What to Do About Welfare

During the past two weeks our hypothetical Chief Executives (you) had to make a decision concerning the future of our welfare program. The options presented to the President by his or her aides were the following:

Option A: The Fifty-State Solution: Welfare reform is properly the business of the states; poverty stems from local roots and therefore requires local remedies. End welfare as a federal entitlement.

Option B: The National Solution: Introduce a national program providing employment opportunities and aid to individuals and families, thereby reducing poverty in the long run.

The Results

Option A: 46%
Option B: 54%

The general feeling of those who supported Option A was that the federal government has mishandled its chance to manage welfare and that now management should pass to the states. Many emphasized, though, that the federal government should set minimum standards of public assistance for each state to meet. Some felt that welfare is a symptom of the greater problem that people are too dependent on the government; in times of need other institutions such as churches and community organizations should step forward.

Many supporters of Option B, pointing to the fact that the federal government took over the management of public assistance because state programs were characterized by blatant inequality, wondered why anything would be different now. (Many strongly disagreed with the memo's assertion that we live in a post-racist society.) They also felt that the Fifty-State Plan would not provide enough support and would create a "race to the bottom." Finally, many supported the idea that there's no point in trying to reform welfare without attacking poverty, the root of the problem.

Party Lines

Option	Democrats	Republicans	Independents	Other	Unregistered
Option A	4%	19%	15%	3%	3%
Option B	28%	3%	11%	5%	5%

Party and Significance

Option	Democrats	Republicans	Independents	Other	Unregistered
Completely Irrelevant	1%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Not Very Important	2%	1%	1%	2%	0%
Fairly Important	13%	5%	10%	3%	3%
Very Important	15%	15%	14%	3%	4%
Most Significant	2%	1%	2%	1%	0%

The Significance of the Issue

Issue	Most Significant	Very Important	Fairly Important	Not Very Important	Completely Irrelevant
Welfare	5%	53%	36%	5%	1%
Balancing the Budget	17%	49%	21%	9%	3%
Tobacco Regulation	0%	10%	28%	43%	15%
Trade Policy	6%	35%	45%	13%	0%
Campaign-Finance Reform	9%	41%	27%	20%	4%
Health-Care Reform	4%	39%	41%	13%	2%
Entitlement Reform	12%	56%	27%	4%	2%
Immigration Reform	2%	32%	50%	15%	1%

Age. Those over 55 were proportionally much more in favor of Option B than those of other age groups.

Age Range	Option A	Option B
Under 18	1%	3%
18-34	14%	10%
35-44	14%	18%
45-54	10%	9%
Over 55	5%	14%

Race and Gender. There were too few non-white respondents to present a good statistical analysis of whether responses differed among the races. Women made up 23% of respondents to this scenario. Percentage-wise they were much more supportive of Option B than were male respondents.

Gender	Option A	Option B
Female	8%	15%
Male	37%	37%

Click here to return to current Executive Decision scenario.