No Change Here—Spitzer Vetoes Welfare Bill

Maureen Lane

No Change Here—Spitzer Vetoes Welfare Bill

On Wednesday Governor Spitzer vetoed a modest piece of legislation that would have had a positive impact on the poorest New Yorkers by increasing access to education and job training programs for those receiving welfare. For the last couple of weeks, I reported the stereotype driven arguments that yell for work-first policies, claiming that any job is better than no job.

Almost all women receiving welfare have recent work histories in entry level, low wage jobs. These jobs do not lead to economic stability, promotions, or even jobs with benefits. As a student at Hunter College pointed out to me, "The argument that they have to start somewhere rings hollow. I have worked at Staples and other low wage jobs. They seldom promote, and when they do people who come in from the outside and with a degree always make more."

Clearly, the Governor succumbed to political pressure and the empty rhetoric of work-first. Welfare as a political third rail is alive and well and living in Albany, New York City, Washington, and around the country. Until we have leaders who are more interested in what works for people, more interested in policy that enhances resources for all of us, and more interested in access to opportunity for all, we will persist in having welfare policy that puts poor women and families outside the care of the community and economic opportunity.

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Posted at 7:00 AM, Aug 02, 2007 in Welfare
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Gov. Spitzer's veto of this fairly modest job-training bill, signals that we have not yet changed enough in Albany.

You write: "Until we have leaders who are more interested in what works for people, more interested in policy that enhances resources for all of us, and more interested in access to opportunity for all, we will persist in having welfare policy that puts poor women and families outside the care of the community and economic opportunity."

How do we get from here to there?

As I see it, no one can take seriously Mr. Spitzer's veto justification on the merits. Since his veto message appears rooted in fiction, the Gov.'s veto seems only political. Mr. Spitzer may have concluded he needs the low and moderate voters who supported him less than he needs Mr. Bloomberg.

Since, this bill passed the Assembly and Senate with very large majorities, a veto override should be possible. If an override cannot be gotten, we need to ask ourselves whether we're facing a sophisticated version of the one house bill -- a two-house bill with promised veto.

daniel,
thank you for your insightful post. one of the ways "to get there from here" is to hold the governor accountable. he is quoted in the NY Sun today as saying that he has instrcuted the state welfare agency and commissioner to expand access to traing and education to the full extent of federal law. that is a tall orderconsidering we can have 30% of people in ed and training and we only have about 11% now. we need to monitor the governor and the agency. to be sure, WRI and DMI will be doing just that.

I am shocked, but not surprised at this ignorant move against the nation's poor, struggling mothers (not to mention by a democrat who was supported by so many of those in poverty!) Basically, he is following the example of many before him and throwing poverty-stricken women and their families into an endlessly cycling poverty. It is a strike against the most vulnerable of the country. Speaking as one of those mothers struggling to educate herself AND struggling to raise her child, I know what it means to reach for the stars and hit the glass ceiling placed by those politicians that want to toss me into work that would not even buy my daughter the basics--food, shelter, and clothing. To say the least, I am disappointed in the system once again. Spitzer betrayed his party and his supporters. Shame on him!