Welfare Reform Results Questioned

"Whoever wants to be admired at a festival, should be prepared to dance well." —Ibo proverb

According to a study by the Joyce Foundation, welfare rolls in seven midwestern US states shrank by two-thirds over the past eight years. However, many former aid recipients remain in poverty, unable to pay utility and grocery bills. The report indicates that regardless of how strict states are about pushing people into jobs, the results are about the same: people are barely better off employed than on welfare, with average incomes of $12,000 to $14,000. (Source: Work & Family Newsbrief, www.workfamily.com).