The New York Times’ Jason DeParle has an important piece today documenting that among the states with highest unemployment increases, half chose to cut welfare benefits rather than boosting them.
During the welfare reform debates of the 1990s, governors said, in effect: take away federal requirements and we’ll do right by our folks, especially since these programs go only to families with children. Some liberals resisted that argument on political grounds: sure…you say that now, but during hard budgetary times, the poor — who have no political influence — will be cut back…when they need it most.
Of the states with the biggest increases in joblessness, the following cut their welfare rolls:
Rhode Island
Georgia
Alabama
Illinois
Tennessee
Louisiana
Those that increased welfare as unemployment rose:
Florida
Nevada
Idaho
California
North Carolina
Arizona
Other states that cut welfare roles significantly during these hard tmes:
Texas
Michigan
Louisiana
Georgia
To see how you’re state fared, look at the map on NYTimes.com