Why Making More Money Costs You Money (The Welfare Trap) with Clarence Carter

We spend over $1.5 trillion every year fighting poverty in the United States, so why does taking a raise or getting a better job leave a struggling family worse off?

In this episode of The MiddleGround Mic, host Joe sits down with Clarence H. Carter, author of Our Net Has Holes in It and a 35-year public service veteran who has served under two presidents, four governors, and a mayor. Clarence breaks down the systemic reality of the "benefit cliff" and why having 114 separate government assistance programs traps people in dependency.

In this episode, we unpack:

• The Welfare Trap: How earning a small wage increase can instantly strip away vital family benefits.
• Systemic Failure: Why fragmenting the safety net creates administrative chaos instead of human growth.
• Work Requirements: Overcoming real-world barriers like childcare and transportation.
• Relational Capital: Why local nonprofits and communities succeed where federal bureaucracies fail.
• The Generational Divide: Addressing the reality that younger Americans feel the economic system is entirely stacked against them.

Connect with Clarence H. Carter:

📖 Our Net Has Holes in It
https://evolveglobalpublishing.com/show-book/B0G2HRSZ3S

🔗 LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarence-carter-aaa0096

Episode Chapters:

00:00 — Why a Raise Can Leave Families Worse Off
01:20 — Understanding the Safety Net
03:36 — The Benefit Cliff
06:58 — The Debate Over Work Requirements
08:23 — Barbara’s Story and Real-World Barriers
15:48 — Why 114 Assistance Programs Aren’t Working
21:39 — Government Bureaucracy vs. Community Support
24:06 — Why the Welfare System Has Barely Changed
27:39 — Washington vs. Local Communities
29:32 — The Economic Reality Facing Younger Americans