Join Sam Bushman on Liberty RoundTable as he sits down with Clarence H. Carter, a nationally recognized human services expert with over 34 years of leadership experience. Carter, currently serving as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, has worked in administrations under two presidents, four governors, and a mayor—touching nearly every public safety net program in America's $1.49 trillion system.
In this powerful interview, Carter discusses his new book "Our Net Has Holes In It: A Critique of the American Public Safety Net," which exposes the fundamental flaws in America's welfare system and provides actionable solutions for reform. Drawing from his groundbreaking work implementing welfare-to-work programs in Virginia that moved tens of thousands from dependency to employment, Carter shares inspiring success stories like Barbara, a woman who hadn't worked in 14 years but found freedom and dignity through meaningful employment.
The conversation tackles critical issues, including the breakdown of the American family, the role of faith-based organizations versus government bureaucracy, the need for a "whole of society" approach to helping the vulnerable, and why America's safety net should function as a trampoline—not a hammock. Carter reveals how 114 federal means-tested programs administered by 12 separate agencies through 31 different congressional committees create a disconnected, bureaucratic maze that traps people in dependency rather than lifting them to freedom.
Also featuring insights from Eldon Stahl, Field Director of the John Birch Society, on the dangers of government-controlled charity and the importance of returning to community and faith-based solutions.
Call to Action:
It's time to demand change in America's broken welfare system! Get Clarence H. Carter's groundbreaking book "Our Net Has Holes In It" at Amazon and all fine bookstores today. Learn the truth about how our $1.49 trillion safety net is failing the vulnerable—and discover the solutions that can transform welfare into work-fair, strengthen families, and restore American freedom.
Share this episode with your church, community leaders, and elected officials. The safety net industrial complex won't reform itself—it will take all of us demanding accountability and real solutions. Visit jbs.org and thenewamerican.com to get involved in the fight to restore constitutional principles and strengthen America from the ground up.
Together, we can build a system that lifts people up instead of keeping them down. The time for transformation is NOW!