PROGRESSIVE VS CONSERVATIVE APPROACHES TO WELFARE REFORM
As politicians have made "Welfare Reform" a key issue in recent years, much discussion and choosing of sides have occurred among those listening to and participating in such debates. This exercise provides you with an opportunity to examine one of two important topics that have a great impact on most women living in poverty: child care and health insurance. Throughout the semester listen to how politicians and newscasters frame these debates. Think critically as you do course readings. Examine the progressive and the conservative positions on "Welfare Reform". (Since our Democratic President signed a bill with what many consider a very conservative agenda, you need to develop a definition that goes beyond which political party supports what positions).
This is a group project. You will be assigned to a team that will design a specific Welfare Program. Your two choices in the following areas will help determine your team assignment.
First, decide whether you prefer to be on the team that is designing a program to provide some form of care for children from birth to 5, or on a team that will design a new program to provide financing for the 37 million people in this country who do not have any form of health insurance.
Second, decide whether you would like to take a progressive or the conservative position on your chosen issue. Once you and your classmates have made your choices, we will divide the class into four teams. (There must be at least 2 people on each team).
You will form a study group based on your interests. You will work cooperatively throughout the semester to develop your debate strategy. You need not choose to examine the position you support. If you currently have strong feelings on one of the above topics, you may learn more by studying the position of those with views opposed to your own. If you have not yet begun to study these topics, this may be a good place to begin. It is reasonable to assume that how such programs are developed in the next several years will have a great effect on you as a participant in the culture of the United States.
During the class of Week #13, each team will present their program and debate the differences with the team that has studied the opposing position.
You must work with your teammates in order to develop and present a coherent view to the class. You must be aware of the positions likely to be addressed by your opponents so that you will be able to meet the challenges they raise regarding your plan.
2. How would you set up a program to solve the problem?
b. Social programs have two aspects: the financing of services and the actual provision of services. You can have a publicly-financed and publicly provided program (like elementary school education), a publicly-financed but privately-provided program (like Medicare where the federal government pays private doctors and hospitals to provide care to the elderly), or a privately-financed and privately-provided program (like dental insurance or employer-sponsored drug counseling). Your group must decide which of these categories you would like your program to be in.
b. Justify your choices with cohesive rationale. e.g. Do you want to emphasize equality of opportunity or equality of result; do you want to emphasize personal freedom to choose or eliminate some freedoms through mandatory policies for participation.
c. Anticipate the criticisms the opposing team might make. e.g. Progressives would criticize any program that restricts health insurance to those who could pay large out-of pocket-expenses, while conservatives would object to any program that places a large financial burden on small business.
Have your group develop a strategy to investigate these issues throughout the semester: library searches, conservative and progressive new magazines, internet searches, political speeches, academic journals. See how the course readings, optional books and book panel presentations address your selected issue.
Marita McComiskey
mccomisk@uconnvm.uconn.edu
University of Connecticut
Women's Studies Program
