Sociology 1201 Week Four: Social class and public policy I. Video: “Let’s Get Married” Groups So why has marriage become so uncommon? Do you approve of the goals of these marriage movement programs” Do you believe they will be effective?

Sociology 1201 Public policy and poor families Before the New Deal of the 1930s Before the New Deal of the 1930s Poorhouse/Poor Farm Poorhouse/Poor Farm Poorhouse/Poor Farm Poorhouse/Poor Farm The American Poorfarm and its Inmates, 1925 The American Poorfarm and its Inmates, 1925 David Wagner, The Poorhouse (2005) David Wagner, The Poorhouse (2005) Minnesota State School Minnesota State School Minnesota State School Minnesota State School

Sociology 1201 “New Deal” of the 1930s Social Security Act of 1935 Social Security Act of 1935 Unemployment Compensation Unemployment Compensation Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance Aid to Dependent Children (“suitable homes” and “deserving poor”) Aid to Dependent Children (“suitable homes” and “deserving poor”) Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, Minimum wage: 25 cents going to 40 cents Minimum wage: 25 cents going to 40 cents Maximum hours: 44 hours going to 40 hours Maximum hours: 44 hours going to 40 hours

Sociology 1201 Exclusions from New Deal Programs Katznelson: When Affirmative Action was White(2005) Katznelson: When Affirmative Action was White(2005) Social Security: excluded farm workers, domestic workers, restaurant and service industries, health-care providers Social Security: excluded farm workers, domestic workers, restaurant and service industries, health-care providers Fair Labor Standards: excluded farmworkers and domestic workers Fair Labor Standards: excluded farmworkers and domestic workers Aid to Dependent Children and Unemployment Insurance locally administered Aid to Dependent Children and Unemployment Insurance locally administered

Sociology 1201 Southern Democrats and the Power of the Filibuster Florida Representative James Wilcox: "There is another matter of great importance in the South and that is the problem of our Negro labor. There has always been a difference in the wage scale of white and colored labor. So long as Florida people are permitted to handle the matter, the delicate and perplexing problem can be handled.“ Florida Representative James Wilcox: "There is another matter of great importance in the South and that is the problem of our Negro labor. There has always been a difference in the wage scale of white and colored labor. So long as Florida people are permitted to handle the matter, the delicate and perplexing problem can be handled.“ South also the poorest part of the country and in need of New Deal programs South also the poorest part of the country and in need of New Deal programs

Sociology 1201 The War on Poverty President Lyndon Johnson: “an all out war” to “abolish poverty in our time” President Lyndon Johnson: “an all out war” to “abolish poverty in our time” Community Action Programs (remember Wilcox quote) Community Action Programs (remember Wilcox quote) Head Start Head Start Food Stamps Food Stamps Aid to Families with Dependent Children Aid to Families with Dependent Children Job Corps Job Corps Volunteers in Service to America Volunteers in Service to America

Sociology 1201 Effects of the War on Poverty : Combined purchasing power of AFDC and food stamps rose 40% : Combined purchasing power of AFDC and food stamps rose 40% Child poverty reached a low point of 14% in 1969 Child poverty reached a low point of 14% in 1969 By the early 1980s, it was up to 23% and it has fluctuated between 23% and 16% since that time By the early 1980s, it was up to 23% and it has fluctuated between 23% and 16% since that time

Sociology 1201 More Effects % of single mothers collecting AFDC rose from 29% in 1964 to 63% in 1972 and the overall number of single mothers also rose in those years % of single mothers collecting AFDC rose from 29% in 1964 to 63% in 1972 and the overall number of single mothers also rose in those years Change from an overwhelmingly white program to a program in which the largest group of mothers and kids was black Change from an overwhelmingly white program to a program in which the largest group of mothers and kids was black The Great Migration The Great Migration The National Welfare Rights Organization The National Welfare Rights Organization

Sociology 1201 “War on Poverty” Sidetracked by: Vietnam War beginning in 1964 Vietnam War beginning in 1964 Republican Ascendancy: Nixon and Reagan Republican Ascendancy: Nixon and Reagan Charles Murray, Losing Ground: American Social Policy, (1984) Charles Murray, Losing Ground: American Social Policy, (1984) By 1993, Christopher Jencks (Rethinking Social Policy: Race, Poverty, and the Underclass), would term AFDC the “most unpopular social program in America” By 1993, Christopher Jencks (Rethinking Social Policy: Race, Poverty, and the Underclass), would term AFDC the “most unpopular social program in America”

Sociology 1201 Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996 Established a new welfare system, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Established a new welfare system, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Five year limits, which many states shortened Five year limits, which many states shortened Immediate requirements about jobs and job-seeking Immediate requirements about jobs and job-seeking Short term education and training Short term education and training Family Cap: no work exemption and no support for children born to mothers already on welfare Family Cap: no work exemption and no support for children born to mothers already on welfare Carrot and stick: Sanctions and set-asides Carrot and stick: Sanctions and set-asides

Sociology 1201 Promoting “Family Values” $50 million per year to promote abstinence education $50 million per year to promote abstinence education $100 million per year to the five states that reduce out of wedlock births the most without increasing abortions $100 million per year to the five states that reduce out of wedlock births the most without increasing abortions Penalties to mothers who fail to control a child’s truancy Penalties to mothers who fail to control a child’s truancy No TANF for minors No TANF for minors Stronger programs to collect child support Stronger programs to collect child support

Sociology 1201 Childcare assistance TANF theoretically provides generous childcare assistance Minnesota pilot project Minnesota pilot project Hays, Flat Broke with Children: “The good news for taxpayers and the bad news for poor single mothers and their children is that the majority of welfare clients never actually receive childcare subsidies.” Hays, Flat Broke with Children: “The good news for taxpayers and the bad news for poor single mothers and their children is that the majority of welfare clients never actually receive childcare subsidies.” Why not? Fiscal crisis and state control Why not? Fiscal crisis and state control

Sociology 1201 Results (in progress) A dramatic decrease in the number of mothers collecting welfare A dramatic decrease in the number of mothers collecting welfare A large movement of “welfare mothers” into the workforce, often in low-wage jobs A large movement of “welfare mothers” into the workforce, often in low-wage jobs An increased useage of food shelves, soup kitchens, homeless shelters An increased useage of food shelves, soup kitchens, homeless shelters A rising number of Americans, including children, with no health insurance A rising number of Americans, including children, with no health insurance

Sociology 1201 Is TANF a success? Yes, but…. Yes, but…. A UNICEF report, “Child Poverty in Rich Countries 2005” reports that: A UNICEF report, “Child Poverty in Rich Countries 2005” reports that: The U.S. is one of just four OECD countries where there was a significant fall in child poverty during the 1990s (My note: but up again since then) The U.S. is one of just four OECD countries where there was a significant fall in child poverty during the 1990s (My note: but up again since then) “At the top of the child poverty league are Denmark and Finland with child poverty of less than 3%. At the bottom are the United States and Mexico, with child poverty rates of more than 20%.”

Sociology 1201 Can We do Better?: the MFIP Demonstration Project 14,000 welfare recipients and applicants, randomly assigned to either MFIP or AFDC in 1994… followed closely for three years. 14,000 welfare recipients and applicants, randomly assigned to either MFIP or AFDC in 1994… followed closely for three years. “Turning Welfare into a Work Support: Six- year impacts on Parents and Children from the Minnesota Family Investment Program” July 2005 “Turning Welfare into a Work Support: Six- year impacts on Parents and Children from the Minnesota Family Investment Program” July 2005

Sociology 1201 Groups Low Income Budget Low Income Budget Low Income Budget Low Income Budget