Social Safety Nets

Factors influencing the shape of American Welfare

Constitutional Rules Racial Divisions • People are more willing to help people that look like them Political Culture Business Power Weak Labor Unions

Differences in the American system of social safety nets'

Lower cost Covers less people Favor elderly Less redistributive Less private employers No universal health coverage

Obama Immigration Oder

Speed up the deportation time Create pathway for citizenship Deport criminals rather then families Parents of US citizens or green holders can stay Lived here for more than 5 years (before law passed) Gain protected status for up to 3 years Register with government, pay taxes

Dream Act

certain immigrant students who have grown up in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent legal status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military; eliminate a federal provision that penalizes states that provide in-state tuition without regard to immigration status.

TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)

o Families of poor children are no longer guaranteed assistance o Welfare programs are turned over to the states o States receive block grants o States used combined direct cash assistance and money for child care, education, and training o Head of family is required to work within 2 years of receiving benefits

Poverty line

• Government calculation of the amount of income a family needs to stay out of poverty

Social insurance

• Government programs that provide services or income support in proportion to the amount of mandatory contributions made by individuals to a government trust fund

Means-tested

• Meeting the criterion of demonstrable need

Medicare

• Pays for health care services for the poor

Racial Divisions

• People are more willing to help people that look like them

Safety net defined

• Protect the minimum standards of living against some of life's avoidable circumstances