The writer mentions the late 80s and 90s welfare reforms without mentioning how much the overall economy grew in the 90s, and doesn’t mention that welfare itsel

The writer mentions the late 80s and 90s welfare reforms without mentioning how much the overall economy grew in the 90s, and doesn’t mention that welfare itself dropped but in many ways the public assistance just changed from cash payments to other forms of assistance and that income did rise for these people, partially as a result of minimum wage increases, in Michigan at least, but not always enough to lift them out of poverty. Studies in Michigan also showed that a very large percentage of those that left the welfare system did so without obtaining work. I think to blame California’s poverty mostly on welfare is more than disingenuous, it’s wrong. For many of these people it’s not keeping them poor, it’s keeping them alive. The great disparity of wealth and income between classes is the problem imo.