Final answer:
Clinton's 1996 welfare reform replaced the AFDC with TANF, introducing work requirements and benefit limits for families. While it decreased welfare caseloads, it sparked debate over its success in improving independence, with some families potentially worse off.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Bill Clinton's welfare reform in 1996 significantly impacted families, marking a shift from the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) system. This reform was encapsulated in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, which aimed to transform welfare into a temporary aid, pushing towards individual independence. The reform introduced work requirements and a two-year limit for receiving benefits, influencing poverty levels and how state governments managed welfare.
While the Earned Income Credit was increased to support low-income workers, critics argued that the changes could lead to some poor families, especially those with dependent children and those facing barriers such as disability or domestic abuse, falling through the cracks as they moved between states. The reform was seen as a political move by Clinton to adopt conservative ideas and appeal to a broader base of voters who were concerned about long-term welfare dependency.
Despite a decrease in welfare caseloads, there remains substantial debate on whether the reform truly succeeded in increasing independence, with evidence showing that the poorest women were financially worse off. Liberals criticized the reform for betraying the party's commitment to supporting the poor, while others praised the flexibility given to states to manage their own welfare programs.