Welfare rolls at record lows despite economy

Monday, February 02, 2009

The country's economic situation has been pretty well reported. In such bleak times, with unemployment numbers reaching record highs in many states, you would expect to see an increase in the number of people seeking public assistance. But according to an investigation by our partners at the New York Times, 18 states cut their welfare rolls last year and nationally the number of people getting assistance is near a 40-year low. Jason Deparle, reporter in the Washington Bureau for the New York Times joins us for a peek at the results of their investigation. For more from Jason Deparle, read his article, Welfare Aid Not Growing as Economy Drops Off in today's New York Times and pick up his book American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare on welfare reform.

"I can't imagine it being much of a priority in many places to put more money into cash welfare when you're competing against schools and all sorts of other pressing needs."
— Author and New York Times reporter Jason Deparle on the state of the country's welfare programs

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