Poverty in America
...e often relatively small for these targeted programs making them more palatable for politicians. Though some targeted programs are not widely used a number of them are very effective in meeting the goals. The final advantage of targeted programs is that these programs care about the particular goods and services they provide and to the people they are supporting. The disadvantages of targeted programs is often overlooked due to their overwhelming success rate. Although target programs have lower overhead they tend to cost more per participant than cash redistribution programs. Consequently targeted programs require first-rate management and program administration skills which are beneficial but very costly. Also, even when these programs are cost effective, that does not always mean the agency that spends the money is not the agency whose budget benefits. Chapter six was very interesting and Blank acknowledged a lot of great points concerning targeted based programs. I feel it is amazing that when such programs have shown such promise to those whom they have helped that the notion of cost is an issue. So what if a targeted program is not as cost effective as cash assistance programs, at least targeted programs have shown signs of actually working and taking people out of the reach of poverty. Does it scare society that people who once in poverty or who are in poverty could actually succeed? Does that make us communist? That we as a nation want to get ride of the problem of poverty and targeted programs have shown us the most promise other than a few extra dollars. I feel the few extra dollars should not make a difference, give the poor in this country the same opportunity to live the American dream as the next, hell our deficit is not getting any smaller. I have an idea, lets stop the war in Iraq and take all the money we would waste on that and put it into our own countries people, better the United States on the home front rather than being savor to the rest of the world. Second, chapter seven provides concrete suggestions and analysis of policy design and implementation. Blank proposes an interlocking system of programs that balances the concerns raised in the book, balancing work incentives with adequate support, balancing targeted programs with general support programs, balancing the appropriate contributions of federal, state, and local governments, balancing contributions of both the public and private sectors, and we need different programs and incentives for different groups in different regions among the population. As the rate of poverty increases due to deterioration of wages and lack of jobs for those who are less skilled in this country we must still provide and maintain a public and private set of programs that supplement wages. We have to fight this war on poverty for the long hall, focus on education and training that raise the skill level of young adults over time and decrease the number of less-skilled workers in the labor market. There are many programs set up to assist the poor of this country, some are good and cost effective and others are far to expensive and do not work. Blank has discussed a three-tier system of Family Assistance that would replace the current AFDC program. Blank states the three-tier Family Assistance program as such, a case evaluator meets with applicants and has the authority to provide small amounts of short-term assistance to those who need only temporary help to get back to work as part of the Tier 1 program. Those needing job search and training assistance are designed to Tier 2, which mandates work in conjunction with cash supplements. Tier 3 is reserved for those who need cash assistance and, at least in the short run, are unemployable. Such a system sounds great, but what is the reality of it actually working. Who is to regulate who is in what Tier from region to region? Are the people in charge of evaluating people and families in New York City suggesting the same type of support to a identical family in Los Angeles? These are just a few questions that I have about this pro...