Books
The War on Poverty 1965–1980
– Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 1984.Excerpt: No one disputes that poverty exists in America. But how serious is the problem? Who are the poor? Why are they poor? Are there more poor people than there used to be? On such… More
No, Welfare Isn’t Really the Problem
– The Public Interest, Summer 1986.Excerpt: Ellwood and Lawrence Summers’s article “Is Welfare Really the Problem?” (Spring 1986) exemplifies a continuing problem that clouds debate about the underclass. On one side… More
Does Welfare Bring More Babies?
– The Public Interest, Spring 1994.Excerpt: LAST OCTOBER, I published a long piece on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Coming White Underclass.” Its thesis was that white illegitimacy—22 percent… More
What to Do about Welfare
– Commentary, December 1994.Excerpt: In the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton’s television ad promising to “end welfare as we know it” was one of his best vote-getters, so effective that it was the first choice for a… More
Keeping Priorities Straight on Welfare Reform
– Society, August 1996.Excerpt: In April 1995 I was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on the welfare reform bill then under discussion. As I write (mid-November 1995), the Senate and House… More
What Government Must Do
– American Enterprise, January/February 1998.Excerpt: Years ago I worked for a research company that evaluated social programs for the federal government. One time I was heading a team assessing a program for troubled inner-city… More
The Perils of GOP Activism
– Wall Street Journal, February 20, 1998.Excerpt: At the beginning of 1964, the country was at peace, the economy was humming, and vast tax revenues were burning a hole in Congress’s pocket. Sound familiar? The rhetoric of… More
And Now for the Bad News
– Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1998.Excerpt: Good news is everywhere. Crime rates are falling; welfare rolls are plunging; unemployment is at rock bottom; teenage births are down. Name an indicator, economic or social, and… More
The Advantages of Social Apartheid
– Sunday Times (London), April 4, 2005.Excerpt: Underclass is an ugly word, and we live in an age that abhors ugly words, so it is good to hear that the Blair government has devised a cheerier label: Neet, an acronym for “not… More
In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– (Washington: AEI Press, 2006.)Summary from Publisher: America’s population is wealthier than any in history. Every year, the American government redistributes more than a trillion dollars of that wealth to provide for… More
A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2006.Excerpt: This much is certain: The welfare state as we know it cannot survive. No serious student of entitlements thinks that we can let federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and… More
The $10,000 Solution
– Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2006.Excerpt: Suppose we assume people on the other side of the political divide are not hateful, not bent on destroying America, but are instead, by and large, decent and sensible humans.… More
Guaranteed Income as a Replacement for the Welfare State
– Basic Income Studies, August 2008.Excerpt: Professor Amitai Etzioni’s policy brief presents a cogent case for a guaranteed income (GI). Like other advocates, he sees the GI as a moral imperative — in his case, it is an… More
Essays
The War on Poverty 1965–1980
– Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 1984.Excerpt: No one disputes that poverty exists in America. But how serious is the problem? Who are the poor? Why are they poor? Are there more poor people than there used to be? On such… More
No, Welfare Isn’t Really the Problem
– The Public Interest, Summer 1986.Excerpt: Ellwood and Lawrence Summers’s article “Is Welfare Really the Problem?” (Spring 1986) exemplifies a continuing problem that clouds debate about the underclass. On one side… More
Does Welfare Bring More Babies?
– The Public Interest, Spring 1994.Excerpt: LAST OCTOBER, I published a long piece on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Coming White Underclass.” Its thesis was that white illegitimacy—22 percent… More
What to Do about Welfare
– Commentary, December 1994.Excerpt: In the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton’s television ad promising to “end welfare as we know it” was one of his best vote-getters, so effective that it was the first choice for a… More
Keeping Priorities Straight on Welfare Reform
– Society, August 1996.Excerpt: In April 1995 I was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on the welfare reform bill then under discussion. As I write (mid-November 1995), the Senate and House… More
What Government Must Do
– American Enterprise, January/February 1998.Excerpt: Years ago I worked for a research company that evaluated social programs for the federal government. One time I was heading a team assessing a program for troubled inner-city… More
The Perils of GOP Activism
– Wall Street Journal, February 20, 1998.Excerpt: At the beginning of 1964, the country was at peace, the economy was humming, and vast tax revenues were burning a hole in Congress’s pocket. Sound familiar? The rhetoric of… More
And Now for the Bad News
– Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1998.Excerpt: Good news is everywhere. Crime rates are falling; welfare rolls are plunging; unemployment is at rock bottom; teenage births are down. Name an indicator, economic or social, and… More
The Advantages of Social Apartheid
– Sunday Times (London), April 4, 2005.Excerpt: Underclass is an ugly word, and we live in an age that abhors ugly words, so it is good to hear that the Blair government has devised a cheerier label: Neet, an acronym for “not… More
In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– (Washington: AEI Press, 2006.)Summary from Publisher: America’s population is wealthier than any in history. Every year, the American government redistributes more than a trillion dollars of that wealth to provide for… More
A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2006.Excerpt: This much is certain: The welfare state as we know it cannot survive. No serious student of entitlements thinks that we can let federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and… More
The $10,000 Solution
– Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2006.Excerpt: Suppose we assume people on the other side of the political divide are not hateful, not bent on destroying America, but are instead, by and large, decent and sensible humans.… More
Guaranteed Income as a Replacement for the Welfare State
– Basic Income Studies, August 2008.Excerpt: Professor Amitai Etzioni’s policy brief presents a cogent case for a guaranteed income (GI). Like other advocates, he sees the GI as a moral imperative — in his case, it is an… More
Commentary
The War on Poverty 1965–1980
– Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 1984.Excerpt: No one disputes that poverty exists in America. But how serious is the problem? Who are the poor? Why are they poor? Are there more poor people than there used to be? On such… More
No, Welfare Isn’t Really the Problem
– The Public Interest, Summer 1986.Excerpt: Ellwood and Lawrence Summers’s article “Is Welfare Really the Problem?” (Spring 1986) exemplifies a continuing problem that clouds debate about the underclass. On one side… More
Does Welfare Bring More Babies?
– The Public Interest, Spring 1994.Excerpt: LAST OCTOBER, I published a long piece on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Coming White Underclass.” Its thesis was that white illegitimacy—22 percent… More
What to Do about Welfare
– Commentary, December 1994.Excerpt: In the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton’s television ad promising to “end welfare as we know it” was one of his best vote-getters, so effective that it was the first choice for a… More
Keeping Priorities Straight on Welfare Reform
– Society, August 1996.Excerpt: In April 1995 I was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on the welfare reform bill then under discussion. As I write (mid-November 1995), the Senate and House… More
What Government Must Do
– American Enterprise, January/February 1998.Excerpt: Years ago I worked for a research company that evaluated social programs for the federal government. One time I was heading a team assessing a program for troubled inner-city… More
The Perils of GOP Activism
– Wall Street Journal, February 20, 1998.Excerpt: At the beginning of 1964, the country was at peace, the economy was humming, and vast tax revenues were burning a hole in Congress’s pocket. Sound familiar? The rhetoric of… More
And Now for the Bad News
– Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1998.Excerpt: Good news is everywhere. Crime rates are falling; welfare rolls are plunging; unemployment is at rock bottom; teenage births are down. Name an indicator, economic or social, and… More
The Advantages of Social Apartheid
– Sunday Times (London), April 4, 2005.Excerpt: Underclass is an ugly word, and we live in an age that abhors ugly words, so it is good to hear that the Blair government has devised a cheerier label: Neet, an acronym for “not… More
In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– (Washington: AEI Press, 2006.)Summary from Publisher: America’s population is wealthier than any in history. Every year, the American government redistributes more than a trillion dollars of that wealth to provide for… More
A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2006.Excerpt: This much is certain: The welfare state as we know it cannot survive. No serious student of entitlements thinks that we can let federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and… More
The $10,000 Solution
– Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2006.Excerpt: Suppose we assume people on the other side of the political divide are not hateful, not bent on destroying America, but are instead, by and large, decent and sensible humans.… More
Guaranteed Income as a Replacement for the Welfare State
– Basic Income Studies, August 2008.Excerpt: Professor Amitai Etzioni’s policy brief presents a cogent case for a guaranteed income (GI). Like other advocates, he sees the GI as a moral imperative — in his case, it is an… More
Multimedia
The War on Poverty 1965–1980
– Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 1984.Excerpt: No one disputes that poverty exists in America. But how serious is the problem? Who are the poor? Why are they poor? Are there more poor people than there used to be? On such… More
No, Welfare Isn’t Really the Problem
– The Public Interest, Summer 1986.Excerpt: Ellwood and Lawrence Summers’s article “Is Welfare Really the Problem?” (Spring 1986) exemplifies a continuing problem that clouds debate about the underclass. On one side… More
Does Welfare Bring More Babies?
– The Public Interest, Spring 1994.Excerpt: LAST OCTOBER, I published a long piece on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Coming White Underclass.” Its thesis was that white illegitimacy—22 percent… More
What to Do about Welfare
– Commentary, December 1994.Excerpt: In the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton’s television ad promising to “end welfare as we know it” was one of his best vote-getters, so effective that it was the first choice for a… More
Keeping Priorities Straight on Welfare Reform
– Society, August 1996.Excerpt: In April 1995 I was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on the welfare reform bill then under discussion. As I write (mid-November 1995), the Senate and House… More
What Government Must Do
– American Enterprise, January/February 1998.Excerpt: Years ago I worked for a research company that evaluated social programs for the federal government. One time I was heading a team assessing a program for troubled inner-city… More
The Perils of GOP Activism
– Wall Street Journal, February 20, 1998.Excerpt: At the beginning of 1964, the country was at peace, the economy was humming, and vast tax revenues were burning a hole in Congress’s pocket. Sound familiar? The rhetoric of… More
And Now for the Bad News
– Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1998.Excerpt: Good news is everywhere. Crime rates are falling; welfare rolls are plunging; unemployment is at rock bottom; teenage births are down. Name an indicator, economic or social, and… More
The Advantages of Social Apartheid
– Sunday Times (London), April 4, 2005.Excerpt: Underclass is an ugly word, and we live in an age that abhors ugly words, so it is good to hear that the Blair government has devised a cheerier label: Neet, an acronym for “not… More
In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– (Washington: AEI Press, 2006.)Summary from Publisher: America’s population is wealthier than any in history. Every year, the American government redistributes more than a trillion dollars of that wealth to provide for… More
A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2006.Excerpt: This much is certain: The welfare state as we know it cannot survive. No serious student of entitlements thinks that we can let federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and… More
The $10,000 Solution
– Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2006.Excerpt: Suppose we assume people on the other side of the political divide are not hateful, not bent on destroying America, but are instead, by and large, decent and sensible humans.… More
Guaranteed Income as a Replacement for the Welfare State
– Basic Income Studies, August 2008.Excerpt: Professor Amitai Etzioni’s policy brief presents a cogent case for a guaranteed income (GI). Like other advocates, he sees the GI as a moral imperative — in his case, it is an… More
Teaching
The War on Poverty 1965–1980
– Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 1984.Excerpt: No one disputes that poverty exists in America. But how serious is the problem? Who are the poor? Why are they poor? Are there more poor people than there used to be? On such… More
No, Welfare Isn’t Really the Problem
– The Public Interest, Summer 1986.Excerpt: Ellwood and Lawrence Summers’s article “Is Welfare Really the Problem?” (Spring 1986) exemplifies a continuing problem that clouds debate about the underclass. On one side… More
Does Welfare Bring More Babies?
– The Public Interest, Spring 1994.Excerpt: LAST OCTOBER, I published a long piece on the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Coming White Underclass.” Its thesis was that white illegitimacy—22 percent… More
What to Do about Welfare
– Commentary, December 1994.Excerpt: In the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton’s television ad promising to “end welfare as we know it” was one of his best vote-getters, so effective that it was the first choice for a… More
Keeping Priorities Straight on Welfare Reform
– Society, August 1996.Excerpt: In April 1995 I was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on the welfare reform bill then under discussion. As I write (mid-November 1995), the Senate and House… More
What Government Must Do
– American Enterprise, January/February 1998.Excerpt: Years ago I worked for a research company that evaluated social programs for the federal government. One time I was heading a team assessing a program for troubled inner-city… More
The Perils of GOP Activism
– Wall Street Journal, February 20, 1998.Excerpt: At the beginning of 1964, the country was at peace, the economy was humming, and vast tax revenues were burning a hole in Congress’s pocket. Sound familiar? The rhetoric of… More
And Now for the Bad News
– Wall Street Journal, February 2, 1998.Excerpt: Good news is everywhere. Crime rates are falling; welfare rolls are plunging; unemployment is at rock bottom; teenage births are down. Name an indicator, economic or social, and… More
The Advantages of Social Apartheid
– Sunday Times (London), April 4, 2005.Excerpt: Underclass is an ugly word, and we live in an age that abhors ugly words, so it is good to hear that the Blair government has devised a cheerier label: Neet, an acronym for “not… More
In Our Hands: A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– (Washington: AEI Press, 2006.)Summary from Publisher: America’s population is wealthier than any in history. Every year, the American government redistributes more than a trillion dollars of that wealth to provide for… More
A Plan to Replace the Welfare State
– Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2006.Excerpt: This much is certain: The welfare state as we know it cannot survive. No serious student of entitlements thinks that we can let federal spending on Social Security, Medicare and… More
The $10,000 Solution
– Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2006.Excerpt: Suppose we assume people on the other side of the political divide are not hateful, not bent on destroying America, but are instead, by and large, decent and sensible humans.… More
Guaranteed Income as a Replacement for the Welfare State
– Basic Income Studies, August 2008.Excerpt: Professor Amitai Etzioni’s policy brief presents a cogent case for a guaranteed income (GI). Like other advocates, he sees the GI as a moral imperative — in his case, it is an… More