Poverty and Single Mothers in America: Economic Realities

Introduction

Does Parker's 1971 definition of poverty still have relevance today? The purpose of this paper is to answer that question, to examine the plight of single mothers in America, and to explain the major economic and social problems they face. The paper also considers what assistance available today might have improved Parker's life had it existed in the 1970s.

Overview of Poverty Statistics

According to Parker (1971), there is shame in being poor, and poverty is something to be viewed with anger rather than pity. Poverty is "dirt" and "being tired," writes Parker, who uses compact, pointed language that captures the reader's attention. Parker reveals the vicious cycle of poverty to the reader. The facts concerning poverty are neither encouraging nor inspiring, and, unfortunately, the cycle Parker described is real and still exists in America today.

A report accounting for poverty among single mothers between 1995 and 1999 found that "among people in families headed by single working mothers, there was no progress in reducing poverty between 1995 and 1999 despite an expanding economy. Reductions in poverty as a result of economic growth were entirely offset by increases in poverty due to contractions in government safety net programs" (Porter et al., 2001). In 1841, Unitarian preacher and social reformer Theodore Parker wrote, "What is luxury in one generation, scarce attainable by the wealthy, becomes at last the possession of most men… As society advances the standard of poverty rises." While this observation may hold for the general population, the vicious cycle of poverty that Pat Parker described for single mothers reflects reality with striking accuracy.

The 1996 Welfare Reform and TANF

The employment rate among single mothers in the United States stood at 73.0 percent in 2000 and fell to 69.8 percent by 2003. Single mothers lost roughly one-quarter of the employment gains made between 1995 and 2000. Because these losses did not trigger a corresponding increase in families receiving TANF cash assistance, serious questions have been raised about whether the program effectively reaches those in need.

The 1996 Welfare Reform Act "eliminated the federal guarantee of a basic income support for all families and replaced it with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)." TANF is a state-run program that combines work requirements with sanctions for nonconforming behavior. The program imposes a 24-month limitation and a five-year maximum on receiving assistance. Reportedly, only about half of the women forced to exit welfare actually find employment. Furthermore, research has shown that the types of work for which many welfare recipients are eligible do not raise a family's standard of living above the poverty line, as these jobs tend to cluster at the bottom of the wage scale. As a result, families lose benefits such as food stamps and other programs, only to earn an amount that keeps them in the vicious cycle of poverty — while pulling the mother out of the home for meager wages.

Conclusion

The United States has a solid history of at least attempting to address the issue of poverty among single mothers. However, the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 may have set that initiative back considerably. The women propelled back into the workforce by the reform did not earn enough to provide a better life for their families, and the low-wage jobs available to them rarely include the benefits — such as health insurance or paid leave — that support long-term employment. Without medical coverage, a sudden onset of illness can end a job with no safety net to fall back on. Although there have been historical advances in addressing this problem, much more research and sustained policy action are needed.