RALEIGH — If there’s one thing more tragic than the demand for government benefits outstripping the available supply, it’s, well, the supply of government benefits oustripping the demand.
Back in the early 1990s, as I recall, North Carolina public officials were concerned about the impact of a recession on the state’s safety net. Demand for food stamps was soaring, for example. Then, after several years of rapid economic growth, many of the same public officials had a different concern: the declining rate of participation in the Food Stamp program. I was on one panel on welfare reform where some sparring partner of mine proposed a crash program of promotional items, public-service announcements, and the like to ensure that people still knew how to sign up for benefits.
The fact that North Carolinians weren’t accepting enough food stamps wasn’t proof that they didn’t need government aid, the argument went. Instead, it was proof that the aid was too hard to get, that elgibility requirements were too strict, or that potential beneficiaries were too proud to accept the help they desperately needed.
I’ve tried and tried to come up with a pithy and humorous take on this. I’m sorry to say that I’ve failed. This argument is beyond parody. Unfortunately, it is not beyond repetition.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel, thousands of North Carolinians were left stranded or saw significant damange to their homes and businesses. Dozens were killed or injured. Both public agencies and the private sector stepped in to provide immediate disaster relief. Apparently, however, in some areas the damage has turned out to be less than projected, as has the public’s perceived need for emergency assistance from the government. According to a report in the Elizabeth City Daily Advance, authorities believe that many North Carolinians eligible for federal loans or grants have not yet chosen to apply.
This is a serious problem. Naturally, officials have developed several theories to explain it. One is that some residents of Northeastern North Carolina are “intimidated” by the paperwork involved in applying for loans. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have reassuringly promised that anyone nervous about asking for help “can come to one of our disaster recovery centers and somebody will help them through the process.”
Another theory is that many residents mistakenly believe they won’t be eligible for government benefits because they won’t meet the income threshold. Nonsense, says FEMA. Just because you have money doesn’t mean we aren’t willing to give you someone else’s money.
Still another problem is the rumor mill. One story making the rounds is that FEMA may close down its assistance centers in counties where benefit claims are low or dropping. With a deadline to apply of Nov. 17, perhaps some folks just think they have little chance to get their request before time runs out. A little case of a self-fulfilling prophecy here, with obviously tragic consequences (unspent federal dollars).
After pondering this dilemma for some time, I have formed an alternative theory: perhaps quite a few people have simply decided not to ask for government aid because they don’t believe they need or deserve it. Perhaps they are thankful that the damage they suffered was less than they expected, and are focusing on getting their homes and businesses back into shape and getting on with life.
No, no, on second thought that can’t be it. Surely people aren’t foolish enough to pass up free money just because they don’t really need it or because they feel uncomfortable accepting tax dollars from people hundreds or thousands of miles away. No, there must be another reason. I feel confident that the appropriate government agencies will discover it in time.
Hood is president of the John Locke Foundation and publisher of Carolina Journal.