In another example of the Left forgetting the principles on which the United States was founded, a CNN article titled "Republicans tweak the social contract to ask more of states" argues that a shift away from relying on the Federal government for welfare policy will be a great loss to Americans. Rather, it should be viewed as a return to tradition and a net benefit to the stability of American politics.
The article discusses how states will now have to split the cost of programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and contribute more of their budget to programs like Medicaid. Furthermore, states will soon have less federal funding overall for disaster relief and education. Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan told CNN that states would not be able to backfill cuts to Medicaid, and other Democrats see the loss of funding as damaging to the efficacy of these programs.
Rather than a great loss, this will be a great lesson in Federalism for the Democrats, as well as one in ensuring each taxpayer dollar is spent effectively. The Left in America likes to forget that the Federal government was never intended to provide for states, nor was it meant to become the head welfare distributor. They rely on Federal funding to legitimize entitlement programs, which is both shallow and misguided. The benefit of having individual states is that each state, with its unique population, has an easier time determining the exact needs of its citizens, as its government initiatives have a more direct impact on their lives. This is extended to any welfare policy, especially as priorities, needs, and funding are different by state. We could also begin to see creative ways in which welfare programs are run, allowing for a sort of free market in policy solutions. Americans might see better programs come about, and ensure that they help more than any federal program could.
Individual states will have the freedom to determine which programs they need more than others, as well as to ensure that the money they choose to spend on those programs is spent effectively. The common strategy of most politicians is to firehose money at an issue. This is not a tenable strategy, especially as our national debt grows, and politicians struggle to do anything to properly address it. It is time to promote wisdom in our spending, creativity in our solutions, and remain well-versed in the wisdom of our Constitution. Reducing Federal funding will do just that.