California pushing more welfare recipients to work

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown wants to shift the safety net protecting California's most vulnerable residents

Pressured by a $16 billion budget deficit, the governor is proposing a major overhaul of the state's welfare-to-work program with the strategy of slashing people's benefits to motivate them to get jobs faster.

The move, if approved by the state Legislature as part of the 2012-13 budget package, would save $880 million, but beyond the savings, analysts say it represents a shift in the philosophy of how the Golden State helps its neediest residents.

"It's a reversal of the state's historic commitment to these families and children," said Scott Graves, senior policy analyst with the California Budget Project. "It's a very significant change."

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/california-pushing-more-welfare-recipients-142406301.html

[hedgehog]

1. The Two Best Ways (copyright) to motivate people to jobs:

1. Have jobs available.

2. Double the minimum wage.

[demwing]

16. Doubling the minimum wage is extreme

But your other suggestion is spot on - no one can return to work when there are no jobs to return to...

Another good suggestion is to stop denying families Medicaid benefits when they return to the work force.

[hedgehog]

18. I live in rural, Upstate New York. Here the living wage for an adult and 1 child is over twice

the current minimum wage!

http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/counties/36075

The situation is worse in California. '

If anything, i was low balling what the increase should be!

[cstanleytech]

22. Raising the minimum wage is as smart an idea as keeping taxes low on the weathly was.

Or in other words both just dont work and in this case regarding raising minimum wage the businesses will just pass the increased cost onto the consumer most of whom are barely making ends meet as it is.
If you want businesses to pay their employees fairer wages though as I do then the only way to do that is probably by using the tax system, implement it so part of the taxes businesses pay is based on the the gap in pay for employees from the highest paid to the lowest.
Bigger the gap the bigger the tax the lower the gap the lower the tax.

[dadchef]

26. Trying to micromanage small businesses is disastrous and undueable.

If anyone thinks a small business can be punished for not paying the least productive member of their staff more money, will get more than what they bargained for, ask Jimmy Carter..

He tried to put curbs on gas prices that were surging, and in low supply, causing gas shortages. The Mideast cartels answered with shorter supplies, and rising prices even more. Finally, long gas lines, almost doubling gas prices that never returned to previous levels, and calls for Carter's head..

Carter's answer, rise in minimum wages to pacify low income wage earners to cover higher costs that the inflation costs in everything that was raised because of the higher freight and transportation charges spiraled up..

Results.. For 6 to 8 months it worked, until large and Small businesses that survived, adapted to the new reality and abolished low income workers, GAS STATION ATTENDANTS, gone forever, now we pump our own gas, white table cloth restaurants became fast food outlets, were we now carry our own food to tables, or the elimination of busboys, causing waitresses and waiters to clean their own tables, etc. Janitors, custodians, gave way to cleaning companies that did multiple operations per shifts, requiring less workers more productivity, less service at department stores, Robotics in manufacturing, part time, temp employees, etc, and much Higher inflation, higher credit card debt, Higher unemployment, most of the losses were youth workers that lost a chance at an entry level jobs..

Finally.. Ronald REAGAN

[cstanleytech]

27. Well the current system isnt working so what else would you suggest?

[Peregrine Took]

2. Guns or butter?

Guns.

[xxqqqzme]

3. I hope he doesn't run for re-election.

His policy ideas are worn and frayed at the edges. We need someone w/ a fresh outlook. I was so disappointed when the CDP went ape shit when he announced he would run. The CDP is aging and not giving exposure to younger, good Democrats in office, like Debra Bowen. Kamala Harris and John Chiang.

[truedelphi]

5. The CDP may be aging, but they accomplish what they

Were designed to accomplish. Every election cycle, we end up with more and more conservative "Democrats" in office, making the gap between old time Republican Party standards and current day "Democratic Party" standards rather equivalent.

Wish it weren't so. I don't know how an average citizen can change this - the corruption is from the top down, and the challenges a normal citizen faces in trying to change anything are greater than a California salmon attempting to survive in the depleted and disappearing river channels of the California salmon areas.

I was glad to be able to phone bank for Garamendi last week - he's not in my area, but modern technology lets anyone in the state help out the few remaining heroes in California politics. I still haven't been brave enough to see if he won his primary.

On edit: just checked and found that: After Strong Primary Finish, Garamendi Vows to Continue Robust Grassroots Campaign and Work on Nation’s Priorities



DAVIS, CA – Incumbent Congressman John Garamendi’s (D-Fairfield, CA) grassroots campaign delivered a strong first place finish in today’s primary for the new 3rd Congressional District with nearly 53% of the vote. Under California’s new top two primary, Garamendi will advance to the general election along with the second place candidate.

<snip>
Garamendi said, “Today our campaign finished a strong first in the primary, but our work is not done. Our grassroots campaign needs to continue through November to make sure that I can continue to represent the 3rd Congressional District. The people in the new 3rd Congressional District can be assured that my voice and vote will be that of an independent fighter for the many challenges they face.”

[xxqqqzme]

8. That is good news.

I have always liked Garamendi (though he should stop dying his hair). He spoke at a conference a few years ago we had for our local wetland's land trust. Heard him more than a few times at CDP conventions.

[senseandsensibility]

23. Garamendi really walks the walk.

He spoke to our local Dem club out in the boonies in support of Gray Davis during his ridiculous recall. He was very impressive and really believes in grassroots.

[coalition_unwilling]

20. Small victories matter - Jackie Lacey defeated Neanderthal Carmen

Trutanich for L.A. County District Attorney. Trutanich, you may recall, is the City Attorney for Los Angeles who gleefully and arrogantly presided over the crackdown and prosecution of Occupy Los Angeles in November. In the back pockets of real estate developers backing one plan for the NFL statium, Trutanich was heavily favored to win but placed a distant 3rd. Couldn't happen to a nicer asshole.

Jackie Lacey has a great smile, btw. Reminds me of JFK's smile.

[shanti]

6. John Chiang

I would vote for him!

[KamaAina]

10. Intriguing

but he's at least as much of a fiscal conservative as Brown. The key would be how hard he'd lean on the repukes to get some tax measures passed. What's shocking is that Brown hasn't done so. The Jerry Brown of old would have locked them all in a room and told them, "You're not leaving until you pass a budget, and it will include revenues."

[xxqqqzme]

24. Jerry married a rethuglican.

He may still champion civil rights but anything else - not so much. I cannot believe the way he is dismantling early education. Every time I have heard him speak (at CDP conventions mostly) he shouts. Wonder if he is losing his hearing?

[KamaAina]

25. Well, Ahh-nuld married a Dem

didn't help him much.

Moonbeam is weak even on civil rights these days; he vetoed a bill that would have made it easier for farmworkers to organize!

[BlueCaliDem]

4. Wanna tweet your disgust to Jerry Brown?

Follow and tweet him: https://twitter.com/#!/JerryBrownGov

I just sent him a tweet asking when will CA finally begin taxing oil companies.

[coalition_unwilling]

21. He (or his office) never replied to any of the emails I sent him expressing outrage about

what the pigs were doing to Occupy Oakland. Then I remembered that the Oakland pigs bashed the heads of demonstrators against the Iraq War . . . back when Brown was Mayor of Oakland.
Like I wrote elsewhere on this thread, what a pathetic loser.

[kenfrequed]

7. Awesome!

We can have Mcdonalds employ the parents while the commercials raise the children.

I really wish people in this country had a more intelligent view on poverty and the provision of care for children.

[KamaAina]

9. Well, then, it's a good thing we have so many jobs going begging out here

[nineteen50]

11. So

The private sector crashed the economy the public sector bailed it out and now the public sector is being blamed for the crash and dismantled. Austerity economics ain't it grand?

[4th law of robotics]

12. Motivating people to get jobs faster is fine

but there ought to be jobs available for them.

[BigThrill]

13. how about Cali just keep some of the money it loses annually in Fed taxes...

Maybe ask the Union to return the 69 Billion dollars it takes from California every year.
Seriously, why does 20-35 billion need to go each of Louisiana, Alabama or Virgina instead of itself?
Who else loses that much? New York at 51 and Illinois at 34. Blue benefactors for red welfare.

[taught_me_patience]

14. Exactly. n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. Right Wing View

Give the poor less money or they won't work.

Give the rich more money or they won't work.

Meanwhile, those who scream the loudest about the value of work, (even saying it's God's Will that you work) dream of being rich,...so they'll never have to work again.

[demwing]

17. That jsut about wraps the whole debate up

doesn't it?

[coalition_unwilling]

19. Great. CA unemployment rate is 11% and Brown wants to afflict

the already-afflicted, while keeping in comfort the already-comfortable. I'm so done with him after his silence around the brutal police crackdowns on Occupy in Oakland and LA. What a total loser.