Bearishgurl: I’d argue that the welfare reforms of 1996 did more harm than good, and actually risked trapping more people in poverty.

Take the case of someone with kids who wants to leave work to go to school full time. Between that and kids, they’d have a “full time job” on their hands.

The reform of 1996 limits their assistance to two years without a job, and places a lifetime limit of five years on total assistance. Barely enough time to get bachelor’s degree.

So more people who want to better themselves either end up sleeping four hours a night (more risk of health issues and dropping out) or end up up to their nipples in debt. Or they just skip the education and survive as best they can.

In the guise of taking “welfare queens” off the rolls, it essentially made having a family (especially as a single parent, even if not by choice) an educational dead end.