June 16, 2023
The Missing Context Behind “Cuts” in Fast-Growing Welfare Programs
Official Washington just completed a heated debate on the debt limit, punctuated by intense partisan differences over strengthening work requirements for key welfare programs. On one side stood House Republicans, who on April 26 approved legislation that would have strengthened work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (dubbed “ABAWDs”) collecting major welfare benefits like food stamps and…
June 15, 2023
The Conservative Case for SNAP Restrictions
Conservatives believe in individual freedom, free enterprise, and limited government. This is why conservatives often bridle against the government restricting individual choice—even when it comes to the use of public benefits. After all, being free to make decisions for yourself and your family is fundamental to conservative thought. So, why should policymakers consider placing restrictions on what…
June 15, 2023
Testimony on Anti-Poverty and Family Support Provisions in the Tax Code
Introduction Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Crapo, and distinguished members of Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Bruce D. Meyer, and I am the McCormick Foundation Professor of Public Policy at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. I have spent forty years researching the effects of government programs…
June 15, 2023
Our Children Need to Be Involved in Religious Institutions
Last weekend, I celebrated the wedding of a long-time friend in Baltimore. Nearly a half dozen couples who were instrumental in my life were in attendance but I didn’t appreciate their true impact on me until last week. The couples were all members of my childhood synagogue, Congregation Beth T’fillah of Overbrook Park, a house…
June 15, 2023
Instead of ‘Late Capitalism,’ Maybe the US Economy Is Still in ‘Early Capitalism’
So how is the twilight of capitalism working out for you? What, you didn’t realize that you were living through “late capitalism”? Before I go on, let me first explain that term. The phrase dates back to the early 20th century — yup, we’ve apparently been in LC for a long time — when Werner…
June 15, 2023
AI and the Future of Schooling
Over the past year, eerily human artificial intelligence has crossed from the province of science fiction into daily reality. Displaying an astonishing ability to write poetry, code programs, summarize research, and ace the SAT, AI has profound implications for education. The early response has tended to take one of two forms: sky-is-falling panic or an…
June 14, 2023
Housing in America: A Profectus Roundtable
As economic dynamism in America continues to shift the geography of economic opportunity, housing has become a top concern for a growing number of Americans. It’s clear that some areas are struggling to maintain or build enough housing to meet demand. With costs rising and preferences changing, we asked a group of experts for their…
June 14, 2023
The Best Argument for School Choice
A new study from the Texas Public Policy Foundation is a reminder that the most persuasive argument in favor of school choice is not the promise of higher test scores, the beneficial effects of competition, or even an escape hatch from failing public schools—it’s the power of choice to make a more satisfying range of school cultures…
June 14, 2023
Better Data Means Better Policy
“Did you adjust for inflation?” An occupational inconvenience of doing economic research is that you are routinely asked by disbelieving non-researchers whether your numbers have taken into account the rising cost of living. The answer to that question is nearly always, “Yes.” The debates among researchers are about how to adjust earnings and income for inflation, and…
June 14, 2023
Why Behavioral Requirements Are Vital to Welfare Programs
Just as the welfare-to-work policies of the Clinton administration jump-started a remarkable improvement in the lives of black women, work requirements, such as those included in the recent debt ceiling bill , have proven successful in other programs. Improving behaviors is crucial if we want more struggling families to distance themselves from poverty. Unfortunately, many liberals have labeled these efforts racist,…