One in six Americans now receives some form of government assistance, reported last week’s U.S.A Today.
Fifty million are on Medicaid, a record high and a whopping 17 percent increase since December 2007. Food stamp enrollment has climbed nearly 50 percent since 2008 and now stands at 40 million, or one in seven people. Ten million Americans receive unemployment benefits, and 4.4 million get direct cash assistance, an 18 percent increase from two years ago.
And these are the numbers from only four of the more than 70 welfare programs funded by the federal government.
While some of the growth in welfare can be attributed to the current recession, government-assistance programs were growing far before the economy began to decline in December 2007. In fact, welfare spending has been climbing since the 1960s, when Lyndon B. Johnson declared his “War on Poverty.”
However, President Obama’s increases have been the most dramatic of any President in the nation’s history. As he completes two years in office, he will have added roughly $260 billion to government welfare spending, a jump two-and-a-half times greater than any previous welfare increase in the nation’s history.
And don’t expect welfare spending to decrease once the recession ends. The Obama budget makes it clear that the majority of these spending hikes are permanent. As a result, beginning this year, taxpayers will contribute approximately $1 trillion every year to federal means-tested programs. (This amount will be even greater once Medicaid enrollment jumps in 2014 as a result of the health care bill.)
Needless to say, such spending will only add to the massive national debt. Yet even more detrimental perhaps, will be the growing culture of dependency it creates.
Congress needs to get welfare spending under control. Practical steps would include such things as capping welfare spending at 2008 levels, restoring the requirements embedded in the successful welfare reforms of 1996, and adding similar aspects of personal responsibility to other welfare programs, such as food stamps and housing assistance. Also, marriage education programs should be reinstated if the government is serious about tackling poverty, considering that nearly 80 percent of long-term poverty takes place in homes headed by single parents.
The growth in welfare spending during the current economic recession is not necessarily surprising, yet most of the growth has taken place independent of the economic downturn. As the national debt continues to balloon, the Obama Administration should look for ways to rein in spending instead of significantly adding to its growth.
Well, the pathetic states of Amer I can't! With leadership implementing dependency makes leadership the culprits of corruption who inspire and promote personal weakness.
I will be sixty five next month and I have NO CHOICE. I am mandated to be placed on Medicare despite the fact that my daughter is in elementary school (yes, I am an older Dad.) and I have employees in my business. The bottom line is that I will spend MORE on health care after I am sixty five than before. I read a byumper sticker that said: "A fine is a tax for doing something bad, a tax is a fine for doing something good." How true.
Actually you are not mandated to be on Medicare. Medicare Part A you have already paid for. Part B is entirely voluntary.
The overwhelming majorty of these "welfare reciptients" vote Democrat (whether or not they're registered) and voted for Obama. Do you really think Obama, or the Dem led Congress, would "kill the goose that laid the golded egg" by cutting back on welfare spending? If you do, then you would not understand Obama's refusal to do anything to stop illegal immigration.
Illegal immigrants can't vote. Do you have a family member who is a "welfare recipient" – medicare, social security, GI bill, college loans,etc. Most of us do.
Oh yes they do. Who do you think elected Loretta Sanchez to Congress from California? That is a fact. I do not have any family members on government welfare and are very much against it. Do people know about Ida May Fuller? If they did, they would know that Social Security is the biggest ponzi scheme in the world.
I have been saying that for years good job
Keep the current crew of socialists in office for a few more years and watch that number jump from and see that one-in-six number jump to three or four-in-six.
"Guvment" handouts are the way the politicans get in and stay in power and controll. I am all for helping those in need, but they must be willing to helpm themselves. Most refuse to do so. The "guvment" houseing is a joke, drive into one of these and look at the vehicles, look at how most dress, expensive jeans, shoes, all have nail jobs, hair do's, all have cell phones, which we pay for in most cases, flat screen TV, plus all Dr bills for anything. When asked why they do not work, most tell you they are disabled, can't work, yet they have more than most working people. Those in power and controll keep them happy for their votes. The working people are a minority in this country. Lets see what happens when none of us work and sit on our butts looking to obama and clan for all our wants and needs.
It means that 270 million give or take are not on assistance and 140 million give or take in the workforce are not on unemployment assitance. At this time it isn't a left and right matter. People from both sides are suffering because of government policies that destroyed and are destroying industries such as construction. Both sides are full of sociopaths. I think that is the definition of a politician, a sociopath. Remember come the elections to hold whoever gets elected to the fire to do what is best for America and Americans.
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Imagine if all this money were directed towards job creation in which the public received a benefit!
…And yes my fellow Americans we are allowing, through back door amnesty thousands more into America who are here illegally and certainly will require all welfare granted to them.
How does it feel to be screwed by your own counrty ?
We certainly know the feeling here in AZ.
We have never gotten this issue wrong.
All of America will soon become like ALL Border States.
VOTE in NOV, and VOTE OUT THE BUMS.
A sobering article and a sad reminder of our leaderships' failed and twisted policy to reinvent America.
It's not working America and it never will.
VOTE IN NOV and help us all take backour country and enforce the rule of law,
It is called the U.S. Constitution.
It IS America's legal binding contract.
Those millions receiving Government assistance will soon realize they have accepted the liability that Obama will make them pay it all back come Kloward-Piven Day (a statue is forthcoming next to Uncle Joe's) !Progressives will celebrate the day it all came down around our ears. All those bad American peasants living high on twice the World average. They should be ashamed of themselves! Doing the math, if the U.S. drops its Entitlement contracts (What is a Contract, anyway?) the World Economy will be saved! "Who cares? They're old people, set in their ways with 'misplaced National loyalties, and outmoded Religious superstitions.'
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How many of these people are also working for a decent wage AND taking Gov. assistance.
What threat does being a single parent present to the whole…….nothing. The research also lacks that the reason for such a high single parent rate is that many single parents are rebuilding their lives from previous cases of family violence or domestic abuse.
once upon a time, we did not have welfare nor foodstamp people did not starve. when they saw no one was going to give them any handouts, they found a job. let them do like me, get up at 3:30 am to be at work for 5am to make a living to support my family and not depend on anyone else to do what you can do for yourself.
So, you have no problem with a quarter of the budget going to defense but you have a probem with 13% going to help people? Do you have any idea what you actually have to comply with to even receive aid that doesn't even pay bills or provide adequate daycare to look for a job? Don't blame people on welfare, blame the government for not doing enough to get anyone off of it. The welfare system is a business. And they won't just let their "customers" go without a fight.