State of Mississippi secondary Archives: on Welfare & Poverty

Chris McDaniel: Liberty, not 100 years of begging for federal scraps

McDaniel responded: "I am going to ask them, after 100 years, after 100 years of relying on big government to save you, where are you today? After 100 years of begging for federal government scraps, where are you today?"

After the audience booed the comments, McDaniel quickly said: "I mean the state of Mississippi. I'm talking about the state of Mississippi. To your question, I am candidate that wants to expand your liberty and break out of old ways."

After the show, McDaniel said: " I easily clarified my position--that is, Mississippi being the dead last state of the Union in terms of wealth and economic prosperity, based on outdated economic models."

Chris McDaniel: I WILL support work requirements for welfare recipients

Mike Espy (D): No. "Mississippians should have full access." Expand funding of Medicaid & CHIP.

Cindy Hyde-Smith (R): Unclear. Support Farm Bill amendment adding a work requirement to food stamp programs.

Chris McDaniel (R): Probable yes, though no Medicaid mention. "I WILL support & vote for work requirements for welfare recipients."

Cindy Hyde-Smith: Add work requirement to food stamp programs

Mike Espy (D): No. "Mississippians should have full access." Expand funding of Medicaid & CHIP.

Cindy Hyde-Smith (R): Unclear. Support Farm Bill amendment adding a work requirement to food stamp programs.

Chris McDaniel (R): Probable yes, though no Medicaid mention. "I WILL support & vote for work requirements for welfare recipients."

Mike Espy: Help the poor move to homeownership

A: [As a Congressman], I was involved in a task force that had a bunch of hearings on welfare reform, and IDA, Individual Development Accounts, and moving renters to homeownership. It was called the Empowerment Caucus or something like that. I'm not sure of that name, but I was a leader in that effort to bring poor people new strategies for wealth development. The DLC liked that. Then, obviously, my record in Mississippi [when running for U. S. Congress] is one of being able to get white votes, and they liked that. Al From, one of the founders of the DLC, began to come to my speeches. He began to talk to me about this effort to create the Democratic Leadership Council, which was a moderate wing of the party, [saying things like] "the party was moving too far left." Then they asked me to become one of the three DLC vice presidents.