#36. @realDonaldTrump You said you want to get Americans off of welfare. How? #100Days100Qs

President Trump stands at a podium

Mr. President, you told your supporters that you wanted to get Americans off of welfare. How will you do it?

During a speech at the Conservative Political Action Committee last week, President Donald Trump told his supporters that, "It’s time for Americans to get off of welfare."

Easier said than done, of course.

Social programs like welfare and food stamps have long been targets of the conservative establishment. And Democrats too. In 1992, President Bill Clinton promised to, "end welfare as we know it" and to "empower people with the education, training and child care they need" to escape the trap of dependency. In 1996, he signed the Personal Responsibility and the Work Opportunity Act — a Republican-sponsored law that cut nearly $50 billion in cash aid.

It also shifted the responsibilities to states to decide how to spend the money and decide who is eligible and who is not. The program encouraged those receiving a check to participate in job training, attend classes and volunteer. But according to a 2016 study, the cycle of intergenerational poverty only increased after Clinton’s welfare reform bill. In essence, the welfare to work program failed.

According to a US Census report, about 21 percent of people in the US receive some form of government assistance — food stamps, Medicaid and welfare. So any changes President Trump proposes to welfare could have dire implications for tens of millions of Americans

So, we're wondering, Mr. President, what proposals do you have to successfully move people off welfare without leaving them hungry or homeless? Click here to tweet the question to the president.

Over President Donald Trump's roughly first 100 days, we'll be asking him questions that our audience wants answers to. Join the project by tweeting this question to @realDonaldTrump with the hashtag #100Days100Qs. See more of our questions at pri.org/100questions.

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