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Article: Beyond the rhetoric: shared responsibility versus the Contract with America.
- Article from:
- Health and Social Work
- Article date:
- May 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 National Association of Social Workers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Republican National Committee's (1994) Contract with America reminds us that social work is a normative discipline. The things we do and the programs we support have consequences for people. What we regard as good and obligatory, others view as bad and irresponsible. This is a time for action. But it is also a time for reflection - about our first principles.
We need to cut through all rhetoric - right and left - that might blind us in our discussion of the Contract. We need to understand why the American public is disillusioned with many social programs. And we need to be accountable for our share of the problem. One first principle that I believe helps us sort ...