The Trouble with TANF (and Block-granting)

by | April 10, 2012

Home 9 Family Economic Security 9 The Trouble with TANF (and Block-granting) ( Page 9 )

Klein Contends Congress Can’t Cut without Consequences

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is the federal block grant that was created about 15 years ago to replace the old welfare system (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). It has been getting a bit more attention in recent weeks because Paul Ryan and other Republicans are citing it as a huge success that justifies block granting other key social services for disadvantaged families, such as Medicaid and food stamps.

In Tuesday’s Washington Post’s Wonkblog, Ezra Klein shows the disconnect between that argument and the actual effects of the TANF block grant during the recession. I think he makes a compelling case that block grants aren’t the fiscal equivalent of a silver bullet that will allow Congress to simultaneously slash taxes for the rich and reduce the federal deficit.  Read more in the latest Wisconsin Budget Project Blog post.

Jon Peacock

Kids Forward
Kids Forward

Join us to build a Wisconsin where every child and family thrives.

Donate Now

Recent

Rich Get Richer under Proposed Tax Plan

Rich Get Richer under Proposed Tax Plan

by | Feb 9, 2024

From Racine to Rhinelander, everyone in Wisconsin deserves the freedom to make a good living and care for our families. However, the tax plan proposed by Republican legislative leadership would further rig the rules in favor of the wealthiest and make Wisconsin’s glaring racial disparities even worse. The four proposals leave everyday families even further behind because none of these tax proposals effectively target families who are struggling to make ends meet.

Sign up for Emails

Your address helps us identify your legislators and the most relevant messages to send you.