Posted on 11/17/2011 7:06:12 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A group of Republican senators has proposed a plan to reform welfare — not so much because they expect it to succeed, but to make an important point: that the deficit supercommittee can meet its $1.2 trillion goal without raising taxes.
“I think there’s kind of an acceptance that as long as there’s Democratic control of the Senate, we’re not going to pass anything good,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.), one of the bill’s cosponsors. “Our point here is to show that there is a lot of money that we could save and deal with our deficit in a responsible way if we would look at it.”
The legislation would save $2.43 trillion over ten years by returning means-tested welfare spending to 2007 levels. It would also eliminate federal funding of abortion in these welfare programs and prevent people from using food stamps at fast-food restaurants. The changes would be implemented in 2015, or when unemployment dips below 7.5 percent.
“It’s showing that there are rational ways to begin to solve our problem,” he added. “And it’s also a way to show for the 2012 elections that Republicans have a lot of solutions.”
DeMint lamented that the supercommittee is currently considering tax increases and budget gimmicks, such as counting as “saved” money from the draw-downs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, money that would never have been spent in the first place. “It’s pretty frustrating,” he said. “But this [welfare-reform plan] is one good example — there’s plenty of money we can cut, and make our country a lot better for it.”
DeMint said he is worried that some Republicans will end up supporting a supercommittee plan that includes tax increases. Raising taxes on job creators won’t solve America’s budgetary woes, he argued, criticizing Republicans who insist on compromise. “They say, ‘Well, hey, you gotta meet everybody halfway,’” he said. “It’s not gonna solve a problem to do something wrong in order to hopefully get a little something right.”
Nice to have at least one senator who get it. I wonder how much we could save by cutting illegal aliens off bennies and giving them (and their anchor babies) a one-way ticket home.
That means for every $100,000 spent, only $27,000 makes it to a family on welfare.
So, $73,000 (or a good full time job yearly salary) is spent to hand out $27,000 (about the size of 'benefits' for a single family)
...or...
The equivalent of one full time government worker for each welfare family
they should get rid of food stamps all together. bring back government cheese and other generic box of goodies that can last them the month.
I was really hoping DeMint would run for president. As each day goes by, I wish more and more he would change his mind.
For now, I guess I’ll have to be thankful we have him in the Senate.
DeMint has nobody in the GOP backing him. All we have are “ bought & paid for “ whores. We have no leadership whatsoever.
The sad thing is that the SuperCommittee is trying to save $1.2T over 10 years. I’d say that saving that much each year is an excellent start but nowhere near enough; over 10 years it’s just symbolic, especially if the savings are “in the out years”.
We have a winner !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember Gubmint Cheese. We had near-riots in the 70’s at a local school where they handed it out. People who tried it told me it was far, far better than any cheese us working stiffs could afford to buy at the grocery store.
HOORAY Jim DeMint and FReepers posting additional ideas!
We the people...
Can I get source info for your stats? I love it.
think of all the soon-to-expire MREs they could get for cheap.
if it’s good enough for our troops...
Unfortunately, my Senator DeMint has said he isn’t even going to run for the Senate again. That’s tragic.
I wish DeMint would jump into the Presidential race.
…as he inches his way ever closer to 1600 PA Ave, as a Veep!
DeMint would be wasted in a presidency where Democrats effectively control both houses of Congress. If the people wake up and vote enough clear thinking leaders, like DeMint, into Congress, DeMint could become the presidential candidate who could really lead us back from the abyss. Now, as you say, he is more effective in Congress.
IMHO there will be no savings until the entire welfare system is changed from being rewarded for doing nothing to an incentive to work system.
We are going to fall like Rome. The most extreme conservative position is quite simply a window dressing lie. This is such a sad joke.
More reductions in increases pawned as cuts.
GARBAGE! This is GARBAGE. $243 billion per year is less than 2 months of DEFICIT SPENDING. The whole economy is a house of cards.
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