---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When some Republican governors asked to…"
description: "\"When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work, the Obama Administration said they would only do it if they..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg"
---

#  When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to…

![“When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work, the Obama Administration said they would only do it if they had a credible plan to increase employment by 20%. You hear that? More work. So the claim that President Obama weakened welfare reform's work…” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg)

> “When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work, the Obama Administration said they would only do it if they had a credible plan to increase employment by 20%. You hear that? More work. So the claim that President Obama weakened welfare reform's work requirement is just not true.”

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The claim that Obama weakened welfare work requirements is false; he demanded a credible plan to boost jobs by 20% before changes.

**In simple terms:** Obama required a solid job‑creation plan before altering welfare work rules.

Key Takeaway

Demand evidence‑based proposals for policy changes.

Themes

politics policy welfare reform

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political policy analysis

When to use this quote

- legislative debates
- policy design
- public administration
- advocacy campaigns

Key Concepts

employment targets government accountability political rhetoric

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence would convince policymakers to change welfare rules?
- How do partisan narratives affect public perception of policy?

A Different Perspective

Political negotiations may stall reforms despite good intentions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Back to work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-to-work/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible/) [Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employment/) [Governors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governors/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Increase Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase-employment-658163/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ways/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-obama/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Weakened Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakened-welfare-3779322/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-reform/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-obama-3036479/)

## Related quotes

> [As millions of Americans look for work, the Obama campaign and Democrats are attempting to distract attention away from this administration's dismal record. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bradley/as-millions-of-americans-look-for-work-the-obama-campaign-and/)

[Jeb Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bradley/)

> [It has been an honor to work in the Obama Administration and to serve this President, particularly during a period of unprecedented change in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-been-an-honor-to-work-in-the-obama-administration-and-to-serve/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We passed welfare reform. All of you know I believe we were right to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-passed-welfare-reform-all-of-you-know-i-believe-we-were-right-to/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Pleasures of the mind have this advantage,--they never cloy nor wear themselves out, but increase by employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-power-cobbe/pleasures-of-the-mind-have-this-advantage-they-never-cloy-nor-wear/)

[Frances Power Cobbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-power-cobbe/)

> [The real solution to the problem of poverty consists in finding how to increase the employment and earning power of the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/the-real-solution-to-the-problem-of-poverty-consists-in-finding-how/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [If there's unemployment, having the government help reduce that unemployment, increase employment directly is a pretty good idea. It's not driving out competition; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/if-there-s-unemployment-having-the-government-help-reduce-that/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [I never said that. The fact is we are going to open over hundreds of stores this year and next and increase employment by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-schnatter/i-never-said-that-the-fact-is-we-are-going-to-open-over-hundreds-of/)

[John Schnatter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-schnatter/)

> [We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/we-used-to-think-that-you-could-spend-your-way-out-of-a-recession-and/)

[James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/)

> [Expansion and modernization of the nation's productive plant is essential to accelerate economic growth and to improve the international competitive position of American industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/expansion-and-modernization-of-the-nation-s-productive-plant-is/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [Since becoming Governor, I have made it my priority to increase employment opportunities for all Alabamians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/since-becoming-governor-i-have-made-it-my-priority-to-increase/)

[Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/)

> [In Wisconsin, we understand people create jobs, not the government. Those who choose to employ - be it one or many - are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-walker/in-wisconsin-we-understand-people-create-jobs-not-the-government/)

[Scott Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-walker/)

> [I'm just trying to suppress my natural impulses and get back to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-m-just-trying-to-suppress-my-natural-impulses-and-get-back-to-work/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [“Although white women as a group lost the most in welfare reform, they got the one bone that's always been thrown to white working-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-briggs/although-white-women-as-a-group-lost-the-most-in-welfare-reform-they/)

[Laura Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-briggs/)

> [Weirdly enough, the best thing that ever happened to black people in the last twenty or thirty years was the O.J. Simpson verdict because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/weirdly-enough-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-black-people-in/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [When Hillary Clinton was in the Clinton White House as first lady, the left - the right accused her of being wide eyed radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/when-hillary-clinton-was-in-the-clinton-white-house-as-first-lady-the/)

[David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/)

## More by William J. Clinton

> [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Almost makes you want to go to jail out here, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/almost-makes-you-want-to-go-to-jail-out-here-doesn-t-it/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [I take full responsability...for what we did. It was the right thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-take-full-responsability-for-what-we-did-it-was-the-right-thing-to/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Even as people take pride in their national independence, we know we are becoming more and more interdependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/even-as-people-take-pride-in-their-national-independence-we-know-we/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [To build a twenty-first-century economy, America must revive a nineteenth-century habit--investing in the common, national economic resources that enable every person and every firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/to-build-a-twenty-first-century-economy-america-must-revive-a/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Only astrophysicists new about the Internet 20 years ago. Today my cat has a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-astrophysicists-new-about-the-internet-20-years-ago-today-my-cat/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

[Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

## More Administration quotes

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/)

[Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/)

> [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/)

[David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/)

> [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/)

[Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/)

> [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/)

[Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/)

> [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/)

[Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/)

> [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/)

[Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/)

> [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/)

[Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/)

> [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/)

[Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/)

> [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/)

[Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/)

> [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/)

[Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/)

> [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/)

[Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/)

> [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

[Browse all 1,855 Administration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work, the Obama Administration said they would only do it if they had a credible plan to increase employment by 20%. You hear that? More work. So the claim that President Obama weakened welfare reform's work requirement is just not true.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William J. Clinton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-some-republican-governors-asked-to-try-new-ways-to-put-people-on/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Administration"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-some-republican-governors-asked-to-try-new-ways-to-put-people-on/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/william-j-clinton-302_administration_when-some-republican-governors-asked-to_1227019.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When some Republican governors asked to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work, the Obama…” — William J. Clinton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William J. Clinton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When some Republican governors asked to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-some-republican-governors-asked-to-try-new-ways-to-put-people-on/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-some-republican-governors-asked-to-try-new-ways-to-put-people-on/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
