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The welfare programs in the U.S. are distinctly smaller and less costly than in Europe. They were first set up by the [[New Deal]] in the 1930s, especially [[Social Security]] and [[Unemployment insurance]]. [[Medicare]] and [[Medicaid]] were added in 1965. Republican President [[George W. Bush]] added a major drug benefit in 2002.
The welfare programs in the U.S. are distinctly smaller and less costly than in Europe. They were first set up by the [[New Deal]] in the 1930s, especially [[Social Security]] and [[Unemployment insurance]]. [[Medicare]] and [[Medicaid]] were added in 1965. Republican President [[George W. Bush]] added a major drug benefit in 2002.
===Reform===
===Reform===
The major reform came in 1996, when President [[Bill Clinton]] and House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]] (the leading conservative of the era0, formed a coalition to pass the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. It ended the generous benefits to welfare mothers and require them to take jobs. The reforms enacted were implemented and reauthorized during the Bush administration. They involved the move away from cash assistance and toward social services or work activity assistance.<ref> Scott W. Allard, "The Changing Face of Welfare During the Bush Administration," ''Publius: the Journal of Federalism'' 2007 37(3): 304-332 in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
The major reform came in 1996, when President [[Bill Clinton]] and House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]] (the leading conservative of the era), formed a coalition to pass the [[Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996]]. It ended the generous benefits to welfare mothers and require them to take jobs. The reforms enacted were implemented and reauthorized during the Bush administration. They involved the move away from cash assistance and toward social services or work activity assistance.<ref> Scott W. Allard, "The Changing Face of Welfare During the Bush Administration," ''Publius: the Journal of Federalism'' 2007 37(3): 304-332 in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
The reforms of 1996 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>Washington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/welfare/welfare.htm#new]</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>.
The concept of "charitable choice" was part of the comprehensive welfare reform of 1996. Its goal is the formal inclusion of religious organizations ("faith-based-organizations") into the public welfare system. The new relevance of religious organizations as social service providers goes along with a shift in ideas of social inequality and deviant behavior in terms of having not only structural and economic but also behavioral and moral reasons that faith-based organizations can better handle.<ref> Alexander-Kenneth Nagel, "Charitable Choice: the Religious Component of the US-welfare-reform - Theoretical and Methodological Reflections on "Faith-based-organizations" as Social Service Agencies," ''Numen: International Review for the History of Religions'' 2006 53(1): 78-111, </ref>
The concept of "charitable choice" was part of the comprehensive welfare reform of 1996. Its goal is the formal inclusion of religious organizations ("faith-based-organizations") into the public welfare system. The new relevance of religious organizations as social service providers goes along with a shift in ideas of social inequality and deviant behavior in terms of having not only structural and economic but also behavioral and moral reasons that faith-based organizations can better handle.<ref> Alexander-Kenneth Nagel, "Charitable Choice: the Religious Component of the US-welfare-reform - Theoretical and Methodological Reflections on "Faith-based-organizations" as Social Service Agencies," ''Numen: International Review for the History of Religions'' 2006 53(1): 78-111, </ref>
The leading conservative opponent in the U.S. is [[Charles Murray]].
The leading conservative opponent in the U.S. is [[Charles Murray]].
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Murray, Charles. ''In Our Hands : A Plan To Replace The Welfare State'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Our-Hands-Replace-Welfare-State/dp/0844742236/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256564113&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]
* Murray, Charles. ''In Our Hands : A Plan To Replace The Welfare State'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Our-Hands-Replace-Welfare-State/dp/0844742236/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256564113&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]