Question in (sociology of poverty)
Perspectives of poverty
Question 2 from from Lectures and Williams
1
Question 2
Discuss in detail how (1) political forces rooted in the legacy of the great society; (2) the democratic controlled congress; (3) various bureaucrats within the Welfare state; civil rights organizations etc. prevented Reagan/Bush administrations from fulfilling their promise to fundamentally “cut-back” on social policies, eliminate affirmative action and dramatically transform the American Welfare state.
Preventing Cutbacks
Regan and Bush Administration brought some economic prosperity to white and affluent individuals in the top 20%. Blacks, Latinos, and single women experienced greater hardships.
American Federation of State, Municipal and County Employees, African Federal Government Employees defended social welfare and affirmative action
Association of Mayors, Court Officials, and Governors joined the fight to oppose both Reagan and Bush’s budget cut proposals.
Most vocal group in nation resisting proposed cuts
Established affirmative action programs and policies in its defense
60 cities spent more than $30M to conduct disparity research studies
Private charities created after 1960 were dependent on national, state, and local welfare financing
National Association of Social Workers lobbied for access to funding and provided testimony on the importance of social programs
Preventing Cutbacks
Coalition for Human Needs, Children’s Defense Fund, and American Association of Retired People, mobilized to educate the public about the impact of cutbacks
Historic Civil Rights Organizations and minority businesses associates joined forces with university administrators and corporate officials who favored affirmative action
They prevented the elimination of affirmative action
The development of the Business Opportunity Act led to the creation of the Commission on Minority Business
Its purpose was to increase the implementation of minority set-aside programs
Democratic Congress
The democratic controlled congress made it almost impossible for Regan and Bush to be successful at cutting social welfare programs
They accomplished two effective strategies
Creating a solid congressional voting bloc that strongly opposed bills containing provisions to limit or reduce social service programs and alter affirmative action
Attached both programs and agencies in danger of elimination or severe cuts to republican bills that were almost certain to be passed.
President did not have the power to exercise a line item veto, many of the democratic provisions designed to retain entitlement programs passed.