1. The Effectiveness of Government
Policy in Aiding Impoverished
Americans
TAMMY SMITH

2. Confronting our own Biases about
Toward Poverty
Understanding the
negative
stereotype of the
“culture of poverty.”
Unequal wealth
distribution means
all citizens do not
have access to
equal opportunities
for education and
employment
.

3. Defining and
Framing
Poverty
Poverty terminology: the
official poverty statistics
don’t include people in
prison, foster children,
people living in group
homes or residential
facilities.
Poverty rates don’t
account for non-cash
benefits which leads the
public to undervalue the
positive impacts of safety-net
programs such as
SNAP and housing
vouchers.
Source: Ishiamastu, Josh
(February 24, 2014). The Myths
about Poverty are Keeping
People Poor.
Poverty is simply not about lack of
income. Poverty carries implications of
deficits, shortcomings and judgments
that go beyond income.
The Occupy Movement popularized
income inequality.

4. Debunking Poverty Myths
 The poor are not all drug addicts
and alcoholics.
 Poor people are not all lazy. In
2012, 10.5 million people in
poverty were working poor.
 Food stamps and other
government assistance programs
make people dependent.
 Did you know that 4% of SNAP
recipients only receive $16 a
month and the average
household gets $281 a month
and the average individual gets
$133 a month?
 No one is quitting or refusing to
get a job in order to receive $133
month to spend on food.
 The Department of Labor
predicts less than half of new
jobs added by 2018 will pay
enough to keep a 2 worker 2
child family out of poverty.

5. The Popularization of “The Welfare Queen”
Myth: Most women on welfare
keep on having babies to get
more benefits.
Fact: The average family on
welfare has 2.8 children. Only one
out of every 10 mothers on
welfare has more than 3 children.
Myth: Most people on welfare are
African Americans.
Fact: 38.8 % are Caucasians and
39.8% are African American, an
extremely narrow margin! Source:
Jaworski, Nichole. (July 2, 2013). Poverty in
America: Myths about Welfare Recipients.
.
Term first used by Ronald Reagan.
No proof that the Chicago woman
who abused the system ever existed.

6. One Perspective About the Future of Welfare

7. The New
Welfare
 15% of Americans now use food stamps
(SNAP).
 The SNAP Program is now often called
the new welfare.
 According to New York Times, “ We
decided cash assistance is welfare and
bad, but decided food aid is nutritional
assistance and good, making it easier to
get on the food stamp program.
 10X more Americans receive food aid
than cash welfare. “6 million people
have their only income from food
stamps.” -Peter Edelman “So Rich So
Poor: Why it’s So Hard to End Poverty in
America.

8. Welfare
Reform
1996:Temporary Assistance
to Needy Families (TANF)
replaces Aid to Families
with Dependent Children
(AFDC).
#of TANF recipients has
decreased by 60% over
last 16 years.
1995 AFDC kept 62% of
children out of deep
poverty vs. TANF 21% in
2005.
TANF block grant frozen
since 1996 so value has
declined by over 30% in
real terms.
Work participation
discourages states from
serving most needy
families.
.

9. The War on Poverty: 50 Years Later Welfare Records Hit
Record Levels.
 Since President Lyndon Johnson announced the “War on Poverty,” poverty
levels remain unchanged.
 More than $20 trillion spent, 5 decades later, no victory is in sight.
 “Our current government programs offer only a partial solution. They help
people deal with poverty but they do not help them escape it.” Senator Mark
Rubio of Florida.

10. Dollars and Sense: Living on SSI
 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program
providing monthly cash payments for people 65 or older,
blind or disabled persons of any age and children.
 To qualify, one must have little or no income and resources
valuing less than $2,000.
 SSI recipients are automatically enrolled in Medicaid.
 Monthly SSI rate for a single person in New Jersey is
currently $725.25.
 SSI payments differ by state.
 SSI is different from Social Security Disability (SSD)

11. Managing on $725.25 a Month in New Jersey
 Rent (assuming SSI recipient is fortunate enough to
have Section 8 or similar housing assistance) 30-
40% of income. $218.00
 Cable: Triple Play $100
 Transportation: Varies $25-$100
 Food: (after SNAP benefits) $50-$75
 Clothing
 Other: Coffee, Cigarettes, Movies, Restaurants

12. Closing Song: Talkin’ bout a Revolution by Tracy Chapman