Obama tramples welfare reform, rule of law
What is it about the rule of law that doesn’t agree with Barack Obama? When he thought the Supreme Court might throw out his namesake, signature health reform, he (falsely) lamented it “would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress.” But the president appears to have no compunctions about taking such a step himself.
Last month, it was a decision to partially stop applying immigration law. Yesterday, his administration neutered a key element of one of the signature moments from the Clinton administration: the 1996 welfare reform. As the Daily Caller’s Mickey Kaus puts it:
The guts of the 1996 welfare reform were a) welfare was ended as an “entitlement” (controlled by the feds) and transferred to the states, as a “block grant” subject to certain requirements; and b) one of those requirements was that a certain percentage of each state’s welfare caseload had to be working or preparing for work. A great deal of effort was put into defining what qualified as work, and making sure that work actually meant work and not the various BS activities (including BS training activities) the welfare bureaucracies often preferred to substitute for work.
Yet such training activities are exactly the kind of excuse the Obama administration is offering states that would like to waive the work-to-welfare portion of the welfare reform.
Whereas Chief Justice John Roberts went through legal contortions to keep Obamacare on the books, the administration is taking similar pains to remove this one. The Heritage Foundation’s Robert Rector, one of the key figures behind the welfare reform, explains that the administration can’t just waive the actual work-to-welfare requirement because the 1996 law (which includes the program in question known as TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) does not allow that. Instead, the Department of Health and Human Services is cramming its rewrite of the law through an unrelated loophole known as Section 402 — the only section of the law subject to a waiver:
Section 402 describes state plans — reports that state governments must file to HHS describing the actions they will undertake to comply with the many requirements established in the other sections of the TANF law. The authority to waive section 402 provides the option to waive state reporting requirements only, not to overturn the core requirements of the TANF program contained in the other sections of the TANF law.
The new Obama dictate asserts that because the work requirements, established in section 407, are mentioned as an item that state governments must report about in section 402, all the work requirements can be waived. This removes the core of the TANF program; TANF becomes a blank slate that HHS bureaucrats and liberal state bureaucrats can rewrite at will.
Quite simply, this is illegal; Rector points to a clarification on this point from the Congressional Research Service back in 2001. We can only guess that, because all Obama’s promises apparently come with an expiration date, the president thinks others’ statements do, too.
Perhaps Obama was merely unaware that welfare reform passed by a much “strong[er] majority of a democratically elected Congress” than Obamacare did, and with much more bipartisan support to boot (including that of a senator at the time named Joe Biden).
Or perhaps Obama knows there would be scant support even among congressional Democrats for undoing the popular and effective welfare reforms — and sees no reason to trifle with the rule of law when it stands in the way of his aims.
– By Kyle Wingfield
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
189 comments Add your comment
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:19 pm
Call me by name Criberius
I am not your son
You don’t own this blog, so stop with the faux alpha persona
You RICHARD
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:20 pm
Where’s my beeatch Kamchak, getalife? Did he change his handle??
Jefferson
July 13th, 2012
5:20 pm
I guess you did.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:21 pm
A few more actions like this and Kyle is going to let me start calling Obozo a scumbag again.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:23 pm
The,
Why would he change his handle?
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:24 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward–Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:21 pm
A few more actions like this and Kyle is going to let me start calling Obozo a scumbag again
Why be so kind to dictator? Tell all how you really feel.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:25 pm
“Obozo a scumbag again.”
Show some respect of the office.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:25 pm
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:23 pm
The,
Why would he change his handle?
The mother of all spankdowns in the Bookman column perhaps?
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:26 pm
The,
He is not a dictator.
We are not Syria.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:27 pm
The,
We ignore you.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:27 pm
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:25 pm
“Obozo a scumbag again.”
Show some respect of the office
Show some respect for the will of the people, who are unanimous against the individual mandate. Cons hate dictators, libs love them.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:30 pm
The,
He ran on ACA and won.
That was his mandate.
You lost and can’t get over it.
Time for you cons to grow up and follow Kyle’s rules.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:30 pm
Obozo should show some respect for the office.
Americans will clean up the fascist mess he’s made in November and eject the vermin from our White House.
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:30 pm
Oh my bad
I missed the T and hit a C………. son
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:32 pm
lil bar,
I thought you said he was a socialist.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:35 pm
“Cons hate dictators, libs love them.”
Tell that to daffy and assad.
Who got obl?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:36 pm
You understand that the fascist Nazis were the “national socialist” party, right? Fascists and socialists are two sides of the same coin. They’re both all about government control of the people.
Just like liberal fascist Obozo.
And you voted for it.
Michael H. Smith
July 13th, 2012
5:37 pm
Don’t you love these HACKS that rush to defend the indefensible actions of their PreZdent obumer, when you point them out Kyle?
If the election wasn’t close at hand the Republicans in the House should impeach this little want-to-be tyrant who thinks he is the law, not only that he is above the law he swore to uphold.
I king obumer don’t like this law so I king obumer will not enforce it… So there!
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:39 pm
The Gallup poll stated that a good percentage of doctors indicated that the practice preventive medicine
Gallup no where in that presentation backs up the 30% number within the Jackson Healthcare study
Keep trying
Wrong again
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:39 pm
Assad? Is that the guy Obozo has allowed to murder 10,000 or more of his own citizens?
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:40 pm
lil bar,
You lie.
He is a moderate capitalist like President Clinton and uses his team.
Fact.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:43 pm
getalife, you’re always good for a laugh!
Obozo is campaigning against capitalism. That approach (and this move to eliminate work requirements) works very well with high welfare-hound base.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:43 pm
lil bar,
Engaging in a civil war in Syria ?
Sounds like something the gop would do.
md
July 13th, 2012
5:43 pm
“Show some respect of the office.”
Respect is earned, not given.
Unilaterally deciding what laws are constitutional and what laws should be enforced gets no respect from me…..and I don’t care who the President is. All our representatives swear to uphold their end of the deal when they take the job, and this one isn’t……….there are 3 branches of gov’t for a reason, when he starts showing some respect for the other 2 then maybe he could get some for himself……..
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:43 pm
“high” should be “his”
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:44 pm
lil bear,
“Obozo is campaigning against capitalism”
Prove it.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:45 pm
md,
w did it all the time and you cheered him on.
Why the flip flop?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward--Again)
July 13th, 2012
5:47 pm
getalife: you cheered him on
——————-
Prove it.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:47 pm
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:35 pm
“Cons hate dictators, libs love them.”
Tell that to daffy and assad.
Who got obl?
Bush got OBL, and khadaffi. Nice work. Check out what the libyan government did for its people under Ghadaffi.
http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179012
Isn’t this what you libs long for getalife??
How Inciteful Is That!
July 13th, 2012
5:48 pm
Wow! The things some people will do. I’ve heard that some Congressmen have even gone so far as to threaten not to fund laws on the books in order to have theings their own way. Can you imagine.
Michael H. Smith
July 13th, 2012
5:49 pm
‘Cuse me for asking but when exactly did Willaim Jefferson Clinton ever “speak brazenly” of “redistrubeting wealth” as obumer has on many many occassion that parrallels the mantra of Karl Marx?
Clinton was a liberal and likely socialist leaning in many ways but he was never then, or to this day, half the hard core inflexable idologue that this obumer is and always has been.
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:49 pm
David Icke
The man who believes in reptile people.
hahahahaha
Next you will post and Alex Jones link
antinewt
July 13th, 2012
5:50 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/mitt-romney-welfare-change_n_1672173.html
I wonder if Kyle ever is embarrassed at how quickly he cries wolf only to find later details that show the reality to be quite the contrary. No doubt this whole faux outrage by the right is an attempt to change the subject from the bloodying Romney is getting over his Bain misrepresentations.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:50 pm
If you can’t prove it, don’t type it.
The is a liar.
ld
July 13th, 2012
5:51 pm
It seems everyone is unhappy w/what some part of government has been doing–would like to defund some part of government.
Now would be a good time to trim all the branches of government. Have Congress begin with last year’s budget bill(s)–each of them in turn, presume that, unless deleted, each item will be in the next year’s budget–nothing will be added by either party–no arguments on any line of the budget will allowed and no amendments will be allowed. Congress will begin at six o’clock on a Monday morning and have no breaks or recess until the process is complete. Begin with the first line of the last set of budget bills and then go line by line with a roll call vote which will be published online for public purusal. Every line must be voted on up or down in order it appeared on the last budget.
Only after all the cuts are decided can any additional spending be considered and each proposed bill will be addressed line by line in the same manner.
THEN attack the ENTIRE current US tax code in the same manner.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
July 13th, 2012
5:52 pm
Fred ™
July 13th, 2012
5:01 pm
And here is ANOTHER gaff by the Obama Administration………
http://www.thechicagodope.com/2010/11/11/cia-admits-drone-strike-killed-six-in-wisconsin-wedding-party/
Fred — that’s a fake site.
Please tell me you didn’t take that seriously.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:52 pm
Yes, the gop are desperately trying to get off bain and corporate media does.
md
July 13th, 2012
5:52 pm
“I’ve heard that some Congressmen have even gone so far as to threaten not to fund laws on the books in order to have theings their own way.”
In case one isn’t aware, funding is a sole function of Congress…….as is writing and changing legislation.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:54 pm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110401093127AAUlmw9
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:49 pm
David Icke
They Both and U. Is this a more credible source BUDDY??
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:55 pm
Kam,
I am not sure he can tell the difference
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:57 pm
The
David Icke the reptilian people man………. ok
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
5:58 pm
getalife
July 13th, 2012
5:50 pm
If you can’t prove it, don’t type it.
The is a liar.
You are clueless. Change your handle to getaclue, Obama pillow biter.
Cutty
July 13th, 2012
5:58 pm
Kyle and the rest of you Cons would have a better argument if Utah and Nevada, two republican states, hadn’t requested the same waiver you all are claiming broke the law. Silly Cons, tricks are for kids.
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:58 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctIpUmJjkAs
Good ole David. Prince’s man.
Oh yeah, he is very credible
Hillbilly D
July 13th, 2012
6:01 pm
If you can’t prove it, don’t type it.
That would kill the comments section on practically every blog in existence.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
July 13th, 2012
6:03 pm
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
5:58 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctIpUmJjkAs
Good ole David. Prince’s man.
Oh yeah, he is very credible
More credible than you. Care to respond to the Yahoo link? Thought not. Nice of Obumbler to support the coalition with drones. What a spine.
getalife
July 13th, 2012
6:05 pm
willard flubs cnn interview.
Not ready for prime time.
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
6:05 pm
The
It is ok if you follow a guy who believe in reptile people.
They BOTH suck
July 13th, 2012
6:07 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAGTJErVNBU
getalife
July 13th, 2012
6:08 pm
willard still hiding tax returns.
Definitely hiding something.