February 5, 2009 2:54PM 

# Don’t Those Poor People Know What’s Good for Them? 

By [Michael D. Tanner](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-d-tanner) 

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First the [*New York Times* worries](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/us/02welfare.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=welfare&st=cse) that welfare rolls aren’t growing despite the recession. Now the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation releases a new [report](http://www.rwjf.org/coverage/product.jsp?id=38348) to help states recruit and retain more people in Medicaid and SCHIP. Family, private charity, they have their place I guess, but the welfare state must grow at all costs.

##### Related Tags 

[Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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