Obama's Welfare Legacy: An Assessment of US Anti-Poverty Policies

The election of Barack Obama during the 2008 economic downturn brought hope to millions and presented an opportunity for expanding socioeconomic rights. But the Obama administration was consistently constrained by the challenges of a divided government, and the now-threatened Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, remains the standout welfare reform of his presidency. In the first systematic assessment of Obama’s welfare and antipoverty programs, welfare reform specialist Anne Daguerre examines these legacies of his administration, focusing in particular on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs. Drawing lessons from comparison with the Western European experience and its traditionally strong commitment to social welfare, Obama’s Welfare Legacy provides an up-to-date, vital account of the contemporary politics of poverty and public entitlements in the United States.