Punishing poor is what some calling Gov. Walker’s newest state assistance proposal

Part of plan is to require adults with children
work 80 hours a month before qualifying for assistance.

Punishing the poor is how some critics have described Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s latest plan to get more people in his state getting through work requirements for public assistance.

Like the 80-hours-a-month requirement for adults with children before they can qualify for public benefits like food stamps.

Walker says he’s finding ways to help more people transition to work, but critics say his new package of welfare reform proposals isn’t the way to achieve that.  

“Simply penalizing low-income people for not having jobs is not part of that solution,” Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s Robert Kraig said.

Walker believes they push for more self-sufficiency among the poor and provide dignity through work.

“This is a problem with the availability of good jobs,” Kraig said. “Not a problem with people who are getting housing vouchers and also need help with food – and to blame them and force more requirements on them.”

Monday, Walker outlined his plans, like the adults-with-children proposal, which also provided the alternative that they get job training in place of working 80 hours.

Walker says his plan will get more people to work. Kraig doubts that.

Kraig feels like Walker is going down the wrong road.

“I think we absolutely need to have a state where everyone who wants a good job, can find one,” Kraig said. “Quite frankly, Gov. Walker isn’t doing anything in this proposal that’s serious about that problem.

“What we really need is to transform the economy. That is, we need to make major investments to create more family-supporting jobs.”