How much welfare is enough?
March 12, 2010
Heritage Foundation: The left plans to continue its assault on welfare reform by extending the welfare spending increases established in last year’s “stimulus” bill. Fortunately, The Heritage Foundation’s welfare expert, Robert Rector, continues to play an important role in the debate.
At a congressional hearing yesterday, Rector was the only witness representing conservative ideas. He was up against Chairman Jim McDermott (D-WA) and his handpicked witnesses, who argued that welfare spending hasn’t increased enough.
Rector, who was chiefly responsible for the groundbreaking welfare reforms of 1996, testified that the U.S. is already expected to spend almost $1 trillion on means-tested (i.e. “welfare”) programs next year. This is roughly a 50 percent increase since fiscal year 2007. The welfare reforms Rector pioneered in the 1990s “led to a dramatic reduction in welfare dependency and child poverty.”
This factoid prompted an interesting exchange between Rep. John Linder (R-GA) and Carmen Nazario of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has jurisdiction over major welfare programs.
» Watch a video of the exchange
Linder quoted directly from Rector’s testimony and then asked, “Is it your testimony that $953 billion is not enough?” To which the Obama administration witness responded, “Who’s to say what is enough?”
Well, if this is an open invitation, The Heritage Foundation can certainly think of someone to tell the Obama administration witness what’s enough. But, then again, I think he already did.
Great job, Robert Rector!
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