Please Note n These slides are meant to

Please Note n These slides are meant to help students think about the material. They are not meant to replace reading the material or taking notes. Using these slides as your only means of garnering information could harm your ability to understand the content of this class. n Please turn off cell phones, MP 3 players and other technology of which I’m unaware.

Chapter 10 Women, Power and Politics

The State as a Gendered System n n n The state acts as a gendered system: When it uses assumptions about “good” man or “good” woman to make rules, laws or social policy. When it devalues characteristics associated with women.

Good Woman Good Man Devaluing Charac Assoc with Women n Divorce n n Rape Military

Welfare: Why Devalue Familial Welfare? n 1) What are stereotypes of people on welfare? n 2) Facts: • Only 1/3 of those officially poor receiver cash welfare • Studies show that Welfare Administrators commit more welfare fraud than recipients • ¼ people who apply for welfare denied because complex paper work • 10% of families receiving welfare have more than 2 kids • Average time on welfare is 21 months. • 2. 1 millions people work full time all year and still fall below the poverty line. • Studies do not show that people on welfare have kids for money. • People receiving TANF must work 30 hours a week (not school)

Welfare n 3. What is poverty? Poverty line is approximately three times the cost of a nutritional diet. Changes annually depending on consumer index. n 13% of population is in poverty at a given time. n n A family of 4 would be considered in poverty if it made less than 20, 000 dollars a year.

Welfare n n 4) What are stereotypes of corporations who receive welfare? What is Corporate Welfare: Subsidies (farmers, pharmaceutical industries, etc), Tax Breaks, Land Grants, Transfer Pricing, Double Accounting. 5) 1% of the national budget is spent of familial welfare (16 billion). We don’t include corporate welfare, but if we did, it would be 150 billion dollars of the national budget.

Welfare 5) Myths about Welfare: Individuals Cause Their Own Poverty; Corporations Do Not Home Labor Is Not Valuable To Society’s Smooth Functioning

Myth: Individuals Cause Their Poverty; Corporations Do Not. 1) When Corporations Cause Their Own Poverty n n A) S&L Scandal B) Derivatives Crisis and Trillion dollar bailout! C) Scandals 2) When Individuals Do Not Cause Their Own Poverty A) Structural Poverty – 4 -6 unemployment rate (why education less valued), non-livable wages, inflation).

Myth: Home Labor Is Not Valuable To Society’s Smooth Functioning n n We do not value home labor – It’s not measured in GNP or GDP BUT…. 1) Strong families help make strong children. 2) Strong families lead to strong workers.