In case welfare comes up tonight ….

In case it comes up! President Obama said he was eager for tonight’s debate so he could make Romney answer for his attack on the President’s welfare waivers. Should the issue arise, here is a calm Robert Rector explanation of how Obama’s HHS did in fact undermine and weaken the work requirements that were part of Clinton’s 1996 welfare reform. … More detailed pieces here and here. … My takes here and here. …  P.S.: Should Obama (like Bill Clinton) rely on the alleged HHS requirement that the waivers “move at least 20% more people from welfare to work,” remember a) the requirement is bogus; b) it was only added, out of the blue, by HHS Secretary Sebelius after Republicans had raised a stink about the work waivers. It wasn’t part of the original HHS guidance. That document didn’t contain even a Potemkin nod to work because the HHS officials Obama appointed to run welfare reform have never liked the law’s work requirements in the first place. It’s like naming Lady Gaga national nutritionist.[Zinger!] …