What Is The Issue?

 What the American people hope -– what they deserve -– is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different stories, different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared: a job that pays the bills; a chance to get ahead; most of all, the ability to give their children a better life.  BARACK OBAMA, State of the Union Address, Jan. 27, 2010

 There are more people on welfare than in the past  Research has demonstrated that people with limited education or work experience, those raising young children, those in poor physical or mental health, those caring for a severely disabled child, or those with limited English proficiency are less likely to be working (Zaslow, 2001)  work among welfare recipients facing two or more of these barriers increased four-fold, from 5% to 20% (Zaslow, 2001)

 welfare recipients who go to work in low- paying jobs are more likely to remain eligible for a cash payment than they were in the past. With workers staying on the welfare rolls longer, the percentage of the caseload made up of workers increases (Zaslow, 2001)  So the question becomes:

 There are 2 groups long-term and short-term recipients  Have of the case is long-term while short-term receive benefits over a period of time  Among those who left welfare between 1997 and 1999, 22% were back on the rolls (Zaslow, 2001)  47% had been on it consistently for the past two years, 26% were on for the first time, and 23%had returned to the rolls after a period off welfare (Zaslow, 2001)

 Adults who leave welfare and work full-time for a full year at the median wage and receive all supplementary benefits for which they are eligible could move their families out of poverty However, most do not receive all of these wage supplements (Zaslow, 2001)  1 in 7 adults who leave welfare report no visible means of support. These welfare leavers are not employed, are not in a family with someone who is employed, are not receiving disability benefits, and have not returned to the welfare rolls where they will obtain benefits. Little is known about how these families survive and why they have completely disconnected from the welfare system(Zaslow, 2001)

 Former welfare families who now work in the low-wage labor market are likely to have difficulty meeting work-associated expenses such as child care and transportation costs (Gundersen, 2001)  Given the extra income often required just to participate in the workforce, these families also may have difficulty meeting other basic needs, such as food, housing, and medical care (Gundersen, 2001)

 Being raised on Welfare also increases the probability that a child will drop out of school and will be on Welfare as an adult (Rector, 2001)  behavioral and emotional problems; suffer from physical abuse; engage in early sexual activity, and do poorly in school (Rector, 2001)  Boys raised in single parent households are more likely to engage in crime (Rector, 2001)  girls are more likely themselves to give birth outside of marriage (Rector, 2001)

 Bousley, Heather, and Bethany Gundersen. "The Economic Policy Institute." When Work Just Isn’t Enough: Measuring Hardships Faced by Families after Moving from Welfare to Work. 1 June Web. 20 Feb  Rector, Robert. "The Effects of Welfare Reform." The Effects of Welfare Reform. 15 Mar Web. 20 Feb  Zaslow, Martha, Kathryn Tout, Christopher Bostko, and Kristin Moore. "Welfare Reform and Children." : Potential Implications. 1 June Web. 20 Feb