POLI 330N Week 8 Discussion: Government Regulations and Social
Insurance Programs (Option 1)
Week 8 Discussion: Government Regulations And Social Insurance Programs
OPTION 1:
The social insurance system in the United States, executed by federal, state, and local government
agencies, provides protection against what President FDR called the “changes of life”: disability, the loss
of earnings in old age, being laid off, and other setbacks. The social insurance system also provides
support to help people meet their basic needs and gain the skills and services they need to enter and
succeed in the workforce (Greenberg et al., 2018). It encompasses a wide range of government
programs, from the Social Security system, to Unemployment Insurance, to early childhood education.
Nearly everyone in the United States directly benefits from the social insurance system at some point in
their lives. Additionally, everyone indirectly benefits from it—either from knowing the system would be
there for them during some unexpected hardship or simply because it helps to support the overall
economy (Greenberg et al., 2018).
Several of the programs are open-ended entitlement programs, meaning that all eligible individuals or
households that apply must be served. Programs that are open-ended entitlements can respond
automatically in recessions: as people lose jobs and their incomes fall, more people become eligible and
enroll in various of these programs (Greenberg et al., 2018). These programs expand automatically to
serve more people, which also helps bolster a flagging economy. Programs that are not entitlements, by
contrast, are limited to the discretionary, annual funding they receive each year through the federal
appropriations process and/or through a separate capped federal funding stream (Greenberg et al.,
2018).
References
Greenberg, E. S., & Page, B. I. (2018). The Struggle for Democracy, 2018 Elections and Updates Edition
(12th Edition). Pearson Education (US). https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9780135246849
This study source was downloaded by 100000829957125 from CourseHero.com on 02 -14-2022 23:11:42 GMT -06:00
Insurance Programs (Option 1)
Week 8 Discussion: Government Regulations And Social Insurance Programs
OPTION 1:
The social insurance system in the United States, executed by federal, state, and local government
agencies, provides protection against what President FDR called the “changes of life”: disability, the loss
of earnings in old age, being laid off, and other setbacks. The social insurance system also provides
support to help people meet their basic needs and gain the skills and services they need to enter and
succeed in the workforce (Greenberg et al., 2018). It encompasses a wide range of government
programs, from the Social Security system, to Unemployment Insurance, to early childhood education.
Nearly everyone in the United States directly benefits from the social insurance system at some point in
their lives. Additionally, everyone indirectly benefits from it—either from knowing the system would be
there for them during some unexpected hardship or simply because it helps to support the overall
economy (Greenberg et al., 2018).
Several of the programs are open-ended entitlement programs, meaning that all eligible individuals or
households that apply must be served. Programs that are open-ended entitlements can respond
automatically in recessions: as people lose jobs and their incomes fall, more people become eligible and
enroll in various of these programs (Greenberg et al., 2018). These programs expand automatically to
serve more people, which also helps bolster a flagging economy. Programs that are not entitlements, by
contrast, are limited to the discretionary, annual funding they receive each year through the federal
appropriations process and/or through a separate capped federal funding stream (Greenberg et al.,
2018).
References
Greenberg, E. S., & Page, B. I. (2018). The Struggle for Democracy, 2018 Elections and Updates Edition
(12th Edition). Pearson Education (US). https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9780135246849
This study source was downloaded by 100000829957125 from CourseHero.com on 02 -14-2022 23:11:42 GMT -06:00
