I think there are a few factors people may be reacting to, but, they are very under and misinformed. So, let's take a look at the charges by the GOP presidential candidate. I am sure it will come up in his speech. I found this Op-Ed by Mrs. Jean Carnahan more than interesting, so I'll start there.
...Welfare reform requires states to move people from welfare to work, (click title to entry - thank you) but some federal requirements are extremely complex. During his time as governor, my late husband, Mel Carnahan, helped moved 131,000 Missouri families off welfare. And by October 2000, 17,600 more Missouri families had self-sufficiency pacts in place and were in the process of moving from welfare to work. That was possible because he pursued innovations at the state level made possible by flexibility granted at the federal level.
In July, after hearing those concerns from Republican governors in states like Nevada and Utah, the Obama administration announced new options to help states do a better job at moving people from welfare to work. States can apply for waivers from federal requirements that get in the way, so they can build the welfare-to-work programs that are best for them, just like Mel did as governor.
President Obama's action strengthens welfare reform — especially its work requirements — because every state that gets a waiver has to move 20 percent more people from welfare to work. Romney's claims to the contrary are simple political nonsense.
The Obama administration has been very clear: Waivers will only go to states that test ways to move more people to work. Waivers won't be approved if they weaken or undercut welfare reform, or if they try to waive the time limits that were central to welfare reform.
President Obama has a long record of making sure work is part of welfare reform. As a state senator in Illinois, he was the lead Democrat on welfare reform and supported work requirements even when some of his counterparts didn't. Like President Clinton, he reached across the aisle to work with Republicans to pass welfare reform, and they later praised his "bipartisan support and work" that helped get it done....
Jean Carahan points to the reality that welfare is not a goal or good for people as a long term fix to economic reality. She also points out there is somewhat of a penalty to ask for a waiver by any State of the HHS. If a waiver is granted to the States there has to be a movement of not only the usual standard, but, twenty percent more. So, the States asking for waivers have to take the request seriously. The States have to be looking at a particular problem that has to be solved to move their welfare populations forward.
I imagine there have been burdens for States to move people off welfare rolls after the 2008 global economic crash. The USA not only had to put millions and millions of people back to work receiving unemployment, but, add to that the amount of people losing their homes and investments and actually having to turn to welfare and living with family or friends. In many ways, the poverty rate reflects what was probably an increase in welfare across the country. The crash occurred September - October 2008, this is the fourth anniversary and when the Governors looked at their welfare rolls and looked at job prospects of only having those people off support within one more year, it was better to ask for the waivers than not at all. I sincerely believe the Governors are preparing for the worse. The WORST might be yet to come if the GOP continues to cut domestic programs in austerity measures. Governor Christi knows his austerity measures have backfired with a 9.8% unemployment rate.
Getting the country back to work has been more than difficult. It required not only to bring the unemployed back to the working environment with new skills, it also required bringing the poor back to work as well. The double wammy President Obama has had to deal with was more than just the unemployed. The USA sincerely imploded in every way it could. The burden of support of a devastated economy fell to all levels of governments. Local governments were at a loss because of large reductions in property tax. Small businesses that frequently hire the unemployed and/or welfare recipients had no loans from banks. When realizing the actual condition of the nation that President Obama inherited, he and his administration has performed nothing short of a miracle.
Are Americans angry about the continued dependence and do they see the welfare recipients as an extension of unemployment? Wouldn't you? Are Romney and the Republicans ranting a racial tone, you betcha, but at the same time there are 'ideas' attached to some of those racial tones. I have no doubt some Americans are being taunted over radio waves and television by personalities to realize how profound the failure of the President's administration has been.
Is the idea the President's unemployment numbers actually over 8.2% one he owns? No. Why? Because the President has asked and proposed and advocated the passage of measures to put people back to work. Would the States be better off today if The American Jobs Act passed? Yes. Would they be asking for waivers? Maybe, but, probably not. It would depend in the State and their ability to implement The American's Job Act.
Also at work is the National Deficit and Debt. In 2012, welfare was 12% of the Nation's budget. The proposed budget for 2013 was to cut welfare to 11%. This was some of the 'domestic sequestration' agreed to by the Congress. The Republicans are scoffed in many ways by people for demanding the return of monies to the military that was part of that bill and in a way allowing the States to have waivers looks like the Democrats are up to the same thing, but, in a different manner.
Also what is frustrating with the idea of welfare is Medicaid. So, the American people responding to the Romney ads which is based in lies, strikes a nerve with some folks and not for the reasons that are obvious.
President Obama has to address these concerns in a real way. He has to make it clear this administration has been more successful than he ever expected and the failure to prevent this 'wave of the needy' belongs to the Republicans and their refusal to solve the nation's problems. This is not whining. It is not evading the truth. It is telling the American people the truth.
President Obama knows his relationship with citizens has been strong and important. He has valued that relationship when asking them to come to the service of driving Congress to resolve urgent needs. If the Republicans can get Americans to believe the President wasn't 'up front' with them the entire time, it would cause them to lose their faith in his leadership.
The ads by the Romney Campaign and its PACs are based in lies, but, President Obama has to respond as if it were based in an untold truth. I don't think President Obama has to lie or be a mind reader, but, simply say "I don't know what the truth is that some might believe exists, but, I would like to heal that misunderstanding with the sincere truth." He also needs to let Americans know their Congress has compounded the problem of the Poor and the unemployed. President Obama has to say that Congress have not been problem solvers because of the profound impasse created by the Republicans. He needs to point out his attempts for reaching across the aisle, which were many. He attended meetings of the GOP as the only Democrat in the room if I remember right. He could not be more willing than that.
President Obama has to ask those disturbed by the ads and words of the opposition; if Americans want to know the truth or keep believing in scandals of lies that shouldn't exist? He'll find a way. He always does.
Jean Carahan points to the reality that welfare is not a goal or good for people as a long term fix to economic reality. She also points out there is somewhat of a penalty to ask for a waiver by any State of the HHS. If a waiver is granted to the States there has to be a movement of not only the usual standard, but, twenty percent more. So, the States asking for waivers have to take the request seriously. The States have to be looking at a particular problem that has to be solved to move their welfare populations forward.
I imagine there have been burdens for States to move people off welfare rolls after the 2008 global economic crash. The USA not only had to put millions and millions of people back to work receiving unemployment, but, add to that the amount of people losing their homes and investments and actually having to turn to welfare and living with family or friends. In many ways, the poverty rate reflects what was probably an increase in welfare across the country. The crash occurred September - October 2008, this is the fourth anniversary and when the Governors looked at their welfare rolls and looked at job prospects of only having those people off support within one more year, it was better to ask for the waivers than not at all. I sincerely believe the Governors are preparing for the worse. The WORST might be yet to come if the GOP continues to cut domestic programs in austerity measures. Governor Christi knows his austerity measures have backfired with a 9.8% unemployment rate.
Getting the country back to work has been more than difficult. It required not only to bring the unemployed back to the working environment with new skills, it also required bringing the poor back to work as well. The double wammy President Obama has had to deal with was more than just the unemployed. The USA sincerely imploded in every way it could. The burden of support of a devastated economy fell to all levels of governments. Local governments were at a loss because of large reductions in property tax. Small businesses that frequently hire the unemployed and/or welfare recipients had no loans from banks. When realizing the actual condition of the nation that President Obama inherited, he and his administration has performed nothing short of a miracle.
Are Americans angry about the continued dependence and do they see the welfare recipients as an extension of unemployment? Wouldn't you? Are Romney and the Republicans ranting a racial tone, you betcha, but at the same time there are 'ideas' attached to some of those racial tones. I have no doubt some Americans are being taunted over radio waves and television by personalities to realize how profound the failure of the President's administration has been.
Is the idea the President's unemployment numbers actually over 8.2% one he owns? No. Why? Because the President has asked and proposed and advocated the passage of measures to put people back to work. Would the States be better off today if The American Jobs Act passed? Yes. Would they be asking for waivers? Maybe, but, probably not. It would depend in the State and their ability to implement The American's Job Act.
Also at work is the National Deficit and Debt. In 2012, welfare was 12% of the Nation's budget. The proposed budget for 2013 was to cut welfare to 11%. This was some of the 'domestic sequestration' agreed to by the Congress. The Republicans are scoffed in many ways by people for demanding the return of monies to the military that was part of that bill and in a way allowing the States to have waivers looks like the Democrats are up to the same thing, but, in a different manner.
Also what is frustrating with the idea of welfare is Medicaid. So, the American people responding to the Romney ads which is based in lies, strikes a nerve with some folks and not for the reasons that are obvious.
President Obama has to address these concerns in a real way. He has to make it clear this administration has been more successful than he ever expected and the failure to prevent this 'wave of the needy' belongs to the Republicans and their refusal to solve the nation's problems. This is not whining. It is not evading the truth. It is telling the American people the truth.
President Obama knows his relationship with citizens has been strong and important. He has valued that relationship when asking them to come to the service of driving Congress to resolve urgent needs. If the Republicans can get Americans to believe the President wasn't 'up front' with them the entire time, it would cause them to lose their faith in his leadership.
The ads by the Romney Campaign and its PACs are based in lies, but, President Obama has to respond as if it were based in an untold truth. I don't think President Obama has to lie or be a mind reader, but, simply say "I don't know what the truth is that some might believe exists, but, I would like to heal that misunderstanding with the sincere truth." He also needs to let Americans know their Congress has compounded the problem of the Poor and the unemployed. President Obama has to say that Congress have not been problem solvers because of the profound impasse created by the Republicans. He needs to point out his attempts for reaching across the aisle, which were many. He attended meetings of the GOP as the only Democrat in the room if I remember right. He could not be more willing than that.
President Obama has to ask those disturbed by the ads and words of the opposition; if Americans want to know the truth or keep believing in scandals of lies that shouldn't exist? He'll find a way. He always does.
