Welfare Reform Bill in Senate

In response to Sen. Bob Dole’s question (Aug. 8), “Which governor does he [Clinton] think does not care about those in need? Which state Legislature can’t be trusted with the welfare of their people?”:

Here in California, Gov. Pete Wilson has balanced his budget on the most vulnerable disabled people, recipients of SSI. Wilson held out for, and the Legislature passed, a budget which cuts disabled persons’ SSI benefits from $614 to $584 in high-rent areas and down to $556 in low-rent areas. This is the third year that Wilson has cut SSI to the blind and disabled, representing a 23% loss of purchasing power.

While many disabled people would like to become employed and get off poverty-based programs like SSI, the reality is that the unemployment rate is 70% among disabled people and 85% among the severely disabled. The Americans with Disabilities Act has done little to ameliorate our historical unemployment predicament, so it cannot be expected that those facing SSI cuts will be able to rebound with jobs.

In what Clinton accurately describes as a “race to the bottom,” 26 other states have initiated Draconian versions of welfare “reform.” History has proved again and again that the states cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Where there is no national standard for behavior, states sink to the lowest common denominator.

MARTA RUSSELL

Encino

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* I am all for “welfare reform” as long as they start at the top. We taxpayers have an obligation to pay Congress’ salary, office expenses and travel expenses at the opening and closing of Congress only. All the “perks” they have voted themselves are just high priced welfare.

JESSIE P. PAINTER

Port Hueneme

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* Republicans in the House and Senate should read “For True Change, Offer More Carrots” (Commentary, Aug. 7). Harold Pollack and James Tobin argue that the mismanagement of the federal welfare bureaucracy has been overstated. On the other hand, state and local welfare agencies have sometimes been corrupt and discriminatory. We need some national standards. Kicking people off welfare after so many years, as some Republicans propose, is cruel and self-defeating.

Honor the dignity of welfare recipients. Support them, encourage them, train them for jobs which are available and pay a living wage. Then we will get them off welfare and on their feet.

DON RADEMACHER

Glendale

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* With all this talk about welfare reform, why do we hear no comment from our elected officials regarding the Federal Reserve Board’s influence over this issue? Fed policy states that 95% employment of the work force constitutes “full employment.” The theory is that less than 5% unemployment leads to an overheated economy subject to excessive inflation. So the Fed adjusts interest rates to achieve 5% unemployment.

As a society we should admit that our selfish tendencies (the desire to be free of excessive inflationary pressures) create a need for welfare programs. The privileged class, including Congress, should quit the rhetoric--lazy welfare mothers with hands out--and focus on the facts. As long as Fed policy dictates less than 100% employment, we owe assistance to the unfortunate 5% who will always be without jobs.

SID DUTCHER

Huntington Beach