Changes

==History==

==History==

The first welfare program in the United States was established in 1921 by the passage of the [[Sheppard–Towner Act]], which saw its repeal in 1929.

The first welfare program in the United States was established in 1921 by the passage of the [[Sheppard–Towner Act]],<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=RzEDBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA52 The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Social Policy]</ref> which saw its repeal in 1929.

 

 

The modern welfare system was established by President [[Franklin Roosevelt]], and extended by [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] as part of the [[Great Society]]. Opponents say that the top 50% of Americans pay over 96% of the taxes.<ref>[http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/250.html]</ref> Supporters may cite the supposed effectiveness of Roosevelt's policies to help end the Great Depression.<ref>http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/overview.htm</ref>  Welfare also comes in the forms of [[food stamp]]s, free school lunches, and [[Medicaid]].

The modern welfare system was established by President [[Franklin Roosevelt]], and extended by [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] as part of the [[Great Society]]. Opponents say that the top 50% of Americans pay over 96% of the taxes.<ref>[http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/250.html]</ref> Supporters may cite the supposed effectiveness of Roosevelt's policies to help end the Great Depression.<ref>http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/depression/overview.htm</ref>  Welfare also comes in the forms of [[food stamp]]s, free school lunches, and [[Medicaid]].

The following table represents the welfare monies handed to the average recipient, broken down into yearly and hourly "wage" equivalent comparable to the tax-paying worker as of 2013 by the Cato Institute.<ref>http://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/work-versus-welfare-trade</ref>  In many cases - aided by the fact that welfare recipients do not pay taxes on what they receive - the monies they get exceed the wages earned by a tax-payer at an entry-level job.   

The following table represents the welfare monies handed to the average recipient, broken down into yearly and hourly "wage" equivalent comparable to the tax-paying worker as of 2013 by the Cato Institute.<ref>http://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/work-versus-welfare-trade</ref>  In many cases - aided by the fact that welfare recipients do not pay taxes on what they receive - the monies they get exceed the wages earned by a tax-payer at an entry-level job.   

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

!Rank !! State !! Yearly equivalent !! Hourly equivalent !! Rank !! State !! Yearly equivalent !! Hourly equivalent

!Rank!!State!!Yearly Equivalent!!Hourly Equivalent!!Rank!!State!!Yearly Equivalent!!Hourly Equivalent

|- style="vertical-align:center"

|- valign="center"

|'''1'''||[[Hawaii]]||$60,590||$29.13||'''26'''||[[Ohio]]||$26,200||$12.60

|'''1'''||[[Hawaii]]||$60,590||$29.13||'''26'''||[[Ohio]]||$26,200||$12.60

|-

|-

|-

|-

|.||.||.||.||'''51'''||[[Idaho]]||$11,150||$5.36

|.||.||.||.||'''51'''||[[Idaho]]||$11,150||$5.36

|}

|}

==Corporate Welfare==

==Corporate welfare==

This is a pejorative term used to describe business loans, subsidies, bailouts, and tax breaks, or a government providing a closed bid contract to a favored company. The term is especially for these actions when directed toward large corporations, and especially in favored sectors such as finance, energy, defense and motor industries.

This is a pejorative term used to describe business loans, subsidies, bailouts, and tax breaks, or a government providing a closed bid contract to a favored company. The term is especially for these actions when directed toward large corporations, and especially in favored sectors such as finance, energy, defense and motor industries.

== Welfare Reform in the US==

== Welfare reform in the United States==

In the [[United States]], Conservative legislators passed the [[Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996]], which ended the AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) and radically changed the US welfare system. Tighter restrictions were placed on the eligibility and manner of receiving public aid in order to discourage families (mainly single, divorced, or widowed mothers with children)<ref>[http://futureofchildren.org]</ref> from remaining idle (outside of the work force). For instance, recipients are required to find employment within two years of receiving aid, and a single family could receive aid for a total of five years. If a mother gives birth to a child while on public assistance, states are allowed to establish "family caps" in order to deny further benefits the family may have been eligible for before the reform.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/welfare/welfare.htm#new Washington Post]</ref> Legal immigrants have also been made ineligible for any [[Social Security]] Income (SSI).<ref>Cornell University Law School</ref><ref>[http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/welfare]</ref>

In the [[United States]], Conservative legislators passed the [[Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996]], which ended the AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) and radically changed the US welfare system. Tighter restrictions were placed on the eligibility and manner of receiving public aid in order to discourage families (mainly single, divorced, or widowed mothers with children)<ref>[http://futureofchildren.org]</ref> from remaining idle (outside of the work force). For instance, recipients are required to find employment within two years of receiving aid, and a single family could receive aid for a total of five years. If a mother gives birth to a child while on public assistance, states are allowed to establish "family caps" in order to deny further benefits the family may have been eligible for before the reform.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/welfare/welfare.htm#new Washington Post]</ref> Legal immigrants have also been made ineligible for any [[Social Security]] Income (SSI).<ref>Cornell University Law School</ref><ref>[http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/welfare]</ref>

People who take advantage of the welfare system by collecting benefits for an extended period of time without trying to improve their situation (i.e. by getting a job) are known colloquially as [[welfare queen]]s. The legislative changes mentioned above help this problem, but there is still much room for improvement.

People who take advantage of the welfare system by collecting benefits for an extended period of time without trying to improve their situation (i.e. by getting a job) are known colloquially as [[welfare queen]]s. The legislative changes mentioned above help this problem, but there is still much room for improvement.

== Welfare and Welfare Reform in Egypt ==

== Welfare and welfare reform in Egypt ==

The Egyptian welfare system is significantly different. Rather than specific programs aimed at helping vulnerable individuals or families, the government prefers to maintain price controls and subsidies, as [[poverty]] is regarded as the most serious social issue, and is widespread. Staple goods such as bread, cooking oil and fuel are all blanket subsidised, that is supplied at the subsidised price to the entire population, with no form of means testing employed. Although this is more expensive than a more targeted means-tested approach, it is administratively simpler, a major factor in a country where the civil service often has limited resources, and limited computerization.

The Egyptian welfare system is significantly different. Rather than specific programs aimed at helping vulnerable individuals or families, the government prefers to maintain price controls and subsidies, as [[poverty]] is regarded as the most serious social issue, and is widespread. Staple goods such as bread, cooking oil and fuel are all blanket subsidised, that is supplied at the subsidised price to the entire population, with no form of means testing employed. Although this is more expensive than a more targeted means-tested approach, it is administratively simpler, a major factor in a country where the civil service often has limited resources, and limited computerization.