David Obey: “the biggest social failure in this country is welfare. I think everybody understands that. It is a mess. It destroys…”

“the biggest social failure in this country is welfare. I think everybody understands that. It is a mess. It destroys work incentives. It is hated by many of the people on it and it is hated by the taxpayers. I think the No. 1 priority of the country is to see welfare reformed, and I do not believe that the country is going to have much confidence in its Government until the Government demonstrates that it can distinguish between the truly needy and those who take no personal responsibility. The American people deserve to have the welfare issue dealt with in a way that puts their needs first. Instead, in my view, the issue is being used as a political football by politicians to meet the needs of politicians, in order to help them gain an edge on each other. This bill is part of that circus. It is not real, it will not become law, it is simply part of a political game to tweak the President of the United States. The problem is that long after President Clinton and would-be President Dole are gone, my constituents will have to live with the consequences. We have before us today one-half of Governor Thompson's welfare reform package. Under the Wisconsin welfare reform package, low-income people are going to be taken off welfare in many instances, but the second half of the welfare package in Wisconsin is to put the Milwaukee Brewers and their owner on welfare, making them biggest welfare queen in Wisconsin. I find that interesting.…”