| For Immediate
Release: |
Contact
Info: |
| 4/15/2002 |
Tyler Prell or Jason
Dring, (202) 518-8047 |
NEW POLL SHOWS AMERICAN VOTERS AT ODDS
WITH BUSH WELFARE POLICY
Voters Favor Poverty Reduction Over
Increased Work Requirements
WASHINGTON, DC - A significant
majority of voters do not support the Administration and
House Republican welfare reform reauthorization
proposals, according to a new poll released today by the
National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support (NCJIS)
and the Make TANF Work! campaign.
Deepak Bhargava, Director of NCJIS and Chief
Organizer of the Make TANF Work!
campaign reacted to the poll's findings:
"The results of this poll are striking. Not only do
voters overwhelmingly reject Administration plans to
dramatically increase work requirements, but the great
majority support welfare policies that expand
education and training opportunities to give people
the tools they need to move out of poverty."
"In an election year, Members of Congress ignore
these findings at their peril. American voters want to
move forward with welfare reform aimed at reducing
poverty, not railroading welfare recipients into
dead-end, low wage jobs just for the sake of
fulfilling new requirements. As Congress considers
welfare reauthorization legislation, this poll
provides clear direction from American
voters."
The nationwide survey of 801 registered voters was
conducted March 19-21, 2002 by Peter D. Hart Research
Associates on behalf of the National Campaign for Jobs
and Income Support and the Make TANF Work!
campaign.
The National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support
(NCJIS), a project of the Center for Community Change,
is a coalition of more than 1000 grassroots anti-poverty
groups that has been organizing since 2000 to transform
TANF into a meaningful anti-poverty program. Under the
banner Make TANF Work! (http://www.maketanfwork.org/),
the National Campaign is spearheading a national effort
to fashion a progressive policy and political strategy
on welfare reform.
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