This study explores changes in federal expenditures for five social welfare programs from 1964 to 1985. The analysis is intended to determine whether expenditures for these "safety-net" programs have changed significantly as a result of the Reagan Presidency. The programs selected for study are: Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Assistance Payments (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), Food Stamps, and the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Two theoretical models are proposed as contributing to change in the levels of social welfare spending. These are: (1) incrementalism--suggesting that changes are non-ideological, nonprogrammatic products of previous expenditures; and (2) a presidential leadership model suggesting that policy changes originate with the election of an ideologically motivated president with an election mandate. / The study uses both current and constant dollar expenditures data along with presidential budget requests in order to derive the extent of budgetary change. Other analytical techniques used are measurements of the rate of spending change, a regression analysis based on estimates from time-series data, with application of the forecasting procedure. These various methodological techniques permitted an assessment of the Reagan "interruption." The exploration of substantive changes occurring from 1964 to 1985 are discussed within the context of the nature of the interventions producing such change. / Findings indicate continued increased spending for Medicaid and WIC programs under Reagan, static spending for SSI, a small reduction in outlays for the Assistance Payments Program. The study suggests that the primary effect of the Reagan presidency has been a Decrease In The Rate of Increase (DITROI) of social welfare expenditures. Changes were observed in the five programs studied which possessed qualities of both the incrementalism and presidential leadership hypotheses. The passage of time, or years, was a good predictor of expenditure growth, with growth observed under the Reagan Presidency, but at a much reduced rate. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 3178. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75925 |
| Contributors | WHITE, BARBARA WILLIAMS., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 231 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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