Self-Reliance
Bottom Line Up Front: Self-Reliance is about human dignity: giving people the tools and impetus to stand on their own. There's dignity and freedom in that. We'll orient Colorado’s policies to make that not just a slogan but a widespread reality, thus strengthening the social fabric and reducing government burden in the process.
​
a. Empowering Individuals: We believe in Self-Reliance as a foundational virtue and goal for citizens and society. This means encouraging and expecting individuals, families, and communities to take primary responsibility for their own well-being, rather than fostering dependency on government programs. It’s about cultivating a culture of enterprise, personal responsibility, and resilience. Hard work, prudent saving, and problem-solving should be rewarded. Government’s role is to provide a safety net for truly needy and create conditions for opportunity – but not to be a permanent crutch for those able to become self-sufficient. As Benjamin Franklin said, “I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.” In other words, help people help themselves. Biblically, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 states, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” Of course, we care for those who cannot help themselves, but for able individuals, the goal is to become contributing members of society.
​
b. Current Situation: Colorado has various welfare programs (Medicaid expansion, food stamps, housing vouchers, etc.). Our unemployment rate is low now, but labor force participation could be higher in some segments. The pandemic era saw expanded benefits that might have reduced urgency to work for some. There’s also an increase in homelessness in cities – often tied to addiction or mental illness, but some are individuals who lost self-reliance and fall through cracks. We want to shift welfare to workfare where possible and reduce disincentives to employment or marriage present in some assistance program structures. We also see the value in things like local volunteerism, faith-based assistance – private initiatives that build self-reliance, not dependency. The state can support those indirectly rather than expanding bureaucratic programs.
c. Policy Proposals:
​
1. Welfare-to-Work Emphasis: For means-tested benefits like SNAP, TANF, Colorado Works, etc., we will enforce and possibly strengthen work requirements or engagement in job training for able-bodied recipients. Colorado already has some work requirement in TANF (federal mandated). We’ll ensure those are followed and not waived unless necessary (some states during COVID dropped them – we bring them back). Possibly extend similar expectations to Medicaid expansion population (some states sought to require work for Medicaid in prime-age adults with no children – though legally has been challenged, we can pursue if federal waiver allowed). The idea is to encourage recipients to actively seek employment or education as a condition of ongoing assistance. That helps them gain independence. We'll also invest in robust workforce development programs to accompany this – it’s not punitive, it’s supportive: “we’ll help you train or find work, but you need to take part.”
2. Cliffs and Marriage Penalty Reduction: Analyze our benefit cliffs – points where earning slightly more causes large loss of benefits, disincentivizing raise or extra hours. We should smooth those out. Possibly allow gradual phase-out or ignore small increases for a period to avoid punishing progress. Similarly, address marriage penalties in programs (e.g., if two single parents would lose lots of aid by marrying, that discourages stable families). We can propose aligning income thresholds or providing married couple allowances so that marriage isn’t financially penalized in poverty programs. Encouraging stable two-parent families is itself a path to self-reliance (two incomes or one able to child-rear while other works, etc., reduces poverty risk).
3. Homelessness: From Handouts to Hand-ups: Instead of indefinite free services that can enable street lifestyle, we’ll adopt models of requiring or strongly incentivizing participation in rehab, work programs, or shelter programs with rules. For chronic homeless with addiction/mental issues, we favor an approach combining tough love and help (e.g., require either accept treatment and shelter or no camping allowed – enforce anti-camping but also provide a place with expectation they work on issues). Some might need mandated treatment (with due process) if they are a danger. We will measure success by how many get off streets and into productive life, not by how many tents we can support with soup kitchens. This is compassionate because leaving them in squalor is not humane.
​
4. Education for Self-Reliance: Promote financial literacy and practical life skills in schools (budgeting, understanding loans, etc.), so young adults don’t fall into dependency via debt or poor choices. Encourage trade and vocational tracks (as covered in Free Market Education) that lead to good-paying jobs without requiring government help. Perhaps require high schoolers to do a project on career planning and budgeting to instill self-sufficiency mindset early.
​
5. Incentivize Saving: Work with legislature on policies that encourage low-income households to save and build assets. For instance, greatly increase asset limits in public assistance (so people aren’t punished for saving a little). Perhaps create state matching program for savings accounts (like an IDA – Individual Development Account – where if a person on assistance saves earned income towards buying a home, education, or starting a business, the state matches some portion). This gives a ladder out. Also support microenterprise – small business training and microloans for welfare recipients who have an entrepreneurial idea, so they can become self-reliant business owners.
​
6. Drug Testing for Benefits: Consider (legally and carefully) a program of drug screening for certain welfare recipients, paired with offering treatment. We don’t want taxpayer money enabling substance abuse. If someone tests positive, rather than immediate cut-off, maybe mandate they enroll in a rehab or counseling to continue benefits. This is delicate but the aim is to address issues preventing their self-reliance (addiction is a huge one).
​
7. Tax Policy: Keep taxes low especially on lower and middle income so work pays. The more someone keeps of each extra dollar earned, the more incentive to work. We will maintain Colorado’s relatively low flat tax and look to reduce it, which helps all workers. Possibly expand the state Earned Income Tax Credit or similar (which is a work-incentive credit) as a way to boost take-home for working poor without raising minimum wage artificially (which can price some out of jobs). That rewards employment, consistent with self-reliance.
​
8. Community and Faith Partnerships: Encourage non-government organizations that foster self-reliance – like faith-based job training, mentoring, etc. The state can contract with or grant to charities who have track record of moving people off welfare. For example, a program that mentors single mothers on budgeting, parenting, job skills – supporting that might reduce long-term welfare more effectively than bureaucrats. Also support apprenticeship programs (like local trade unions or businesses can run, state can facilitate connecting potential workers to those – since a stable trade job is ultimate self-reliance).
9. Celebrate Work Ethic: Use the Executive Office to praise and highlight stories of individuals who overcame hardship through hard work. Recognize employees of the month, entrepreneurs, etc., in public events. Shift culture to honor the dignity of work in every field – whether it’s a ranch hand or a tech coder. If society values all honest work, more people will be proud to engage in it rather than feeling better to not work than take a "menial" job.
​
10. Limit Government Overreach: Keep licensing reasonable so people can easily start small businesses or new careers without undue barriers (ties with free market principles). If we remove obstacles, more will take initiative rather than waiting on government to provide. Similarly, not rushing to bail out every difficulty – e.g., if there's a natural disaster, of course government aids, but also empower neighbors to help neighbors, which fosters community resilience vs total reliance on FEMA.
​
In implementing this ethos, we expect some pushback that we’re “cutting welfare” or being harsh. We will communicate that our goal is to reduce poverty and dependency by focusing on root solutions – jobs, education, stable families – rather than perpetuating programs. We’ll highlight that current spending without outcomes doesn’t help dignity. We will, of course, maintain a safety net for disabled, elderly, and truly vulnerable. Self-reliance doesn’t mean abandoning those who genuinely cannot support themselves. It means focusing resources and programs to get those who can back on their feet.
​
Long-term, success looks like fewer people on long-term public assistance, more people employed or in training, lower poverty rates, and a cultural shift where asking for government aid is a last resort, not a first reflex – because people have empowerment and community support. The state’s finances also benefit from fewer dependents and more taxpayers.