Suchergebnisse

The food stamp program has been more closely controlled by the federal government than most other public assistance programs. However, states have retained a degree of discretionary decision-making authority via administration of the food stamp program. Using a multiple-regression model, this study examines the influence of state administrative actions upon state food stamp caseloads. Both access to food stamp application offices and the use of joint applications (simultaneous application for Aid to Families with Dependent Children and food stamps) are found to be determinants of variance in state food stamp caseloads. Thus, devolution of public assistance policy to state governments could result in unequal treatment of individuals who are eligible for public assistance benefits.

Although never constituting a majority in either chamber of Congress, the South's representatives have shown remarkable prowess in blocking liberal legislation. This reality was central to Key's conceptualization of a conservative coalition in 1949 and to Congressional Quarterly's development of a conservative coalition index in 1957. Since these events, the South stopped sending a homogenous delegation of white male Democrats to Congress. Due to the inclusion of Republicans and minorities in the South's congressional delegation, a re‐examination of the way we learn about the region's legislative influence is needed. In this paper we propose two variations of CQ's model that allow us to more accurately explore the longitudinal influence of the South in Congress.