Before examining partisan positions, the term welfare programs must be defined carefully. Sloppy definitions lead to sloppy thinking, and sloppy thinking leads to bad policy. In contemporary political debate, the word “welfare” is often used imprecisely to refer to any government benefit, which obscures meaningful distinctions between social insurance, entitlement programs, and means-tested assistance. Defining…
Critical Issues Dividing the Parties and the Nation – USAID Funding
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) occupies a curious place in American public life. It is rarely discussed in everyday political conversation, seldom appears in campaign debates, and is often described in vague terms such as “foreign aid,” “humanitarian assistance,” or “development work.” Yet USAID controls tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, operates…