Joe Lieberman: “the country's primary welfare program-- aid to families with dependent children [AFDC]--is a failure, both for those…”

“the country's primary welfare program-- aid to families with dependent children [AFDC]--is a failure, both for those participating in it and for those paying for it. What started as a well-intentioned program in the 1930's to help widows today has become an enormous program that takes basic American values--work, reward for work, family, and personal responsibility--and turns them on their head. The incentives in the current welfare system contradict our shared values and motivates harmful behavior by welfare recipients. Today's welfare program financially rewards parents who don't work, don't marry, and have children out-of-wedlock. The program is failing to move welfare recipients off dependency and into the work force. It is a factor in the breakdown of two-parent families and the buildup of teen pregnancy. AFDC started as a program to assist families in poverty but now is seen as a program that perpetuates poverty. Mr. President, there is bipartisan agreement that our welfare system must be changed so welfare incentives reward our society's shared values of work, marriage, and personal responsibility.”