When you don’t have a job government benefits go a long way, especially if you have subsidized housing, and a host of other benefits. The total of the benefits can be more than you get in a real job.
If you have a real job, your salary is not yours. Every level of government has its hands in it. You don’t get to keep it all.
So $20,000 of government benefits is real money. a job paying $20,000 is nothing.
Yeh, the current recipients in Missouri average $10.00 per hour in benfits.
Most people who have jobs here, get paid $8.50 per hour, with no extra benefits, and taxes deducted.