The successes of welfare reform

The Heritage Foundation's Robert Rector says:

Bill Clinton was right.

He deserves more credit for the passage of welfare reform than most conservatives probably care to admit.

Writing for National Review Online, University of Alabama assistant professor Michael New adds:

Many critics of welfare reform, including columnist Clarence Page, are giving the economy credit for the impressive welfare caseload declines. However, their reasoning is faulty. History indicates the strength of the economy has only a limited effect on welfare caseloads. More importantly, recent data clearly indicate that state policies, made possible due to welfare reform, are largely responsible for the substantial reduction in the welfare rolls.