ABSTRACT
What do we do if some people get slices that are too small? This chapter reviews the current welfare system. In one sense, the system has a program for nearly every need. There is education and training, support for a variety of family dysfunctions, housing programs addressing some aspects of neighborhood effects, health insurance, and programs that help some families deal with unexpected events. The system, however, is satisfying to no one-poor and nonpoor alike. The overall level of funding is a perennial complaint. The system also does not represent an organized, comprehensive approach to poverty. The different pieces of the system were added at different times, often reflecting diametrically opposed views as to the correct approach to fighting poverty. The pieces are often administered by different agencies using conflicting criteria. In a very real sense, we are just muddling through when it comes to fighting poverty.
