Dependence on Government at All-Time High

[NHSparky]

Dependence on Government at All-Time High

February 8, 2012 at 9:07 am
by Patrick Tyrell
(c) Heritage Foundation



LINK TO HERITAGE.ORG

The 2012 Index of Dependence on Government, released today, should be a wake-up call for America. Published by The Heritage Foundation for the past 10 years, the Index tracks the growth in government dependence dating back to the early 1960s. This year’s edition shows an alarming trend. Among the most troubling facts:

One in five Americans—the highest in the nation’s history—relies on the federal government for everything from housing, health care, and food stamps to college tuition and retirement assistance.
That’s more than 67.3 million Americans who receive subsidies from Washington.
Government dependency jumped 8.1 percent in the past year, with the most assistance going toward housing, health and welfare, and retirement.
The federal government spent more taxpayer dollars than ever before in 2011 to subsidize Americans. The average individual who relies on Washington could receive benefits valued at $32,748, more than the nation’s average disposable personal income ($32,446).
At the same time, nearly half of the U.S. population (49.5 percent) does not pay any federal income taxes.
In the next 25 years, more than 77 million baby boomers will retire. They will begin collecting checks from Social Security, drawing benefits from Medicare, and relying on Medicaid for long-term care.
As of now, 70 percent of the federal government’s budget goes to individual assistance programs, up dramatically in just the past few years. However, research shows that private, community, and charitable aid helps individuals rise from their difficulties with better success than federal government handouts. Plus, local and private aid is often more effectively distributed.
This much dependence on government has not been seen before in our nation, and it spells grave danger for the republic. A dose of reality would inform politicians that federal handouts, while politically expedient, will doom the republic if they are not curtailed.

A plan exists that would reverse the yearly rise in government dependency. It’s called The Heritage Foundation’s Saving the American Dream plan

[DLR Pyro]

the obama legacy

[BattleHymn]

Bush's fault!

[oracle]

To get the majority of Americans dependent upon the govt. has been and is the goal of the Dimocrapic party.  The dependents will almost always vote Dimocrapic.  That's why Obastard's approval rating never gets below 40% and why he is probably unbeatable in 2012.  The lazy, ignorant, stupid and addicted will be running things from now on - or rather until the decent citizens run out of money to support them.

[sybilll]

My workplace is in a section 8 part of town.  I've noticed in the last few months vans with balloons, flags, and huge signs advertising "Free Cell Phones".  I finally drove up close enough to read the fine print on the sign, and sure enough, all you need for the free phones is evidence of SNAP (food stamps), SSI, or Medicaid.  Advertising for a way to get more taxpayer dollars is paid for by, you guessed it, taxpayer dollars.  I've even seen several city buses that are "sponsored" by SafeLink. 
Anecdotal I know, but I asked about this at work the next day, and one of my co-workers said that her recently paroled ex-felon cousin gets not 1 but 2 cell phones.....because he is on food stamps. 
My food budget has reduced quite a bit, between a reduction in work hours and inflation, so I'll just fill up on knowing that tax dollars are keeping lawless, worthless persons in touch with their drug dealers. 

[Karin]

I don't even know what to say about this, except that it sends me into a deep dark depression.  What's the solution?  I don't know, but it's going to take a huge groundswell rebellion.  What happened to my country? 

[Eupher]

the obama legacy

Dunno about that - the graph clearly shows a huge spike beginning in the mid-Eighties and continuing upwards since then.

I'd put this squarely on Congress -- even the short period of time when Congress was controlled by Republicans.

Let's be real here -- the only time the trend flattened at all was during Bush I's presidency and, it could be argued, the trend slowed significantly during the Clinton era.

Yet the trend continues upward and upward.

Congress simply cannot stop or even slow down spending massive amounts of money. Yet the entitlements continue and yes, in the spirit of full disclosure, I collect a monthly retirement check from Uncle Sugar. I am one of the five.

Yet I'll be damned if I go on food stamps or some other form of welfare. That simply will not happen.

[JohnnyReb]

Obama considers that a suck-cess.

[thundley4]

Eupher:
Let's be real here -- the only time the trend flattened at all was during Bush I's presidency and, it could be argued, the trend slowed significantly during the Clinton era.

During the Clinton era, didn't republicans force him to reform welfare?   Didn't the left call it a dirty word like "workfare"?

[Eupher]

During the Clinton era, didn't republicans force him to reform welfare?   Didn't the left call it a dirty word like "workfare"?

During Clinton's second term, he tried very hard to become a "centrist" mostly because of the legacy he was most concerned about. So yeah, he went along for the ride on welfare reform.

Clinton also enjoyed the dot com bubble (which eventually burst, of course). So things slowed down for him insofar as people jumping on the nanny bandwagon, but as I said, the overall trend is still up.

Bush II completely forgot about budgetary restraint since he was waging war against terrorism, pumping lots of money into restructuring (  ) the gubmint (which is still ****ed up), and Katrina, and the hurricane from the following year, and oh yeah, Iraq and Afghanistan (which are comparative drops in the bucket compared to the overall Medicare and SS goatrope that's still brokedick).

Newt likes to trumpet that he's the guy who saved the day and forced welfare reform down Clinton's throat, but I'd submit that Clinton was more consumed with his legacy and, oh yeah, trying to dodge the Monica issue.

[obumazombie]

A Military pension is not dependence, unlike other forms of outright welfare. It is actually a retainer, to enable the Armed Forces to recall you at any time. On top of that it was earned by the blood sweat and tears it takes to get a minimum of a 20 year service career. It is compensation for services rendered, and payment for future services required.

[Eupher]

A Military pension is not dependence, unlike other forms of outright welfare. It is actually a retainer, to enable the Armed Forces to recall you at any time. On top of that it was earned by the blood sweat and tears it takes to get a minimum of a 20 year service career. It is compensation for services rendered, and payment for future services required.

Yeah, I know, but to the bean counters, it's an "entitlement."

[thundley4]

Yeah, I know, but to the bean counters, it's an "entitlement."

That's another thing that pisses me off,  people referring to Medicare, military pensions and even Social Security and welfare as entitlements. The first three are by definition, entitlements.  People earned those .  Welfare is not something that is earned , it is a bribe to get votes for the Demonrat party.

[obumazombie]

Yes, medicare, SS, and even indirectly military pensions are payroll deductions.

[docstew]

To get the majority of Americans dependent upon the govt. has been and is the goal of the Dimocrapic party.  The dependents will almost always vote Dimocrapic.  That's why Obastard's approval rating never gets below 40% and why he is probably unbeatable in 2012.  The lazy, ignorant, stupid and addicted will be running things from now on - or rather until the decent citizens run out of money to support themdecide to leave the country and take what money they have left with them.

FIFY

[NHSparky]

Problem is, Doc--where ya gonna go?

America really IS the last bastion of freedom.

[JohnnyReb]

Problem is, Doc--where ya gonna go?

America really IS the last bastion of freedom.

Not for much longer....unless, as someone said, (I paraphrase here) "From time to time the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots"...it's just about time to water the tree.