Serving Market Needs, Not People's Needs: The Indignity of Welfare Reform

Abstract

I am so happy to join all of you in celebrating and honoring Peter's life and work. Even for those of us who knew Peter only a little - from a few phone conversations and faxes, conferences or chance meetings - or who knew him only through his work and reputation, he has had a profound impact. News of Peter's death spread through the public interest community with such intensity, an electric charge of terrible sorrow transmitted by e-mail and phone calls. Listservs filled up with remembrances of him from advocates and students and activists all over the country. We knew that we had lost not merely a superb intellect, but an unrelentingly warm heart and an invincible spirit, all captured in this person who inspired us to go on with our work, and gave us succor when the difficulties of our work gave us pause. So it is with Peter, or more specifically with Peter's words, that I want to start my comments today about welfare and welfare reform.