Political Quotes

On the recordMay 4, 1994
The probability of a child growing up to be dependent on welfare is four time greater if that child comes from a welfare-dependent family. Welfare is not working. While one-half of mothers on welfare are off in 1 year, 75 percent will end up back on the welfare rolls for at least part of the next 8 years. Welfare is not working. America has gambled with $5 trillion, more than our national debt, but has never stopped to see that welfare just is not working. Since the War on Poverty began in 1965, we have increased spending more than 14 times, with basic spending on poor individuals going up fivefold, yet during this very same period we have made no progress against poverty. People more than ever use welfare. The illegitimacy rate has quadrupled, and our violent-crime rate has quintupled. If we are going to continue to help people, and we should, we must demand change for the recipients' sake and the very survival of our society. We must have the courage to break that cycle of poverty, because only then can we make sure that welfare will work.
Said by
Susan Molinari
New York

Editor's note · Context

Addressing the effectiveness of welfare programs and the need for reform.

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