SC Welfare Rolls Explode
Welfare rolls in South Carolina are expanding at the second-highest rate in the entire nation, a collaborative effort of the new (old) federal policy on assisting needy families and our state’s abysmal economic climate.
According to data collected by The Wall Street Journal and the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Palmetto State has seen a 23% increase in welfare caseloads over the last year, ranking it second in the nation behind Oregon’s 27% increase.
From this morning’s Journal:
… the demand for cash assistance is squeezing funds for job-training programs targeted both at the unemployed with little work experience and unemployed professionals with extensive work experience.
In South Carolina, for example, the vast majority of welfare funding is being directed to the cash-assistance program, leaving little to actually help people find jobs and get off welfare.
Wait, we’re surprised by this?
Not only is our crappy economy producing more unemployed people than practically every other state in the nation, but the governmental agencies that are supposed to be handling the increase can’t walk and chew gum at the same time – and are accountable to no one for their performance (or lack thereof).
Bigger picture, though … why would South Carolina put money into finding people jobs? That’s just not profitable anymore, governmentally-speaking.
After all, President Barack Obama’s “stimulus” bill – you know, the one that South Carolina politicians were so greedy to get their grubby paws on – came with strings attached.
For example, it completely undid the welfare reform law passed by President Bill Clinton a little over a decade ago and reinstituted the “bounty system” for state welfare caseloads.
Once again, government will be incentivizing state governments to put people on welfare (to the tune of a $4 for $1 federal match) rather than taking them off of government assistance.
Hmmm … wonder how that’s going to play out …
Comments
By Rick on June 22nd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Don’t worry, Michele said during the election that they’re going to have to work, no free handouts. Can’t wait to see them on the side of the road picking up trash…..its gonna be a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong wait, ah nothing like a little fiscal slavery to bring about change we can believe in. Line up for them checks and don’t forget who made them possible.
By Steve on June 22nd, 2009 at 12:37 pm
The Journal’s article is misleading to say the least. Though true, welfare funding may be being diverted from job training and job searching; it’s only because those functions are being done by a number of other programs. This is a situation where the federal government is consolidating its programs. The federal government spends over a billion dollars assisting low income adults, dislocated workers and youth in job search/job training assistance each year (and including an additional billion in the Stimulus Act) through what is known as the Workforce Investment Act. So the Journal’s story is really a non-story. However, Sic’s point is valid. The policy of rewarding those on cash welfare for being on welfare and dis-incentivizing their departure from the system is sad, to say the least. Thanks Sic for the analysis even though the Journal forgot to do something called “research.”