Presidential candidates argue back and forth about the value of the “safety net”, but what exactly is it? In general, the safety net refers to the various government funded social welfare programs such as food stamps and subsidized health care that help lift lower income individuals and their families out of poverty. However, liberals and conservatives dispute the impact these programs have on society. Does the safety net prevent low income families from falling below the poverty line or do these programs merely encourage more families to depend on the government? KQED’s The Lowdown takes a deeper look into what the safety net it, how it works, and the argument around the topic in this engaging video produced by Explainer Music.