Since 1996, the number of welfare recipients has fallen by nearly60 percent, poverty and hunger have declined, and states haveenjoyed more leeway in structuring their welfare administrations.Even though benefit levels and economic growth have had relativelylittle to do with the large decline in welfare caseloads since1996, it appears that they do affect year-to-year fluctuations incaseloads.
The 1996 welfare reform began necessary changes to the disastrous old welfare system. The rewards to non-work in the TANF program have been substantially reduced. But much more remains to be done.