Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race Media and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication Media and Public Opinion)

About this book

Tackling one of the most volatile issues in contemporary politics Martin Gilenss work punctures myths and misconceptions about welfare policy public opinion and the role of the media in both. Why Americans Hate Welfare shows that the publics views on welfare are a complex mixture of cynicism and compassion; misinformed and racially charged they nevertheless reflect both a distrust of welfare recipients and a desire to do more to help the "deserving" poor. "With one out of five children currently living in poverty and more than 100 000 families with children now homeless Gilenss book is must reading if you want to understand how the mainstream media have helped justify and even produce this state of affairs." Susan Douglas The Progressive "Gilenss well-written and logically developed argument deserves to be taken seriously." Choice "A provocative analysis of American attitudes towards welfare.. . . Gilens shows how racial stereotypes not white self-interest or anti-statism lie at the root of opposition to welfare programs." -Library Journal