Well, there he goes again. Gov. Tate Reeves blocked a federal summer food program for poor school children because it would “expand the welfare state.”
Welfare has become the Governor’s latest strawman. He has opposed Medicaid expansion because, “adding 300,000 able-bodied adults to the welfare rolls is not the right thing to do.” He denied continuation of the pandemic rent assistance program saying, "Mississippi will continue to say no to these types of liberal handouts that encourage people to stay out of the workforce.”
Perhaps the Governor’s lamenting about welfare is simply a means to deflect attention from real problems.
Consider this:
“Mississippians don’t want welfare,” the Governor likes to say, “they want to work.” Well, there is some evidence he ought to be saying, “Many Mississippians need welfare because they can’t find work.”
Mississippi’s lowest-in-the-nation labor force participation rate points to this. That rate, at just 53.9%, shows nearly half of our population age 16 and up not only don’t have jobs but they also aren’t looking for jobs.
And our major adult welfare programs – TANF and SNAP – aren’t the problem. Both now require able-bodied adults to get jobs in order to draw benefits.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Programs requires any adult between ages 18 and 60 who is receiving funds, unless exempted, to participate in the TANF Work Program. The Mississippi Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program limits SNAP benefits to three months for every “able-bodied adult without dependents” between ages 18 and 60 who does not meet agency work requirements or is exempted. Exemptions generally arise from mental and physical disabilities, care for dependents, pregnancy, or school attendance.
The real problem looks to be that the economies in parts of Mississippi aren’t doing very well and jobs are scarce, particularly living wage jobs. Mississippi’s labor force participation rate has been in decline since hitting 63.3% in 1994.
Perhaps the Governor should acknowledge that Mississippi is a “welfare state” – persistent poverty, low wages, stagnant population – and needs every federal dollar it can get. State government got over $12 billion in federal government hand-outs for 41% of its FY 24 budget. Another $25 billion or so flowed into Mississippi through direct payments, contracts, grants, loans, and other financial assistance. All this makes Mississippi one of the states most dependent upon federal funds.
Complaining about the “welfare state” to turn away federal dollars may be politically popular but does nothing to solve our problems or put people to work in distressed areas.
In muted contrast, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has made finding real solutions to our labor force participation problem a top priority in the Legislature this session.
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear” – Matthew 11:15.
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.
43 comments:
Crawford has apparently never worked near, around, with or in tandem with any of these programs. I have. For at least 25 years.
At one time, many years ago, there were REAL job-search programs in order to obtain what's now called TANF and SNAP.
Those programs had various monickers, one being WORK INCENTIVE. Another was JOB SEARCH SKILLS TRAINING (JSST), which required physical attendance at job search seminars, interactive participation and demands for contacts with employers.
Could mandatory participants scam the programs and fake accomplishing objectives? Sure. But now, there ARE none of those requirements other than a case-worker asking, 'Y'all look for any jobs this week?'
This is a joke: "And our major adult welfare programs – TANF and SNAP – aren’t the problem. Both now require able-bodied adults to get jobs in order to draw benefits."
And Crawford knows it's a joke or he's holed up in old age out of touch with reality.
I interviewed recently for a job in Mississippi. I wanted to return to my home state. Qualifications for the job were 20 years experience, a Masters degree, on and on. The pay was 75-80k. Similar positions (I left some details out) in competitive states paid 130-150k. The problem is Mississippi employers take advantage of their own.
If you can’t afford to feed your kids then you don’t deserve to have them.
Simple as.
But he has expanded the corporate welfare state with a EV battery factory.
There will come a day when we all will have to individually & collectively how we have responded to all of the underserved so in need of a helpful hand & understanding hearts, even our elected officials & those that the elected officials give a seat at the table of plenty.
Missippi is a good place for retired folks, I retired at 52 and I have been out of the labor force for over 10 years. I am sure folks like me make up the majority of folks out of the labor force. The car, tire and steel plants probably only hire 10,000 or so directly. The really good jobs are on the coast and most of that money goes to Alabama and Louisiana
It’s hard for me to like Tater. Mississippi got Roe vs Wade overturned but won’t expand Medicaid to help keep hospitals open and provide health care to the working poor. There are plenty of people with jobs that don’t provide health insurance that can’t afford private insurance. He’s as arrogant and hateful as a man can be.
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10
This about feeding poor children, who get funded lunches at school, during the summer when school’s closed. Huckabee in Arkansas accepted this money, though it conflicted with Republican dogma (ala Tate), because it was about helping the children of her state.
Why is this so hard to do in a Christian state?
Well...I our Governor and his defenders feel children should be punished for not being born into the lucky Egg and Sperm Club!
And, those who know why they should feed their livestock and pets well if they want them to be "useful" can't connect the dots in biology to know that's true for all living "creatures on God's earth"!
But still, some of you wonder why Mississippi stays at the bottom.
But Reeves and Lamar sure love them some corporate welfare - to fatten their campaign coffers. Bought like the whores they are.
Tragically, I wasn't born into the lucky "I Don't and Won't Work So Now You Have To Pay Me For My Entire Existence" Club.
@12:03 is correct.
It is time that we restore Child Labor.
Too many kids don’t know what it is like to work for a living.
I say we lower the working age to 6!
Y’all my parents were uneducated rednecks living in a trailer but I never got free lunch because they both stayed sober and went to bed at 9pm and got up and went to work. Why should we subsidize people staying out at the club until 3 am on a weeknight?
All cultural warriors and terrorists understand that real warfare is total war, and that entails some collateral damage. The children of the "welfare state" are just collateral damage and their welfare may be sacrificed to defeat the real enemy....big government. Tate understands this, or at least his masters understand this. Too bad those children get in the way. They'll survive, some may be a little hungry, but they'll survive.
Hmmmm. Me thinks that Tater and his Tots complain too much and for all of the wrong reasons. They need to consider what is in the best interest of the children and the working poor.
11:40 AM
Brandon Presley has joined the chat.
Just FYI, Medicaid doesn't help keep hospitals open and most Medicaid recipients don't work. Not sure where that gem of misinformation originated.
There are plenty of jobs. There are plenty of able bodied people but they don’t want to work. We need workers and not those from across the border but if that’s what it takes then so be it. We need workers. Plain and simple. We lost our way and in my opinion I don’t think we can correct our course. This has gone too far for too long. When you give assurance and assistance to people who know they don’t have to be productive members of society then it creates perpetual generational laziness.
As a 14 year old paperboy with three bicycle routes to throw in 1965, I had to get up in the dark to throw papers and then took a brown bag lunch to school.
If you yold me the school was gonna bring me lunch all summer, my parents would have refused it. They'd not only rather me have a peanut butter sandwich and glass of milk at home, but tell me to make my own sandwich! I am ashamed to live in a city where 60% of adults expect free water, sewer and trash collection. That whole free-stuff mentality is despicable. Free lunches all summer would teach children to grow up as dependency slaves like their parents.
You moaners and groaners are challenged to show us where in any Bible we admonished to care or provide for the slovenly, the able who won't pull the wagon, the sluggards who sit on the porch and hope for more entitlements while sipping out of brown paper sacks.
Where are the so called 'community leaders', the reverends, the elected officials, all of whom have no input?
No money for children. $350 million for corporations. Welcome to the republican party.
For decades we've heard the chant from the left that, "Nobody has children just to draw a welfare payment".
Now you see the error of your assumption.
12:06 PM Mississippi is as far removed from being a "Christian" state as you can possibly get.
In a short staffed military, 8,400 service personnel booted out for refusing the Covid nRNA shot. 8 million illegals allowed across the border, none of whom were asked to take the Covid mRNA shot.
Welcome to the Democrat party (which also funded billions for "green" companies with no chance of success).
Echoing the "Tate is against federal dollars when it is for children and the uninsured but all for it when it is anything else" crowd. Don't take federal dollars- fine. I'm all for it. But, be consistent.
Thanks, 7:06, for each of your seven posts.
You might not be in the wagon, but you damned sure aren't pulling it. Perhaps you're over on the corner with a whip and a list of complaints about the comfort up in the wagon.
Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
Proverbs 18:9
"Working Poor". Ironically the state which ought to know the most about this category has a governor who cares the least. Why? Why do so many of these writers assume that everybody accepting a summer lunch program is a lazy, shiftless drain on society. Of course some are, nothing is perfect, but aren't some of these kids going to become valuable contributors to society?
I guess not in Mississippi.
I'm sure Tate will be providing meals for hungry children in the Metro area at the Governor's mansion this summer since that is what a good caring Christian with means would do.
3:54 - I agree. If you want to see prime examples of how this culture of dependency impacts society, go to the grocery store. You'll notice the shelves are empty most of the time as well as milk, and other cold-cases. There ain't no shortage anymore. It's all in the back, unloaded off the truck and no one to stock the shelves. This generation is too busy on their ass at home playing x-box and snacking on crap that they got from SNAP and TANF money.
We grew up Po! My mom raised 5 kids that all grew up to be productive citizens and assisted her in her old age till death.
This is not a Tate Reeves issue this is a decision on the parents of generational dependency on the Government.
STOP looking for blame. Look in the mirror whilst the rest of us work two and three jobs!
Oh yea, we only received food stamps for about 6 months while we were settling in Mississippi 1971. After that we all finished college, worked and live productive lives!
3:04 PM
Ha! So you think I’m Brandon Presley! That’s a good one. Do a little research. When a person is uninsured and doesn’t have Medicaid the hospitals are not compensated for their services. That does a number on their budgets. Again, do a little research.
1:54 So you were on the government dole for six whole months. This program is only for less than 3 months. You and your siblings all "finished college, worked and live productive lives!" after being on the government dole longer than this program will feed these children. Maybe, just maybe, some of these human beings will do the same. But I guess that's just not possible.
Here is something to think about. Maybe the people don't have the information that the governor has that makes these decisions. Could it be we only see 40% of the whole story. The media gives the public one small bit of information and the public starts tearing each other apart. One day, the general public will get smart and see this. I really doubt that will ever happen.
@3:59, hey Bernie, I don’t think Medicaid benefits pay to feed children. Try again.
January 22, 2024 at 1:54 PM, that's a great story, and I'm still wiping tears from reading such a heart-rending account. There's only one problem, there were no food stamps in Mississippi in 1971.
3:59 and 4:47 thanks you jogged my memory it was commodities from the USDA. The moral of my story(1:54) it was a need and not a life long handout! Dang I’m old, I do remember that food was good!!! The canned chip beef cooked with onions over rice was a lifesaver.
4:46 Medicaid? Read the story.
@ 2:28 - You may not be Brandon, but you think like him. It's not the government's job, nor mine, to ensure the solvency of a remote, rural hospital or the income/retention of its employees.
You people pretend to be interested in hospital solvency, but your only true interest is in supporting the slovenly.
Mississippi is the fattest, laziest most obese state in the country. We need more food stamp benefits like a crackhead needs more pipes.
4:49 Come here for the news; stay for the poetry ;-)
10:53 -- Yeah, well, I don't think God is going to smile upon people who steal money from their fellow humans in order to give to other people. I tell you what -- why don't YOU help your fellow humans with your own resources and not worry about what others do? You know, instead of stealing money from other people, handing it to government, wiping your hands clean, and going around feeling good that you have done your part? You should get a job with some of the denominational leaders in Mississippi. They pretty well do the same exact thing.
Governor Reeves needs to focus on the overlooked elderly, citizens. They are unable to work, paid their dues and now can’t afford to eat a healthy meal??? Can’t go outside because of crime, get medicaid because it’s so much trouble and so confusing for them, they give up. Federal money helps them with FOOD, MEDICAL EXPENSES, RENT, MORTGAGES, basic living expenses! He needs to rethink his views on The Elderly of Mississippi!!!!
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