A new campaign ad from GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney targets welfare programs across the country. It starts by applauding President Bill Clinton's 1996 overhaul of welfare – which added work requirements for recipients. It then asserts that President Barack Obama just made welfare reform a toothless tiger.
An excerpt from the ad says: "[U]nder Obama's plan, you wouldn't have to work and wouldn't have to train for a job. They just send you your welfare check." Analysts who fact-checked the ad said Obama's plan gives states more room to change their welfare programs, but it could be a leap to suggest states would go back to old welfare programs.
Just who are recipients of welfare and food stamps? How has that group changed since the economic downturn? What are plans for welfare going forward?
Guest:
Caroline Danielson, Policy Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), specializing in social safety net programs lik CalWORKs, CalFresh, TANF, and SNAP.