Transcript Social Policy in the United States

Social Policy in the United States
Social Policy in the United States
Over time, the United States social policy has
evolved from being non-interventionist to
creating programs that help Americans in
need. The control of these
programs has shifted from
the states to the federal
government.
Social Policy in the U.S. Today
• Late arrival of social policy in U.S.
• After New Deal, responsibility in
the area shifted from state to
federal power (1)
• Nearly half of all spending by the
federal government goes to
social programs (2)
• Social programs include
Medicare, Medicaid, Social
Security, and the recently
contested Healthcare (2)
Social Security
• Normal retirement age to receive Social
Security benefits is 65 (6)
• Baby boomers are starting to reach eligible
age to retire
• Fear that Social Security benefits will run out
Unemployment Insurance
• Given to those who become
unemployed through no
fault of their own and meet
certain requirements (3)
o You must be monetarily
eligible (7)
o Must be totally or partially
unemployed (7)
o Must meet certain weekly
legal requirements (7)
Welfare
• Clinton gave welfare back to the states in 1996 (5)
• Eligibility depends on gross net income, size of family,
and a crisis situation (4)
– All recipients must find work within 2 years of receiving aid
– TANF: federal government gives each state a grant to run
their own welfare program
• Government has adopted concept of “help the
deserving poor” instead of giving everyone a fair share
(1)
What Got Us Here?
• The New Deal
• The Great Society
The New Deal
The New Deal set a precedent
of the government getting
involved in people’s lives. It set
a standard for the government
helping those in need and
identified the economic
problems facing the country as
society’s, not individual’s,
problems.
Before the New Deal
• Voluntary non-profits and local governments
responsible for social welfare (6)
• No major social or income maintenance
programs
• Welfare was discriminatory
-name of recipients published
-screening of applicants (6)
• General belief was that people should help
themselves unless they were physically unable to
do so (1)
The New Deal-Important Legislation
Social Security
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Majoritarian welfare program (1)
Monthly pensions for those over 65 (1)
Unemployment benefits and insurance
Assistance for dependent children, and blind (1))
How programs administered:
-states get funds from federal government
-state agencies designated to implement programs
-eligibility standards established in each state
-fair hearings established to appeal eligibility decisions
(slideshow)
The New DealImportant Legislation
National Industrial Recovery Act
• Created National Industrial Recovery Administration
• Goal: stimulate dormant factories and industries-increase business
profits, more jobs created, more spending, good for people, good
for economy
-did this by codes industries/companies had to follow (746 codes
in all)
-codes regulated hours, wage, advertising, production
numbers, technological developments
• Allowed employees to unionize and bargain collectively
-let businesses fix prices so they could not be run out of
business by other companies lowering prices to gain
customers
• First direct government involvement in business (7)
The New Deal-Important Legislation
Federal Emergency Relief Administration
• federal funds to help states with costs of sustaining
unemployed
• Also gave aid to working poor, college students with loans,
and funded cooperatives among farmers.
• Purchased 4 million acres land for resale to farmers (6)
The Great Society
The Great society both
expanded the areas that
the government would get
involved in and targeted
groups in dire poverty that
did not benefit from the
New Deal.
Before the Great Society
• ¼ American families living
below poverty line
• Large regions did not
experience economic growth
after the war
• Technological advances=less
jobs for unskilled workers (9)
The Great Society-Important Legislation
Medicare and Medicaid
• Before Great Society: ⅓ seniors living in
poverty, 44% without health insurance (9)
• Medical insurance for those over 65 and
covers hospital expenses for the poor (8)
The Great SocietyImportant Legislation
Housing and Urban Development Act/Omnibus
Housing Act
• Cities faced a shortage of affordable housing (9)
• Established the Department of Housing and
Urban Development
– provided aid to cities to rebuild slums (9)
• $7.5 billion for low-income housing and aid to
small businesses displaced by urban renewal (8)
The Great Society-Important Legislation
Elementary and Secondary School Act/
Higher Education Act
• Before Great Society: ¼ population hadn’t
finished high school (9)
• $1 billion for public schools and $100 million
for purchase of library and textbooks (8)
• Financial resources for students pursuing
higher education (10)
Which event-the New Deal or the Great
Society-had the biggest impact on social
policy in the United States? Why?
Most Important Issue in the future:
Social Security
Issue: Fear that Social Security
benefits will run out for future generations
Social Security Crisis
• Baby boomers of 1946 to 1964 are starting to
reach eligible age to receive benefits
• Everyone’s paying for it now… But most will
not receive the benefits in the future (8)
• By 2020, there will be
fewer than 4 workers
for every retiree
What are possible solutions to the
Social Security crisis?
Possible Solutions
• Raise the retirement
age to 70
• Freeze the size of
retirement benefits
• Raise Social Security
taxes
• Cut unimportant
programs
Most important issue now: Healthcare
Controversy over whether
the federal government
should require all
Americans to have
healthcare
Healthcare Crisis
• It affects everyone– makes it a priority.
• Republicans’ first order of business is to repeal
the Healthcare Bill
• Divided government has pitted Congress
(House) against the president regarding issue
VS
Healthcare Crisis
If not dealt with, there could be a potential halt
in Congressional progress.
What are possible solutions to the
Healthcare controversy?
Possible Solutions
Liberal view:
• Pro-Healthcare Reform Bill
• All Americans should be
required to have healthcare
insurance
Conservative view:
• Healthcare Bill is
unconstitutional
• Americans cannot be forced
by government to purchase
a product
Works Consulted
1. U.S. Society-- Social Welfare. 2010: IIP Publications, Web. 10 Jan 2011.
OTHER 1-WILSON - Wilson, James Q., and John J. DiIulio. American Government. 9th ed. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2004. 478-93. Print.
2. Unemployment Insurance. 2010. Web. 10 Jan 2011.
3. "Welfare Information." U.S. Welfare System (2011): n. pag. Web. 10 Jan 2011.
4. Full Retirement Age. 2010. Web. 10 Jan 2011.
6. Solis, Hilda L. "Unemployment Insurance (UI)." U.S Department of Labor n. pag. Web. 11 Jan 2011.
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/006105.html.
7. U.S Census Bureau n. pag. Web. 11 Jan 2011.
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/006105.html.
8. Jackson, Jill, and John Nolen. "Health Care Reform Bill Summary: A Look At What's in the Bill." CBS 21 Mar. 2010: n.
pag. Web. 11 Jan 2011.
9. Ferraro, Thomas. "House Republicans aim to repeal Obama healthcare law." Yahoo 3 Jan 2011: n. pag. Web. 11 Jan
2011.
10. Schlam, Lawrence. "Higher Education Act of 1965." Novelguide.com (2004): n. pag. Web. 8 Jan 2011.
11. "Key Legislation to Create the Great Society." Weber. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.
12. "Thematic Window." The Great Society. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 8 Jan. 2011.
13. Schlam, Lawrence. "Higher Education Act of 1965." Novelguide.com (2004): n. pag. Web. 8 Jan 2011.
14. Slideshow