Business

The Welfare Spending Chart You Won’t Want to See

Today’s depressing chart is brought to you by the Senate Budget Committee Republican staff under Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.):

Welfare Spending (if Converted Into Cash Payments) Equals Approximately $168 per day for Every Household in Poverty | Welfare Spending Is Higher Than the $130 Median Income Per Day Yep. As the chart clearly illustrates, total welfare spending in the U.S. (if converted into cash payments) equals approximately “$168 per day for every household in poverty,” higher than the $137 median income per-day.

From the senator’s office:

… spending on federal welfare benefits, if converted into cash payments, equals enough to provide $30.60 per hour, 40 hours per week, to each household living below poverty. The median household hourly wage is $25.03. After accounting for federal taxes, the median hourly wage drops to between $21.50 and $23.45, depending on a household’s deductions and filing status. State and local taxes further reduce the median household’s hourly earnings. By contrast, welfare benefits are not taxed.

The universe of means-tested welfare spending refers to programs that provide low-income assistance in the form of direct or indirect financial support—such as food stamps, free housing, child care, etc.—and which the recipient does not pay into (in contrast to Medicare or Social Security). For fiscal year 2011, CRS identified roughly 80 overlapping federal means-tested welfare programs that together represented the single largest budget item in 2011—more than the nation spends on Social Security, Medicare, or national defense. The total amount spent on these federal programs, when taken together with approximately $280 billion in state contributions, amounted to roughly $1 trillion. Nearly 95 percent of these costs come from four categories of spending: medical assistance, cash assistance, food assistance, and social/housing assistance. Under the President’s FY13 budget proposal, means-tested spending would increase an additional 30 percent over the next four years.

The diffuse and overlapping nature of federal welfare spending has led to some confusion regarding the scope and nature of benefits. For instance, Newark Mayor Cory Booker has recently received a great deal of attention for adopting the “food stamp diet” in which he spends only $4 a day on food (the average individual benefit in his state) to apparently illustrate the insufficiency of food stamp spending ($80 billion a year) or the impossibility of reductions. The situation Booker presents, however, is not accurate: a low-income individual on food stamps may qualify for $25,000 in various forms of welfare support from the federal government on top of his or her existing income and resources—including access to 15 different food assistance programs. Further, even if one unrealistically assumes that no other welfare benefits are available, the size of the food stamp benefit increases as one’s income decreases, as the benefit is designed as a supplement to existing resources; it is explicitly not intended to be the sole source of funds for purchasing food.

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Comments (250)

  • Talmid of Yeshua
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:03am

    If an armed revolution ever comes to America, I’ll view welfare recipients just like I’ll view any other enemy. That includes those in my own family… I have some welfare leeches in my family (brothers and sister, and among others).

    Report this comment

    Talmid of Yeshua  
    • 50211bs
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 9:02am

      There ar 6 siblings in my family, 3 are conservatives and 3 are liberals. Guess which ones are on “disability” and which ones work! Also we all have children, guess which ones childrens work and which ones don’t! I’m with you Talmid

      Report this comment

      50211bs  
    • Ohello
      Posted on December 9, 2012 at 6:43pm

      Same with the homosexuals….Every family has some. To “just get along” most families just say family is more important than moral behavior of its members and “love conquers all”, but never do you see the immoral ones change their behavior to retain membership in the family. Always the family has to prostitute their values and accept the immoral behavior as if nothing is wrong. This situation is addressed by Christ concerning disciples.

      “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)

      Report this comment

      Ohello  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on December 10, 2012 at 2:50am

      Ohello – Amen to that comment. It’s always us Christian conservatives who are expected to make any sacrifices when the left says that we need to compromise. The leftists never have to make any sacrifices.

      Report this comment

      Git-R-Done  
  • Morningside
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 2:30am

    Take a look in a small European country as the Netherlands. Socialism became there the norm after finding wealth in the form of gas. After 50 years of living of the fat the bottom is in reach. And will fall thru the bottom in a merely short period. The way out is war, via interventions, to get hands on wealth not belonging to them. The other possibility is the North Korea way of living. A leading Dutch politician with the name Spekman became hysterically emotional of happiness with the latter option. Dreaming of a life, as manager, the N Korean way.

    Report this comment

    Morningside  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on December 9, 2012 at 2:22pm

      Same thing with Denmark and Norway. They also get oil royalties from the North Sea.

      Report this comment

      Git-R-Done  
  • RadicalsForLiberty
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:08am

    The State wins. Game. Set. Match. Because of the ignorance of the people. Useful idiots the lot of them. I can’t believe anyone actually thinks we can turn the ship around from inside Washington. Washington is FUBAR.

    Welfare state has succeeded. The fascist police state is not too far off. Obama will install ‘happy’ fascism to keep the population from rejecting his ideology.

    Report this comment

    RadicalsForLiberty  
    • wordsofwisdom
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:52am

      I guess this hate filled socialist state is our future. Great isn’t it? I can just see all the rich lining up to give them all their hard earned money. Yes they deserve it because rich is now a 4 letter word. They think Obama is going to take money from the rich & give it to them. Yea sure, How has that worked out so far? The only way this extortion can work is if the rich stay in America & I don’t think they will hang around to be taxed into the poor house. Just ask Calif. how that’s working for them. Not too good! If I ran a world wide co. like Microsoft or UPS etc: I would discontinue services & or business in this country until we came to our senses. I think things would change fast if they did. I see instead things degenerating into a complete social breakdown. We could be in the end of days as this song says “The End Times” http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_10381143
      If this is the case it’s to late to do anything about it. Hope the 51% who voted for this disaster are happy now because it will soon turn to sadness when the sh** hits the fan!

      Report this comment

      wordsofwisdom  
    • Exrepublisheep
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:54am

      As a repub i’m not surprised the guy left off corporate welfare.

      Report this comment

      Exrepublisheep  
    • booger71
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:47am

      Individual welfare = about 1 Trillion per year
      Corporate Welfare = about 88 billion per year

      Get rid of it all

      Report this comment

      booger71  
    • retiredfire
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 10:22am

      EXREPUBSHEEP and BOOGER.
      Welfare is taxpayer money going to people who did NOTHING for it.
      What some call coprorate welfare is nothing but businesses getting to keep more of what they EARNED.
      Quick question: How much in taxes do businesses pay?
      Answer: NOTHING, it is all included in what the consumers give for the product, plus the cost of preparing all those tax forms.

      Report this comment

      retiredfire  
    • Exrepublisheep
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 10:26am

      . The most expensive means tested welfare program, Medicaid, costs the federal government 30 billion dollars a year or about half of the amount corporations receive each year through assorted tax breaks. S.S.I., the federal program for the disabled, receives 13 billion dollars while American businesses are given 17 billion in direct federal aid.

      Report this comment

      Exrepublisheep  
    • db321
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:00pm

      Individual welfare = about 1 Trillion per year

      Last Report 100 Million Americans of some for of Govt Assistance. Care to do the Math?

      1 Trillion divided by 100 Million = $100,000 Cost to pay just one Recipient. Why are every Conservative Silent about this waste in Govt and a huge leach in our wallet?

      Reagan told all of us in the 80′s that we were spending $47,000 at that time to pay out just one recipient. Reagan cut the waste in Govt and did not touch one single Welfare Recipient. That is how Reagan won the Welfare Vote!

      Notice “the Jerk” is not chiming in – I think he feels a little guilty.

      Report this comment

      db321  
    • Brooke Lorren
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 2:14pm

      There is corporate welfare that the companies do not earn. These are called “subsidies”. I don’t mind if the government drops taxes on businesses, but subsidies for businesses, like the subsidies for corn in the farm bill, are another different story. They favor one kind of business that the government favors over other kinds of business that the government doesn’t.

      Report this comment

      Brooke Lorren  
    • HypeAndFail
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 2:15pm

      Sadly, I’m afraid @RadicalsForLiberty is correct. The country is now FUBAR; I see ZERO possibility that the current crop of Oligarchs (many of whom are the SAME crop we’ve had for the last several decades leading up to this debacle) will ‘save’ us at this point.

      History is pretty clear as to what will happen: the currency and social order will collapse, there will be violent spasms, especially among the moochers in the urban areas and the DHS Stazi that will try to control them, and then martial law and fascism for a period of time. My hope is that at some point, freedom and liberty will once more rise up, and a new Constitutional Republic will emerge. Between now and then, however, it’s gonna get ugly.

      One more thing: I’m reminded of certain areas of New Orleans during Katrina that had NO looting…because the residents in those areas defended themselves with firearms from looters and other suspicious characters. Oddly enough, those people who claim they were threatened and/or shot for being in those areas because of RAAACISM haven’t gotten very far in their attempts to press charges and/or get reparations through the LA legal system. Thank God there is still some sanity in pockets of this country!

      Article shared on Hype and Fail on Facebook-come visit us, and see the FAIL we point out every day!

      Report this comment

      HypeAndFail  
  • Maxim Crux
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:05am

    use the welfare to restore the constitution.

    Report this comment

    Maxim Crux  
  • groundzero
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:05am

    This is why Obama GOT RE-ELECTED? Our “DEBT” is like a heroin addict & will eventually kill us! I guess they are enjoying as we work our butt off to pay bills & raise THEIR FAMILIES. What happen to RESPONSIBILE for “SELF”? When I see this in the stores, I say to myself OH I have ANOTHER KID only thing is they are doing BETTER than MY REAL KID!

    Report this comment

    groundzero  
  • jonhova
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:55am

    I posted this idea once before, but let me know what you think of it:

    The Governor’s of ‘red’ states need to step up and protect the citizen’s of their states from the tyranny of the Federal Government.

    The states that participate in this plan will collect all current federal taxes being collected from their citizens. They will send 1/50th the cost of all federal programs/agencies etc. that are allowed under the constitution as stated in article 1, section 8; not one penny more. The remaining money will be returned to the tax payers of that state.

    The state will organize a militia, and together with the state police, will protect the citizens of that state from the IRS which will surely attempt to prosecute citizens for tax evasion. Basically the state will arrest any federal officers that attempt to violate the constitutional rights of it’s citizen’s.

    If just one large state (Texas) were to adopt this plan, it would quickly starve the Federal Government of funding and force them to reduce spending, eliminate waste, and eliminate unnecessary agencies. imagine how quickly the federal government would be reduced in size if 20 states did this.

    Report this comment

    jonhova  
    • jonhova
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:02am

      I truly believe the Governor’s are our last hope at fixing this mess, the question is are any of these Governor’s brave enough to enact this plan. Our current approach, trying to get Washington to fix Washington is obviously not going to work.

      We can reclaim this country without a single shot ever being fired…we just need try something new.

      Report this comment

      jonhova  
    • groundzero
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:07am

      WHAT GOVERNOR has the (you know what) to do this? NONE of them, they are giving to keep their CAREER job!

      Report this comment

      groundzero  
    • jonhova
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:09am

      I should have said “unconstitutional agencies”, not “unnecessary agencies”; if they are indeed necessary, then they should exist at the state, city, county level etc.

      Report this comment

      jonhova  
    • jonhova
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:17am

      No President, Congressman or Senator is going to do anything, heck I believe most all of them like this (R’s & D’s), the R’s just think they can somehow get to the top of the hill and be the one’s with all the power. Local politicians are easier to pressure; we should not waste efforts with tea parties etc. in DC, bring 500,000 fed up citizen’s to your state capitol and see what happens…I honestly don’t have a clue what to do at this point, I’m just trying to think outside the box.

      Report this comment

      jonhova  
    • SCREW-WINDOWS
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 2:06am

      One very big problem with your idea the people are addicted to welfare from the state and the states are addicted to welfare from the federal government.

      Report this comment

      SCREW-WINDOWS  
    • spikebu
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:40am

      I would say, “Support your local Sheriff!” He (or she) is probably the biggest obstacle to the Federal Government. The Sheriff is more powerful than most Sheriff’s know. County Sheriff’s can arrest Govt agents. I don’t think city police can. This is just some stuff I had crammed into my brain when I was not interested AT ALL. I just remember hearing County Sheriff’s have more power over Federal Govt than do Governor’s.

      Report this comment

      spikebu  
    • ExTex
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 8:43am

      You are absolutely correct in your thinking. We need more people thinking and doing along these lines. Washington DC is a lost cause. They’ve become aristocratic rulers instead of representatives of the people. The states need to exercise their constitutional rights for their citizenry. However, with regards to the IRS, they can freeze and take your assets without stepping foot into your house, town, state. How can the individual state (governor) protect you from the IRS? This is what think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and Freedom Works need to be working on. The clock is ticking…

      Report this comment

      ExTex  
    • Ohello
      Posted on December 9, 2012 at 7:11pm

      You can place no hope in men. The SCOTUS screwed us for Obama Care, Churches everywhere are promoting homosexuality within their leadership and congregations, Petraeus has indeed betrayed us, Christy is buddy buddy with BHO, the military is prostituted, the young warriors protect each other but not the Constitution, and are screwed in wages by the Democratic congress. Racism is rampant within the ranks of those who claim victim hood.

      No the Governors merely present false hope. The communists and socialists have won. America is finnished.

      Report this comment

      Ohello  
  • Ragnars Repos
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:53am

    The altruism of the left + the altruism of the christian right = another socialist casualty

    Add a nihilist in the White House to the equation and the bodies should start piling up here any day now.

    This cannot end well.

    Report this comment

    Ragnars Repos  
  • Mike76
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:34am

    I have no doubt that the figures from Senator Sessions are correct – my only problem is that these figures never show us how much we are spending to prop up companies through subsidies. That type of “welfare” needs to stop too, if we are to be honest about our belief in free markets with no government intervention. The government has to get out of the business of picking winners and losers, big and small. Cut it all. Cut it to the bone. I don’t think this problem will ever be solved though until people in America begin to understand the differences between legitimate and illegitimate purposes of government. Here’s a hint for the Libs: mitigating all of life’s inconveniences and buying you stuff you’d really like to have but don’t want to pay for are NOT legitimate purposes of government.

    Report this comment

    Mike76  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:47am

      Telling the gubment to cut it “to the bone” is like telling your crack addict relative to stop spending the money, that YOU KEEP GIVING TO HIM to pay his light bill, on crack while you continue to feel sorry for and feed his kids. Not gonna happen.

      We are the enablers. Well, not me. Not anymore.

      Report this comment

      ADNIL  
  • Canada_Goose
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:16am

    First off all this comes from Jeff Sessions’ staff so it is most likely either completely wrong or highly misleading.

    Second, it doesn’t define what “welfare” payment are.

    Is it general welfare, health spending, education spending, food assistance or public housing.

    Or if the payment includes the cost of administering the programs or just the value of the subsidy.

    My guess is that this is the annual cost of every single program within every broad welfare category plus all the costs of administering all the programs divided by the number of people on welfare.
    However its very unlike any one household would be receiving every single welfare subsidy available at the same time.

    Report this comment

    Canada_Goose  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:15am

      It’s still better than a lot of those who actually work when it shouldn’t be the case. Why should anybody have their needs provided for by the government just b/c they showed up? What’s moral about that?

      Report this comment

      Git-R-Done  
    • Keatonc33
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:36am

      They also compare the welfare number with the median income.. which includes the income of many people on government assistance. I do doubt these numbers too though. Id like to see more on how they got them

      Report this comment

      Keatonc33  
    • Eleutheria
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 4:01am

      “Second, it doesn’t define what “welfare” payment are.”

      That’s easy to define. Welfare payments are when you receive a check from the US treasury in exchange for having a pulse instead of from an employer in exchange for doing work.

      Report this comment

      Eleutheria  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 8:07am

      Goose
      Go back and read the article again. You will find your answers… specifically to your critiques.

      Report this comment

      Stoic one  
  • blaize
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:16am

    we MUST start educating ALL on Communism!!!! My guess is that your friends and neighbors DO NOT know what this is………………… I used to think Obummer was a Muslim………. BUT now (after research on communism) I Know 100% he is a Communist!!!! Wake the F up People! I believe Obbumer is USING the Muslims (with his middle name) to advance the Communist agenda!!!! .
    read the Communist Manifesto………pass on to your friends!!!

    Report this comment

    blaize  
    • armyofnibiru
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:42am

      wow ,I thought he was useing the commies to bring forth a world wide califate.either way it’s all bad

      Report this comment

      armyofnibiru  
    • rickc34
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:01am

      Add your comments

      Report this comment

      rickc34  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 8:04am

      Actually the comparison has been done; both have a lot in common. Far more than I thought!

      Report this comment

      Stoic one  
    • retiredfire
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 10:33am

      Yes, STOIC, a lot in common and both of them are the philosophies Oblamo was exposed to, almost exclusively, in his formative years.
      Anyone who thinks he is neither of these things doesn’t know his background very well.

      Report this comment

      retiredfire  
    • mash4077
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 9:13pm

      the radical element of islam and the worldwide plus american left are united in hate.one wants a world that worships one god, and the other wants a world run by one gov’t.

      Report this comment

      mash4077  
  • Raging_Waters
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:16am

    If there were monthly drug tests along with a progress report that verifies the recipient is actively looking for work, I think we’d see a 50-75% decrease in welfare spending. The lazy and/or drugged up dregs of society would have to look for a jobs.. The ‘free stuff’ option would no longer be desirable for them, since they’d rather work to support their vices.

    Want to smoke crack while getting taxpayer-funded assistance?…CUT OFF!!!

    Too lazy to look for a job? Would you rather just sit on your a$$ all day collecting taxpayers money?…CUT OFF!!!

    Report this comment

    Raging_Waters  
  • Libfreezone
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:12am

    We have passed the tipping point.

    Report this comment

    Libfreezone  
    • Lamarr01
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:38am

      Just about everyone has gotten poorer during the first four years of this socialist administration. Middle income people have seen their savings and home values plummet. The median income keeps declining and more people are drifting into poverty.

      The only people who are doing better are the ultra wealthy and employees of the Federal government. Over half of the job growth has been in the Federal government. For every three dollars spent on welfare about two dollars are siphoned off by the bureaucrats. Every new welfare recipient means more money for the bureaucrats.

      Report this comment

      Lamarr01  
  • spfoam1
    Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:08am

    spam

    Report this comment

    spfoam1  
  • strawberry411a
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:36pm

    I know it is amazing

    Report this comment

    strawberry411a  
  • deiernhart8
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:33pm

    Report this comment

    deiernhart8  
    • marine249
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:39pm

      reply to what???????????????????????????????

      Report this comment

      marine249  
    • SendTheMeteors
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:14am

      That’s why we need to rebuild our country’s infrastructure.

      SendTheMeteors  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:17am

      Sendthemeteors – You leftists love to chant out how you want to rebuild infrastructure yet you’ll just give the money away to the welfare bums, unions, and useless government workers, b/c they’re your biggest constituents.

      Report this comment

      Git-R-Done  
    • Leveraction3030
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 9:22pm

      Reply that deiernhart8 and sendthemeteors are both rabid lunatics and need to be put down.

      Report this comment

      Leveraction3030  
    • SendTheMeteors
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 10:30pm

      Agreed.

      Report this comment

      SendTheMeteors  
  • marine249
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:33pm

    I was a full time Marine,
    I was a full time Police Officer,
    I ran three small business’s,
    I never made $168.00 a day.

    Where do I stand in line for my obama money?

    Report this comment

    marine249  
    • SCREW-WINDOWS
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:00am

      Should have ran for office and you would have welfare for life.

      Report this comment

      SCREW-WINDOWS  
    • marine249
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 1:23am

      I thought about it 1 or 2 times, but
      had so much other work to do I
      never got around to it.

      Now when I look back, I’am glad I
      didn’t. My money is mine and not
      obummers or any goverments.

      Report this comment

      marine249  
  • Sharon Rose
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:31pm

    So sad to see America this way.

    Report this comment

    Sharon Rose  
  • sundaisy91
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:23pm

    As a waitress making 2.13 an hour + tips i MIGHT make $20 per hour on a good night (people dont tip real well where i live). I work 2 jobs to sustain myself so i dont have to depend on anyone else to pay my way in life. Why are my tax dollars being spent on people who are too lazy (but perfectly able) to live better than i do (rhetorical question–dont answer it)? I am sick and tired of paying taxes so they can get their hair and nails done and have satellite TV and xbox etc etc. Get off your lazy @ss#$ and do some real work like the rest of us do! Welfare should NOT pay more than minimum wage! When it does, there is no incentive to go to work. And isnt that what this country is screaming for–more jobs? As long as the govt pays people more to stay at home, what incentive do they have to find a job? AAAAAGGGHHH! So frustrating…

    Report this comment

    sundaisy91  
    • Black Horse
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:45am

      SUNDAISY,

      If I had my way, you (and those like you) would be making the $30+ dollars an hour. You and those like you are the type of folks we veterans served for, not the welfare bums. Unfortunately, we can’t pick and choose.

      You are absolutuely correct when you say that there’s no incentive to work under this idiocy. Only the exraordinary work ethic of some of us, taught that you get what you work for and the harder you work, the more you get, keeps any money flowing into the corrupt government. What do you suppose happens when enough people finally stop working because they are tired of their hard earned money going to lazy bums? Events in Greece and Europe will pale in comparison to what happens here when these bums are told that there’s not enough money to provide their freebees. Already the bums out vote the decent hard working folks such as yourself (and myself – I work 84 hours every two weeks, often more).

      God bless you and may you receive the rewards you deserve due to your hard work. It’s becoming less likely, but we can hope.

      Report this comment

      Black Horse  
    • mash4077
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 9:30pm

      I’m with you daisy. I have a trade that used to pay really well. my income is down 40% since el presidente obama started “occupying” the white house.they(gov’t) know we won’t be able to keep this up and will capture us one by one.keep fighting.

      Report this comment

      mash4077  
  • WINNEBAGOMAN
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:21pm

    About a month ago I posted that we were far from being Greece. Well – I was wrong. This chart is proof that the people of America have figured out they can vote for themselves the wealth of others.

    We’re done.

    Report this comment

    WINNEBAGOMAN  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:48pm

      No shiite Sherlock. In fact, the U.S. has more debt per capita than Greece EVER thought about having. The only thing keeping us afloat is the fact that our handlers are still able to push our debt as an investment opportunity overseas. Furthermore, the story tries to pass off soc. sec. as somehow different than any other welfare program; which it isn’t. Sure, you have to “pay” into soc. sec. to get it at retirement, but it is just a by in welfare program that still relies on the worker to make ends meet. Not one person has ever put more into soc. sec. than they received and any example of a fellow who has, died young. Welfare takes in 7% of your pay and it goes directly out to pay the current “beneficiaries”. Until this year, there was a “surplus” after payments were made and it went to be “invested” in gov’t bonds. Keep in mind that gov’t bonds are the support structure for government debt. This means that for umpteen years, the “surplus” stolen income was directed right into the gov’t checkbook, spent, and still requires paying back.

      If anything, Soc. Sec. is the WORST welfare program in existence.

      Report this comment

      SgtB  
    • drs1969
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:53pm

      Glad to see you understand.
      For those that don’t:
      We have a bigger debt load, already, than Greece. The only thing that’s keeping it all propped up is the reserve (Petro-Dollar)currency status. This is what they mean by Absolute Power corrupting absolutely. Without the power the dollar currently has, we would see late 70′s interest rates on our debt, which would make it impossible for the government to contiue spending this way.

      Report this comment

      drs1969  
    • right-wing-waco
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:54pm

      Its time for a tax revolt. Starve the feds out.

      Report this comment

      right-wing-waco  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 6:55am

      R-W-WACO
      That is my thought also, but the way things are with the unlimited QE of the Fed right now, we might just be ushering hyperinflation. However, if so, let it happen. I do not want to play this game anymore. Let it crash.

      Report this comment

      ADNIL  
    • fdraiden
      Posted on December 9, 2012 at 6:39pm

      @SGTB…..What are you smoking, I want some?

      Report this comment

      fdraiden  
  • Chromo200
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:18pm

    Heck no need to work .. Free phone, and an equivalent of $63,000 per year … Not a bad deal .. I wonder what Obamacare will add to this to free stuff next year.

    Report this comment

    Chromo200  
    • oldguy49
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:27pm

      thats what it’s all about…………….if enough are dependent on gov welfare they will vote for anything as long as they get something free{lose their freedom–rerspect and honor}}………look what happened in november

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      oldguy49  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 7:13am

      What will he add this year? Whatever it takes to be elected president for life. Be very concerned.

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      ADNIL  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:16pm

    i bust my hump for less ……………………………..

    i know a bunch of ditches need tending to …………………………………………………

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    Psychosis  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:14pm

    Today on the radio I heard a leftist commentator declare that “Work is a luxury and all people who work must pay more in taxes.”

    Now I see more clearly why she said that.

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    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • seek.the.truth
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 8:36am

      Wow, that is so twisted. Hard work gets punished and laziness is rewarded.

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      seek.the.truth  
    • DIgnified
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 3:05pm

      I heard a conservative say Christianity isn’t s religion. People say dumb things. Look at all the comments by conservatives on this site.

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      DIgnified  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 5:38pm

      Undignified – Since when have you leftists ever said anything intelligent?

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      Git-R-Done  
    • ltb
      Posted on December 9, 2012 at 12:26am

      Dignified (talk about a misnomer), are you able to string together a sentence without using the words “idiot,” or “dumb”? Anyway, Christianity isn’t a religion. I’d try to explain why, but have a feeling that it would be a waste of time with you. When you get sick of blaming God for everything that’s wrong in your life, let’s talk though, because your philosophy about life obviously isn’t working… that is unless you enjoy being a hate-filled, miserable atheist.

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      ltb  
  • voodoolife
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:12pm

    To be honest, this makes me sad…

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    voodoolife  
  • MFHorn3
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:12pm

    This progressive welfare/ world’s policeman state is getting expensive. It’s a good thing most of our govt. officials aren’t addicted to booze, drugs, sex. etc…or else we would be in trouble.

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    MFHorn3  
  • chicago76
    Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:06pm

    So, why are we working again? Time to ride the gravy train.

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    chicago76  
    • 1TrueOne55
      Posted on December 7, 2012 at 11:15pm

      The beginning of the end. Saul Alinsky’s program of flood the government with welfare cases to kill capitalism looks to be working because now you have more takers than makers. Ask the Greek Citizen if their Democracy is working for them. If you don’t take in more money than you owe then you spend time in the poor mans jail. Because if you owe to others you become their slave until your debt is paid.

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      1TrueOne55  
    • drs1969
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:02am

      Greece was ‘enslaved’ by the banks. It should never have been allowed into the Euro currency.
      If we go the way of Greece, you can expect hard-right elements to flare up here, as well. Then Alinsky’s work will be in vain, his ‘useful idiots’ will be the first to go. They will starve to death, out of stupidity.
      It will get ugly, for good reason. A lot of these people would never have been born w/o the endless gov. gravy train.

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      drs1969  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on December 8, 2012 at 12:13am

      We are working because we did not get the memo. This is the new form of slavery.

      The liberals decide who supports their causes & who is PC. Therefore they decide who gets what job or who gets a job or who gets to go to college. Sure you can send you kid to school on your own dime. But since tuition is necessarily sky rocketing because Obama & the Demoncats are heavily subsidizing it, good luck with that. So right there Democrats can decide if you kids go to college or not.

      If you give up then they say “aha! See you were not all of that. You and those that came before were ordinary or inferior. You just achieved so much in the 19th & 209th centuries because you stole it.”

      If we go to communism/socialism (somewhere along that continuum, we can get back to capitalism. But look what happened to Russia when it privatized after the break up of the USSR. Crony capitalism. the Pelosis, Reids, Obmams, Clintons, etc will be there to buy up the equity stakes from other people when companies are privatized again must so they can put food on the table.

      Basically , the Democrat leadership will have Dachas hidden in the Wilderness & pretent liek everyone is equal like in the old Soviet Union or if hwe revert to capitalism thewy will makes usre they come out on top.

      Note Nancy Pelosi did very well with VISA affected by legislative bills. She made a ~40% profit in 2 day flipping the stock. It does not matter what the tax rate are when you are given such deals.

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      Walkabout  

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