Posted on 02/12/2012 5:37:16 AM PST by IbJensen
A new study finds more Americans than ever before are dependent on the federal government for financial assistance.
The Heritage Foundation's "Index of Dependence on Government" also finds that the average American relying on federal government assistance receives $300 more in benefits ($32,748) annually than the average American's disposable personal income ($32,446).
William Beach of The Heritage Foundation's Center for Data Analysis puts that in context.
"... We now have [about] 67 million Americans who are getting significant aid from the government for their housing or their food or their income support or their healthcare or their education -- or all five put together," he explains. "When you think of 67 million, that's big enough; but imagine, that's one out of every five Americans."
Beach also points out that while the number of Americans receiving federal aid rises, the number of federal taxpayers continues to drop, with nearly half of Americans (49.5 percent) not paying any federal income taxes.
Unless significant steps are taken to cut debt, reduce spending, and restore prosperity, Beach warns this unsustainable fiscal model will collapse.
"We're about to get the largest generation in U.S. history to retire ... the Baby Boom generation," he points out.
"They're not all going to retire on January 1, but over the next ten years, we're going to see millions of those people retire. Many of those people, unfortunately, won't have saved enough. They'll be living totally on Social Security and getting all of their healthcare through the Medicare Part A program."
Heritage offers more details on its findings, as well as proposed solutions, at SavingTheDream.org.
(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com ...
What we don't have to support are the welfare whores and their occasional bedmates who together procreate and raise chirrun into a welfare society!
Thanks Lyndon Bird Johnson for the 'great' society!
“The American Dream; Living on the Dole”
The schoolyard-lunch-money-stealers are now in power and about to take the whole ball of wax.
40% hardcore supporters + brilliant, intellectual, really really smart Progressives + brilliant, intellectual, really really smart Independents = President Obama 2013.
(Not to mention the support of Micky and Minnie Mouse
voters.)
IMHO
My mildly autistic son might of qualified for government assistance but instead works, pays taxes and is independent. He does not take a dime from the government and neither did his parents raising him. I take that back, we did once apply briefly for help with counseling for him when he would get picked on without mercy by other kids, he is too gentle a soul. Now if you raise a child with any type of disability you find that they tend to meet others with disabilities. He met one girl who did her level best to talk him into milking the system. She was perfectly able to work but didn’t preferring to sponge off the government and relatives. She had a nicer place to live and car then most people. It was inconceivable to her that anybody would rather work then scam the system for a disability was just a meal ticket to her. I am not saying disabled people don’t need help but their are those who abuse the definition of it. The pride and dignity with which my son lives his life in his tiny apartment is something she will never know. His Christian friend refers to him as one of God’s strongest and that is the gift of not taking from the government.
bookmark
How ironic! I am sitting on my couch in my robe and having a cup of hot tea to warm up & wake up. FOX news JUST had a piece on the group Citizens Against Gov’t Waste and the whole free cellphone scam. My mother only last year got a cellphone & that is because my brother & I pitched in and pay for it. The guy from CAGW was saying how many of these people sell the phones they receive thru e-bay or on the black market.
The whole entitlement thing is scary because you are talking about people w/ NO sense of pride, no morals, and not a shred of dignity. It used to be that when you could not afford something you actually figured out a way to possibly get it; work & get more money, cut something out in your life so that money could be put toward the object of your desire, or save, save, save. To a whole culture of people that is now laughable. “Give it to me NOW! I deserve it!”
You are a wonderful parent!!!!!!!!!!!!! I teach special needs kids & I know how much time and effort it takes to really work w/ an autistic child. That you have instilled such great values and a sense of pride in him is incredible. I am not surprised that he has met the “scammers.” The people who have been brought up to get that check & get it quickly.
What happened to our country? People like you are now a minority. Best of luck to your son for a continued good life.
With numbers like that one would think that we should be broke....
But then again we have billionaires and millionaires who are more than happy to give up all their hard earned labor and live like paupers for the comfort of lazy slugs.
I guess the government will have to teach itself how to make a profit to support everybody. You can’t get blood out of a turnip.
bookmark
And who’s fault is it the people are living the new American Dream? Did you and I give out the money? Well, the answer is, not directly do we dole out billions of dollars to these free-loaders but those who we ELECT do.
Think long and hard about who you elect, do your home-work, find out where you fair haired politician stands, then make your choice. Throwing darts and the ballot box yields some big surprises.
Not really a surprise to me; in fact, it doesn’t take much looking on this very website to find more than a few ‘conservatives’ that believe it is their patriotic duty to apply for and get as many government freebies as they can their hands on - and delude themselves into thinking they are helping the problem.
I think we very well have reached/already past the tipping point in this country and we have both parties to blame.
Here’s my question....
I put over $400 grand (including employer part) into SS and Medicare.
Now I’ve just gotten on the payback side.
Am I on the dole? or not?
You fine folks need to stop reading this tripe and get to work. You got people to support.
No, you paid in, it is your money. If you ever get to the point of taking MORE than you paid in, then we’ll talk. God Bless you and try to enjoy your retirement.
NO!! You are not on the dole. You are getting YOUR money back. If anybody wants to use the term “entitlement”, then you are “ENTITLED” to get your money back. It is the money the government took from you.
(Just my opinion)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.