http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/welfarestate/ en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:30:30 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416204/posts A MOTHER and father with an incredible 14 kids who prove Britain's benefits system has gone bonkers, showering them with a whopping tax-free £36,847 (US$58,815) a year Pregnant Dawn and Sean Cain's huge family, aged 21 years to 19 months, have just enjoyed a very merry Christmas, with every mouthful of their turkey dinner, and every present stuffed under their tree, paid for by taxpayers. To match their breathtaking haul from the public purse Sean would have to clinch a job paying a gross salary of £51,500 ($82,200). Britain's average salary is just £21,320 ($34,000). He and wife Dawn admit... news.com.au http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416204/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:30:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400992/posts When President Obama entered office in January, the greatest problem America faced was neither the war in Afghanistan nor the recession. It was the imminent crisis of the welfare state. Not only has Mr. Obama failed to deal with this crisis, he is pursuing policies that will bankrupt America. In March, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, led by former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, calculated the total value of the federal government's "unfunded liabilities" as they stood at the end of fiscal 2008. These liabilities include the publicly held portion of the national debt plus the amount the government must... Washington TImes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400992/posts#comment Sat, 5 Dec 2009 16:08:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385585/posts Good video talks about government regulations, the welfare state, etc. Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385585/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:04:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371032/posts California is a mess, but I love it all the same--especially the Bay Area, where I lived for 15 years. I went to Berkeley in 1962--a refugee from Amherst College, which at that time was dominated by frat boys with high SAT scores. I didn't go to Berkeley to go to school, but to be a bus ride away from North Beach and the Jazz Workshop. In a broader sense, I went to California for the same reason that other émigrés had been going since the 1840s. I was knocking on the Golden Door. Immigrants from Europe had come to... TNR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371032/posts#comment Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:53:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356480/posts UTICA, N.Y. -- Twelve Utica residents face federal charges for approximately $2 million in food stamp fraud. These charges come after an 18 month state and federal investigation. Police say those indicted were accepting food stamp benefits in exchange for cash, which is a violation because these benefits are only to be used for eligible food products. A federal grand jury indicted the 12 Tuesday. Only eight were actually arrested and charged Tuesday with defrauding the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. They include: · Muteea Alfahdd, 41 · Najeeb Abdullah, 44 · Hamoud... news10now.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356480/posts#comment Wed, 7 Oct 2009 03:55:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2354438/posts Providers are reducing staffing and services and increasing rates, and hospitals are closing or facing bankruptcy. And the Obama administration wants to extend medical insurance to the uninsured. What they won't face is the role immigration has played in driving up the number of uninsured and the rising cost of health care for native-born Amereicans. Here is some substantiated research data: *Between 1989 and 2007, immmigrants and their U.S.- born children accounted for 71% of the increase in the uninsured. *Approximately 65% of illegal aliens in the U.S. are uninsured. *In many hospitals, as much as two-thirds of total operating... Federation for American Immigration Reform http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2354438/posts#comment Sun, 4 Oct 2009 03:48:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2349162/posts Almost nine months into 2009, at least 219 New Orleanians have attempted to take their own lives; 47 of them have succeeded. The number and rate of suicides is higher than in previous years and approaches twice the national rate. NOLA.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2349162/posts#comment Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:22:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348212/posts New reports from the Tax Foundation show that President Obama's policy proposals will increase the financial dependence of middle-income Americans on the federal government. "Attempts to put 'price tags' on health care and cap-and-trade proposals vary among government agencies and think tanks," said Tax Foundation President Scott Hodge, "but one vital question has been left unanswered: Counting all federal taxes and spending, how would these policies affect American families' financial ties to the government? The foundation's new 'fiscal incidence model' answers that question." "Currently the bottom 60 percent of the income spectrum receives more in federal spending than they pay... Tax Foundation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348212/posts#comment Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:11:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2343917/posts [On Sept. 16th Heritage scholar Robert Rector appeared on the Lou Dobbs Show and outlined the shocking results of his latest research about how Obama is rushing us into the complete welfare state.] Welfare or aid to poor and low-income persons is now the third most expensive government function. Its costs rank above spending on national defense. Welfare spending has grown enormously since Lyndon Johnson launched the War on Poverty. In his first two years in office, Obama will increase annual welfare spending by ONE-THIRD from $522 billion to $697 billion. After adjusting for inflation, this increase is two and... Heritage Foundation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2343917/posts#comment Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:23:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2336150/posts It is almost irresistible for conservatives to snicker as Democrats in Massachusetts hold hearings and seek ways to justify an attempt to change the law in Massachusetts to allow the Democratic governor of the Commonwealth to appoint a Democratic senator--presumably available to vote for President Obama's initiatives. It was just a few years ago when Senator John Kerry was running for president and the governor was a Republican that the Democratic state legislature thought it imperative to change the law to prevent governors from appointing senators. It is just too delicious, the hypocrisy too obvious, for conservatives to ignore. Yet... The Weekly Standard http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2336150/posts#comment Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:57:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2331738/posts In an interview with Philadelphia-based radio host Michael Smerconish, President Obama said the following about critics who called his healthcare proposal “socialist:” “FDR was called a socialist when he passed Social Security. JFK and Lyndon Johnson - they were both accused of a government takeover of health care when they passed Medicare. This is the process that we go through, because understandably the American people have a long tradition of being suspicious of government until the government actually does something that helps them.” Obama is right. What we often call “socialism” is simply the same old welfare state most Americans... Charleston City Paper http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2331738/posts#comment Fri, 4 Sep 2009 01:52:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2329267/posts Those of us who oppose a massive increase in the role the national government plays in health care ("ObamaCare") do so because we fear the immense and unsustainable national debt it would incur and because we are certain that medical care in America would deteriorate. But there is a bigger reason most of us oppose it: We believe that the bigger the government becomes, the smaller the individual citizen becomes. Here are five reasons why bigger government makes less impressive people. 1. People who are able to take care of themselves and do so are generally better than people who... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2329267/posts#comment Tue, 1 Sep 2009 11:38:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2327688/posts A lame rally from a bunch of Obama robots pretending to be grassroots, pictures show it's from the Obama campaign for Health Care, (big surprise) and they say we are astroturfing.... hotairpundit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2327688/posts#comment Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:55:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2327653/posts NEW YORK (AP) - About a thousand people rallied in Manhattan on Saturday in support of federal health care reform legislation. The event near Times Square began shortly after the funeral for U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, and took-on the feel of a tribute to the liberal leader. One person carried a sign that said, "TeddyCare for all." Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2327653/posts#comment Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:35:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2326749/posts Daylife Photos http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2326749/posts#comment Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:25:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2323068/posts President Obama took his case for what he now calls "health insurance reform" to the faith community. He made his pitch in a phone call, also broadcast over the Internet, to clergy who called in and logged on from around the nation. In his remarks, the President ticked off points of contention that dissenters have with his proposals -- "government takeover of healthcare...government funding of abortion...death panels" -- and dismissed these concerns as "fabrications." In one swipe, Mr. Obama reduced his opposition to liars. And why, according to the President, are dissenters supposedly making all this stuff up? Because, he... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2323068/posts#comment Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:10:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2322490/posts We are berated, ad nauseam, with imprecations that America is the only advanced nation that fails to have universal health care. This statement is often followed by the rueful remark that the debate over government controlled health care has been going on without progress for 60 years and, ipso facto, it is time to settle it. All right, let's do that. Let's look a little deeper. Why is there no settlement of the issue, and why is America unique in its obstinate reluctance to follow the example of our older cultural brothers in Europe? When a debate continues for decades... The Weekly Standard http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2322490/posts#comment Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:56:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321502/posts Stockholm, Sweden. Do you think America would be better off with a Swedish-type welfare state? This question tends to evoke strong reactions from both the left and right, yet few understand Sweden's economic history and the revisions it has been making to its welfare-state model in recent years. Sweden was a very poor country for most of the 19th century. The poverty of those years caused many to emigrate from the country, mostly to the U.S. Upper Midwest. Beginning in the 1870s, however, Sweden created the conditions for developing a high-growth, free-market economy with a slowly growing government sector. As... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321502/posts#comment Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:01:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321367/posts Combined with the overall lack of adult supervision in the Congress, I can pretty much say with a great deal of confidence (at least as much as Barack Obama has when he says he can deliver health care at lower cost, and with greater access and no change in your doctor) that what we’ve been seeing since last January is a concerted effort to yoke Americans even more to a dependency on their government that is not only ill-advised but also ultimately tragic. I say ”tragic” because programs like Cash for Clunkers and ObamaCare — both of which are nothing... Entitlement Syndrome http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321367/posts#comment Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:51:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2318303/posts "There is a perception that when we talk about government spending for the 'have nots,' we're talking about taking from hard-working white people and giving to lazy black folks." CNN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2318303/posts#comment Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:23:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2316687/posts CLICK HERE Youtube http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2316687/posts#comment Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:07:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314085/posts A $200 back-to-school giveaway for needy kids sparked a mad rush for money on the streets of New York on Tuesday. "It's free money!" said Alecia Rumph, 26, who waited in a Morris Park, Bronx, line 300 people deep for the cash to buy uniforms and book bags for her two kids. "Thank God for Obama. He's looking out for us." Thousands of people lined up at banks and check-cashing shops to withdraw the cash that magically appeared on their electronic benefit cards. Some rushed out because of rumors the money would vanish by the end of the day. "Rumors,... NYDailyNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314085/posts#comment Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:51:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312137/posts Lost in the vigorous national debate over health care reform is the potentially transformative effect any major legislation will have on the nature of American democracy. The deeper question we should be debating is this: What happens to our democracy when a majority of American voters depend on the government for a paycheck? Our nation's founding generation was profoundly aware of the relationship between economic independence and democratic participation. In classical Athens, Aristotle had argued that political participation required property ownership, since those who did not own property "have no share in the state." Likewise, our founders largely restricted voting... JS Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312137/posts#comment Sun, 9 Aug 2009 22:46:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2299494/posts Why a website defending government? Because for decades, conservatives have been attacking government and not enough has been done to defend it. Ever since Ronald Reagan declared in 1981 that "Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem," Republicans have been waging a political war against this institution. Their core message: the free market is good and government is bad. Government is Good http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2299494/posts#comment Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:32:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2298151/posts It's crazy for a group of mere mortals to try to design 15 percent of the U.S. economy. It's even crazier to do it by August. Yet that is what some members of Congress presume to do. They intend, as the New York Times puts it, "to reinvent the nation's health care system".Let that sink in. A handful of people who probably never even ran a small business actually think they can reinvent the health care system. Politicians and bureaucrats clearly have no idea how complicated markets are. Every day people make countless tradeoffs, in all areas of life, based... Townhall http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2298151/posts#comment Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:46:34 GMT