Posted on 05/26/2012 10:42:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
Some astoundingly grim news on the "economic recovery" front: half of American households are receiving government funds to support themselves. No matter which way you slice it, this number isn't good news for the Obama administration -- they can spin the jobs numbers by ignoring the number of people who dropped out of the workforce, but this statistic is pretty straightforward.
The 49.1% of the population in a household that gets benefits is up from 30% in the early 1980s and 44.4% as recently as the third quarter of 2008.
The increase in recent years is likely due in large part to the lingering effects of the recession. As of early 2011, 15% of people lived in a household that received food stamps, 26% had someone enrolled in Medicaid and 2% had a member receiving unemployment benefits. Families doubling up to save money or pool expenses also is likely leading to more multigenerational households. But even without the effects of the recession, there would be a larger reliance on government.
The Census data show that 16% of the population lives in a household where at least one member receives Social Security and 15% receive or live with someone who gets Medicare. There is likely a lot of overlap, since Social Security and Medicare tend to go hand in hand, but those percentages also are likely to increase as the Baby Boom generation ages.
It seems that Newt Gingrich's nickname for President Obama rings true: he really is the "food stamp president." More people than ever are relying on the state to support their families, and that's a major indictment on Obama's first term.
Furthermore, this puts even more pressure on the economic aspect of the presidential election. There's no way to cut the deficit until fewer people are on the government payroll -- unless, of course, Congress imposes massive (and sure to be massively unpopular) tax hikes.
Really, if this is the direction we're headed, how many people want to keep going "forward?"
Stupid socialist slogan "Forward!". With the looming iceberg dead ahead, a more appropiate slogan is "To the lifeboats!", or "Every man for himself!". The Food Stamp President is a piper leading lemmings over a cliff.
Not good news for the 0bama regime? I think it’s great news for them; it’s exactly what they want. Over 50% of the voters dependent on socialism, that’s what guarantees them electoral victory.
Yep, once there’s more people riding the wagon than there are pulling the wagon, the Republic is dead.
And, how many “government dependent” voters will, actually, vote against government dependence? This is why I don’t see how the U.S. doesn’t become a third world socialistic country, for the long-term, no matter how the ‘12 general elections go. How is the U.S. as a capitalistic country not an endangered species?
I bet entitlement spending as part of the annual budget has gone from 60% to 70% by now!
Just had a note from a friend who evidently gets his Social Security by check. The checks now say “Government Benefit.” Benefit? I guess since the “government” pi$$ed away the money they extorted from us over our working life, they have to call it a “benefit.”
Then we all meet in Texas and declare our Independence once more.
Why doesn’t your friend get his or her social security deposited. I would be afraid that it would be stolen fro the mail box
Hey, if we taxpayers are stupid enough to give him money he is smart enough to take it.
Sux to be the newbie in any Ponzi scheme.
Really, if this is the direction we’re headed, how many people want to keep going “forward?”
More like how many fools would want to keep working?
Think of how much cost we could eliminate by getting rid of them.
(/s)
Forward — as in, forward to the couch and remote.
Obama simply tells this 49% that Romney will strip them of their gov’t support and kick them out onto the streets.
The way I see it that these millions on Government support will have to keep it coming. They realize that there is NO, NO, NO, immediate fix and the fix will be years in the making. Their fear is if King Obama and his empire gets the boot the flow of cash will almost immediately stop or be radically reduced. It is more like the question of survival than anything else. It is going to be a close election and we must support Romney. And financial support will somehow have to flow until the conversion to jobs take over. Only corruption should be cut off.
We’ve reached the tipping point. We’re Greece.
This is very, very dire. Even if the economy recovers, it may be many years before that number falls.
There are a number of families whom I know personally who are in this situation and they are pi$$ed. They will be voting Republican straight tickets in the next go around.
I would like to see what type of benefits are counted. I get a military retirement. Does that lump me in with this group?
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