The 1980s was a well-known decade for many new ideas such as technology, music, and social outlooks. Ronald Reagan was president for most of the decade, and the decade seemed to be in a process of growth. While many would think the 1980s a great time to experience, it was not the best decade to be living in. The 1980s were a time where having the necessities for living just wasn’t enough, and that the image of success was important. For those that were unfortunate enough to have the necessities, they became even more poor as they had nothing to support them. For those that were of different races and color, they had a hard time trying to be accepted and earn the same viewpoints and rights as originally-born Americans. Many were struggling to keep up with the pace of the 80s, “and while felt good for a while... they weren't good for America. They left important business undone - and they rationalized a dangerous ethos: The losers bring it on themselves, and there's nothing to be done about it. Nor should we really try.” (Nichols) The 1980s was a negative decade compared to past …show more content…
Reagan eventually promised to keep some of the welfare programs and provided “"safety nets" under social programs for the poorest and least capable members of society, particularly children. But as he was making such pledges, his people were trying to get catsup listed as a vegetable so that they would have to give less free food to the hungry!” (Angel) While the unfortunate tried to find ways to get themselves out of their situation, it became increasingly difficult as “the government did less for the poor and in part because the economy had less use for people without skills.”(Kimelman) Eventually they lost hope and tried to look for other ways to support themselves, as the support they had before was disappearing from
Linda Gordon's article is thoughtful, insightful and highly relevant. As governments slash poverty relief programs at all levels and as welfare-bashing reaches an all-time high, it is instructive to take a step back and look at how the current system developed.
Immediately after being sworn into office, Reagan implemented the first of many tax cuts. The Economic Recovery Tax Act passed in 1981 took 20% off taxes from top income levels and 25% off taxes from all lower income levels. Additional tax cuts, enforced in 1986, lowered taxes for those with high incomes by another 28% and those with lower incomes by 15%. These cuts were enacted based on the principle that tax breaks for the upper echelon of society would encourage investment and spending, creating new jobs for lower income individuals. Though these acts helped America during an economic low, they had consequences which are still being felt today. During Reagan’s presidency the distribution of wealth shifted unfairly towards individuals...
O?Beirne, Kate. ?The State of Welfare: An old and tricky question resurfaces.? National Review 54.2 (February 11, 2002): 1--2. Online. Information Access Expanded
In the summer of 1996, Congress finally passed and the President signed the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996", transforming the nation's welfare system. The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act sets the stage for ongoing reconstruction of welfare systems on a state-by-state basis. The combined programs will increase from nearly $100 billion this year to $130 billion per year in 6 years. Programs included are for food stamps, SSI, child nutrition, foster care, the bloss grant program for child- care, and the new block grant to take the place of AFDC. All of those programs will seek $700 billion over the next 6 years, from the taxpayers of America. This program in its reformed mode will cost $55 billion less than it was assumed to cost if there were no changes and the entitlements were left alone. The current welfare system has failed the very families it was intended to serve. If the present welfare system was working so well we would not be here today.
We Americans have a fondness of looking back to certain times with bouts of nostalgia, clutching closely the burred images of better off and more secure conditions. We seek to revive those past years, hoping to cure all of our current societal ills. Why cannot we bring them back? The economy was good, and the family was happy, we say.
Life in America society is different, and while reading the two texts from Carr and Reagan, it becomes apparent that the society has evolved to the worst. Society went from a courageous “bagpipe player in the middle of a bloody battle”(Reagan ) to “A guy suing after his dog confuses a restaurant for a fire hydrant” (Carr 2). The two authors show a huge contrast while using different tones and analogies to catch the attention of the people they are trying to reach. Has American society decline that much from the World War II era? Carr seems to think so and reading Reagan’s speech shows how there is a clear difference.
Reagan created a cabinet of “the best and the brightest” in order to shrink the government and minimize federal spending. He believed that the government didn’t fix problems but rather was the problem. He moved away from “welfare state” and government “entitlement” programs and proposed budget cuts totalling in about 35 billion, which passed.
In today’s America, there are many people who would either be disgusted at the very mention of Welfare or be highly grateful for its existence. I believe that in order for welfare to be more effective in America, there must be reform. From the time of its inceptions in 1935, welfare has lent a helping hand to many in crisis (Constitution Rights Foundation). However, at present many programs within the system are being abused and the people who are in real need are being cheated out of assistance. The year after the creation of welfare unemployment was just about twenty percent (Unemployment Statistics). The need for basic resources to survive was unparallel. Today, many people face the same needs as many did during the 30s. Some issues with
The government used the New Deal as a foundation to build new welfare programs. Medicaid and Medicare were created to help poor and elderly people with their medical costs. Support for welfare programs has declined from the 1980’s to the present day, even with efforts to try and improve support. Since the New Deal and the Great Society programs, the support for the welfare programs has been declining. President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) bill to try and increase the support for welfare programs by helping low-income children.
While the materialism of the 20’s faded into the economic depression that followed, and the glow of the 1950’s was dimmed by the onset of communist fever, both decades proved to be successful and iconic in the way that they brought about massive prosperity, and because youth found new ways of expressing themselves and inviting progress. Unfortunately, not all outcomes were good, and both eras triggered an onslaught of racial tension that would continue well into the future.
Welfare has been a safety net for many Americans, when the alternative for them is going without food and shelter. Over the years, the government has provided income for the unemployed, food assistance for the hungry, and health care for the poor. The federal government in the nineteenth century started to provide minimal benefits for the poor. During the twentieth century the United States federal government established a more substantial welfare system to help Americans when they most needed it. In 1996, welfare reform occurred under President Bill Clinton and it significantly changed the structure of welfare. Social Security has gone through significant change from FDR’s signing of the program into law to President George W. Bush’s proposal of privatized accounts.
Dallek, Matthew. “The Conservative 1960s From The Perspective Of The 1990s, It's The Big Political Story Of The Era.” The Atlantic Online. The Atlantic Online, Dec. 1995. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of production, it was the age of destruction, it was the epoch of nativism, it was the epoch of racism, it was the season of skepticism, it was the season of anti-communism, it was the spring of gain, it was the winter of loss – in short, it was the 1920's. Indeed, the decade of the 1920s was a truly “roaring” and prosperous time, but at the same time, it was a period of chaos and conflict. The events that happened during this decade influenced the world as we know it today. More importantly, the thought that the 1920’s was an era of major change in the United States, both positive and negative, is indeed fascinating and it deserves thorough examination.
In dystopian literature, the societies people are living in are often corrupt, and the worlds of 1984 and “2081” are no exception. In 1984, the main character Winston lives in a world where the citizens must love their leader Big Brother or be subjected to severe penalties. Similarly, the society of “2081” is completely equal, with no one stronger, more beautiful, or more intelligent than another thanks to the handicaps the citizens are forced to wear. In the novel 1984 and the short story “2081”, inhumanity in their societies is shown through the memories that are taken from their people and from the cruel ways they are punished.
The 1960’s and early 1970’s were a time that eternally changed the culture and humanity of America. It was a time widely known for peace and love when in reality; many minorities were struggling to gain a modicum of equality and freedom. It was a time, in which a younger generation rebelled against the conventional norms, questioning power and government, and insisting on more freedoms for minorities. In addition, an enormous movement began rising in opposition to the Vietnam War. It was a time of brutal altercations, with the civil rights movement and the youth culture demanding equality and the war in Vietnam put public loyalty to the test. Countless African-Americans, Native-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, women, and college students became frustrated, angry, and disillusioned by the turmoil around them.