poverty Rate
Poverty impacts different demographic groups differently

8. Social Policy
Poverty
Poverty Rate

9. Social Policy Poverty Social Welfare Programs
The govt provides support and assistance to specific groups of people
These programs cause the most controversy & confusion among people
The public supports “political equality” but typically not social or economic equality
Americans have strong opinions, but are typically misinformed about who these policies help & how much of the budget is devoted to these programs

10. Wealth Distribution
Public Policy

11. A comparison of the wealth of various groups in the United States
Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution
A comparison of the wealth of various groups in the United States
This is different than income distribution because it looks at the ownership of assets instead of the current incomes

12. Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution

13. Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution

14. Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution

15. Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution

16. No industrialized country has wider extremes of income than the US
Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution
No industrialized country has wider extremes of income than the US
Social mobility in the US is more limited than in other established democracies
Poor and middle class incomes have stagnated since the 1970s while those of the rich have grown considerably

17. Social Policy
Wealth
Wealth Distribution

18. Social Policy
Wealth
Income Distribution

19. Entitlements & Means Tests
Public Policy
Entitlements & Means Tests

20. Social Policy Entitlements Entitlement Programs
The government has guaranteed a certain benefit to a population that it cannot control the size of
“X benefits are guaranteed to Y recipients” but we cannot control how many people “Y” is.
These programs are overwhelmingly popular since almost everyone gets them

21. Social Policy Means Tested Programs Means Tested Programs
Programs that provide benefits only to individuals who qualify because they have some specific need
This is a controllable expense. The govt can set a maximum level of funding
These are more controversial programs, mostly because of people’s perception of the causes of poverty

22. Welfare Programs
Public Policy

23. Social Policy Programs Earned Income Tax Credit
If your income is low enough, you get the EITC when you file your taxes
They are able to subtract a number from what they owe in taxes – making their refunds significantly larger
EITC puts as much as $20B per year into the hands of poor families

24. Social Policy Programs Unemployment Insurance
Weekly payments to unemployed workers in amounts set by the states
This is for those who are laid off (not fired) and not currently working
This is paid for by a tax on employers
The amount of the benefit is usually tied to your previous salary

25. National govt gives states a grant to run Medicaid programs
Social Policy
Programs
Medicaid
Pays for medical care and hospital services for those who can’t afford it
For people with small incomes who qualify according to state requirements
National govt gives states a grant to run Medicaid programs
States have to make up the difference if it costs more than the grants.

26. Social Policy Programs SNAP – Food Stamps
Government issued debit cards that can be used to buy food
For people whose incomes fall below a certain level
This is part of the federal budget & funded by personal income tax
It serves 47 million Americans for average benefits of $ per month

27. Social Policy Programs SSI – Supplemental Security Income
Payments from govt to people whose income is below a certain level
This is for elderly, blind, or disabled people
Funded in the budget, from tax revenue

28. Social Policy Programs
WIC – Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children
A debit card that covers nutritious food at stores that have contracted with the govt
This is for women who are pregnant or recent mothers. It covers children up to their 5th birthday
Funded in by both the federal government and the states

29. Social Security
Public Policy

30. Social Policy Social Security Social Security
Monthly payments from the Social Security Administration to people
For people over 65 or disabled people and surviving members of their families
Funded by a 6.2% payroll tax on both employees and employers

31. Social Policy
Social Security
Social Security

32. Social Policy
Social Security
Social Security

33. Social Policy
Social Security
Social Security

34. Social Policy
Social Security
Social Security

35. Social Policy
Social Security
Social Security

36. Bigly Ideas
Public Policy

37. Public Policy Wrap Up Poverty vs Poor Entitlements vs Means Tested
Social Welfare Programs
Social Security’s Future
Focus on these things: