The Real Cost of Welfare

In 1996, President Bill Clinton pledged to “end welfare as we know it” by signing a law that put time limits on long-term public assistance. At first, Welfare rolls began to drop, but in the past year those numbers have started to rise again in Ohio and a majority of other states. This comes at a time when Governor Ted Strickland and state lawmakers are looking to balance the budget by trimming cash assistance to the needy. With welfare caseloads increasing what’s going to happen when the money runs out? Ohio is getting stimulus dollars to help cover the shortfall, but does that undermine the whole idea of moving people off of the public dole? What is welfare as we NOW know it anyway? And is it working? Join us for a discussion about public assistance in a time of recession, Monday morning.