After years of debating the pros and cons of welfare, Congress and the president finally changed how we provide relief to the needy. The 1996 Welfare Reform Act limits public assistance and makes it conditional on seeking work.
States now have broad flexibility in how they spend welfare dollars.
While some states have reacted cautiously, others have taken bold, sometimes surprising, steps. Wisconsin has all but ended cash aid. Mississippi and other traditionally conservative states are implementing advanced day care programs. And the public seems to approve. A study issued by the University of Michigan seems to confirm that assesment, stating that the number of Americans who trust government is beginning to rise once again, albeit slowly.