An Invisible Social Safety Net Feeds Racial Resentment

Aaron Rosenthal: “I analyzed answers to a few key questions in the nationally representative 2016 American National Election Study. When asked if they ‘trusted government to do the right thing,’ White respondents’ answers were related to their attitudes about welfare. Those who trusted the government the least also held the most negative views of welfare. In other words, the belief that the federal government’s primary task is to channel tax dollars to poor Black Americans is linked to Whites Americans’ historically low levels of trust in government.”

“Where do White Americans get this idea? From the way the U.S. federal government has shifted its effort to shore up Americans’ economic security — creating a social safety net that benefits the middle class and wealthy while being invisible to the average citizen.”