America’s welfare system is deeply fragmented, costly, and often counterproductive—making it harder, not easier, for people to move forward.

I recently joined an online debate on welfare reform framed as a choice between stronger work requirements or structural changes like “One Door” to Work. But that’s the wrong question. The real question is this: how do we reduce dependency, waste fewer taxpayer dollars, and help more people move into work and self-sufficiency? Work requirements matter, but they are not enough on their own.

In This Week’s Economy, I explain why real reform requires both: strengthening pro-work incentives and fixing the underlying system that delivers these programs. When policy aligns with how people respond to incentives, we can shift from managing dependency to helping people truly prosper.

You can also get the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify, and find more information about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting.