[Nathans_Dad]

Another snip about the Democrat's reaction to the 1996 bill:

Several members of Congress were critical of Clinton's announcement. Rep. George Miller, (D-Calif.) said, "Unfortunately, the president has joined the Republicans in making children the victims of the very system he said he wanted to reform." Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said if Clinton signs the bill he would be "throwing one million [children] into poverty."

Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-Vt.) said children and their parents "will be reformed and not even know it." The average level of food stamp assistance will drop from 80 cents to 66 cents per person, per meal. "I wonder if the ones who wrote this ridiculous formula could feed themselves or their children for that amount," he said.

While the bill made some concessions to the White House it sill forces millions off welfare and into a search for non-existent jobs while eliminating a $3 billion work program to get them there. It would let states deny Medicaid coverage to an adult who loses welfare benefits by not going to work and requires single parents with children over 6 years of age to look for work.

Was also finally able to track down who actually authored the bill.....drumroll......Republican Rep. E. Clay Shaw (Fla.).

Yeah, those Democrats are always pushing welfare reform...