Jack Kingston: “And with the Federal presence, guidance, and oversight, but not necessarily Washington bureaucratic micromanagement.…”

“And with the Federal presence, guidance, and oversight, but not necessarily Washington bureaucratic micromanagement. Now, I think probably the biggest failure of the Washington bureaucracy to manage a problem is local poverty control. You know, the folks on welfare in Savannah, GA, have to do what the bureaucrats tell them to do in Washington, and it is the same bureaucrats telling your folks in California what to do, and the people in California in Mrs. Seastrand's district have to do what the folks in Arizona in your district do, and you have one Washington bureaucracy command controlling poverty. As a result, since 1964 we have spent $5 trillion on poverty. The poverty rate then was 14 percent, and the poverty rate now is 14 percent. It has not worked. We need local control and flexibility. You know what? I cannot solve Mrs. Seastrand's poverty problem, and I cannot solve Mr. Hayworth's, and maybe I cannot solve mine. But you know what? I can do a heck of a lot better job on mine than I can on yours. Just give me the tools and I think I can do it. That is one reason why you want State block grants. Cut out the poverty brokers and put the control in the hands of the local people.”