[Nathans_Dad]

Cool you have an uncanny ability to spout off on this board based on whatever your "understanding" was and then when you are shown facts to the contrary your response is usually something along the lines of "Whatever, all you Repubs want to do is find fault with liberals. When will you get a clue?" To paraphrase, "Yeah whatever, I'm still right". You seem to have the art of deflection down pretty well. Notice that you bring up flag burning above...is that the topic of this thread? You post above how the conservatives never want to discuss the issues. I have been posting facts and opinions about this issue and you seem to be the one not willing to discuss those facts. Focus please.

You have never responded to my questions about who authored the welfare reform bill and which party voted for or against it. You seem to have acknowledged that the Republicans had majorities in both Houses but discount their role. I give Clinton credit for taking a step towards actual reform, but don't kid yourself and think he did things all by himself. I think to be intellectually honest, you must acknowledge that introduction and passage of a welfare reform bill in 1996 does in fact constitute an "action" by the Republican party on welfare. But you choose not to acknowledge that because it might break down some of the preconceived notions you have about Republicans.

Rodeo- I don't think that welfare reform is a hot button topic nor is it one of the most important topics that we need to deal with, I agree that the 1996 bill was a heck of a lot better than it used to be. But, this thread is about welfare so that's why I'm discussing it. You wanna talk about abortion or gay rights or the economy? Start another thread.

PS: Moses posts an excellent graph above. I also wonder about how successful our current program is when the New Jersey Welfare Reform Study found 48% of people on TANF were still unemployed at 5 years...