NAN A. S. HAYWORTH: “Again recalling the words of President Reagan, and I think this rings so true today, "The size of the Federal budget is…”

“Again recalling the words of President Reagan, and I think this rings so true today, "The size of the Federal budget is not an appropriate barometer of social conscience or charitable concern." Indeed what we have seen for the past half century is a usurpation, if you will, of charitable concerns by the Federal Government. None of us here are willing to abandon the notion of a safety net for those less fortunate, for those who may face physical challenges, for those who may face mental challenges, for those who literally have no way to take advantage of the freedom that they have to better themselves. But what so tragically has happened, with ofttimes the best of intentions, is that we have turned the safety net into a hammock, and that we have made it more lucrative for some to stay away from work and that we have, in the words of one official from a charitable organization with whom I visited in the 6th District of Arizona, he said to me, "You know, J.D., the Federal Government basically stepped into my line of work about 30 years ago, and they have taken over the bulk of it." Now, we have a fundamental debate going on.…”