Commentary: An historic opportunity to expand federal social welfare programs â for better or for worse
By LaVarr Webb
Iâve written previously that one of the key issues in the 2022 congressional mid-terms will be whether voters want considerably more benefits from the federal government. Legislation has already passed, and more is pending in Congress, to dramatically increase government benefits for most Americans, extending well into the upper middle class.
For example, the child tax credit is now paying families earning up to $150,000 a year up to $300 a month for each child. Under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called food stamps) a family of four can now qualify for more than $800 a month for food, even though a typical family of four spends only a little more than $500 a month for food, according to the Wall Street Journal.
And much more welfare support is planned. A recent newsletter from the New York Times outlines some of the provisions of the $3.5 trillion (some project it will really be over $5 trillion) âhuman infrastructureâ social spending bill recently moved forward by the U.S. House. The NY Times called it âBidenâs most ambitious attempt the reshape the American economy.â
It would come on top of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and the pandemic-relief law that Biden signed in March, only this legislation âis likely to be larger and longer lasting, and would affect many aspects of daily life, like education, health care and perhaps even the weather.â The âsprawling billâ is designed to slow climate change, reduce poverty, expand pre-kindergarten education, provide free community college (including tuition and living expenses), and expand Medicare benefits.
It includes significant subsidies for clean energy and would help families pay for electric cars and energy-efficient homes.
Medicare would be expanded to include dental, hearing and vision coverage, and anyone 60 and up would qualify. Subsidies would increase for Obamacare plans, and for home health care.
The $300 per child per month tax credit would be made permanent for families earning up to $150,000 annually. Workers who take time off due to illness or to take care of a relative could receive up to $4,000 a month. Subsidies for childcare would increase.
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