The GOP's cognitive split on control of people's lives

Paul Ryan unveiled his proposed poverty program last week.   There is one aspect of it that helped to focus the strange relationship Republicans have with control over the American citizens.

On the one hand:   They want no controls on gun ownership, on private business, on the banking systems that led to the great 2008 recession, or the freedom to harass and intimidate those they disagree with, such as at abortion clinic entrances.

On the other hand:   The want to control women's reproductive decisions, the choice of your marriage partner, our borders to an obsessive degree, and with Ryan's poverty proposal the very lives of poor people.

His plan admirably has as a goal getting people out of poverty.   But his approach is stupid in relying on state block grants, and it is demeaning to poor people in their daily lives.

As to state block grants -- their same, tired, unworkable plan to deal with any kind of social network programs -- is to take federal assistance programs, give the money in grants to the states, and then let them decide how to use the money.

The problem with this is that this has been demonstrated again and again as the perfect formula for funds not going where they were intended -- as assistance to needy people.   In the states where federal help is most needed, they use this money to replace what they have already been spending on social benefits;  then they have a pot of money to do other things with.      That wonderful word -- fungible -- is what that's called.   Money meant for one purpose can be stretched and twisted, and it often winds up going for something else.

A simple example might be:   a college student asks his dad for $300 to buy the required books for this semester;  he then buys used books for $100 and uses the $200 for partying.

Federal block grants to states -- it's like that.  Paul Ryan has invented nothing new.   What seems so demeaning in his proposals for poor people is that they are treated, not even like children, but like juvenile delinquents in rehab.    They will be asked to sign a lifetime contract, work with a case manager on a life plan for getting out of poverty.   There will be goal-setting and monitoring.

There are some things about this that may be good.    But the biggest problem about poverty today is that people who want to work do not have jobs available to them;   minimum wage is too low.   If Republicans are serious about getting people out of poverty -- let them support an increased minimum wage and stimulus spending to create jobs.   Then there will be far fewer people dependent on social network programs.

Ralph