What was the nature and extent of social change? Flashcards
(22 cards)
What did the Reagan years produce?
Significant social change, gap between rich/poor was strained. Business/industry changed - work and where it was done
Rich and poor
What happened to the situation of the poor between 1981-96 and what did Reagan say about them?
The situation of the poorest American families worsened, Reagan made it clear he saw a difference between ‘deserving poor’ and ‘welfare scroungers’
Rich and poor
What did Reagan say about ‘welfare scroungers’ and what story did he tell?
Said they werent willing to work, thought gov owed them a living. Repeatedly told sThe story of a black woman in Chicago defrauding taxpayers of hundreds 000s by welfare fraud- press never found her
Rich and poor
What did his OBRA cuts do?
Targeted mainly federal spending on projects for the poorest. Also altered aid to families with dependent children (AFDC programme), also altered eligibility, many payments capped. Moves hit poorest hard, opposite of stated intentions
Rich and poor
What did Reagan say about welfare?
Buying into dependency, therefore undesirable
Rich and poor
What did Reagan want to change welfare into?
‘Workfare’, by requiring one working parent before family benefit payment, for examplee
Rich and poor
What was the issue with ‘workfare’?
Much of the work provided was paid below minimum wage, sometimes less than benefits, so many families struggled
Rich and poor
What was another issue with workfare for people with young kids?
Despite gov promises of childcare, many single parents found it impossible to find, making work impossible
Rich and poor
What did OBRA tighten up?
Previous legislation that provided work projects tied to benefits. Allowed states to make working on state projects an a requirement for welfare payments
Rich and poor
How many states running work programmes by Jan 1987?
42, while none made working a requirement for benefits, most had required claimant to be looking for work
Rich and poor
How man low income houses were there in 1970?
2.4mil for families that applied for them
Rich and poor
How many families that qualified for low income housing by 1985?
3.7million, but could not move into one as none available
Rich and poor
What did the Reagan administration do to federal funding for low-cost homes?
Slashed it. In 1978, gov spent $32.2bil on it, $9.2 in 1988
Rich and Poor
What did the cuts in funding to building low income homes cause?
Rise in homelessness, people found it hard to accept. Contradicted the American Dream
Rich and Poor
What did the Reagan administration do about homelessness by mid-80s?
Couldnt ignore homelessness anymore. In 1987, pushed a bill giving federal help to homeless projects
Rich and Poor
What was the difference in homeless funding 1984-88?
$300mil in 1984, $1.6bil in 1988
Rich and Poor
What did the 1987 McKinney act do?
Set up the Federal Emergency Management Food and Shelter program to be run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Rich and Poor
What did Fema do with state grants?
Matched them to local homeless projects, half and half the state had to choose project and put in funding before the grant
Rich and Poor
How did state/local gov get funding for homeless projects?
Taxes, charities or donations
Rich and Poor
What homeless project did FEMA set up?
Federal housing project for transitional housing (possibility of using under used fed buildings), with emphasis on elderly, disabled, families , natives etc
Rich and Poor
What else did FEMA do for homeless people?
Gave emergency medical care and provided education and job training
