I received a comment the other day from “Beechgirl1953.” It was a very powerful comment, a testament to what CAN be accomplished without the government. (Note: I edited the comment.)
“Back in the 60s, when I was divorced, had two young children to support, house and car payments, and all the other usual expenses, I put myself through college working three part-time jobs. I got NO assistance of any kind. I also managed to stay on the Dean’s list throughout with a 3.8 average. You can imagine how I feel about all the government entitlements the ‘do nothings’ get today…. even getting free cell phones and minutes. This disincentivizes people, just as does the endless unemployment benefits (think: MONEY). The only reason this continues is because Obama WANTS it to. The Democrats are such sleaze balls. They don’t give a damn about America’s future. They think TRILLIONS of dollars of debt aren’t important. I’m definitely no right-winger, and disagree with many of their political agendas, but I could never vote Democratic, for the reasons above. At least Republicans believe in personal responsibility and limited government, and these are important principles that were the foundation of our country. Democrats obsession with maintaining power and control is destroying it. So, so sad. Our founding fathers are all facing DOWN now in their graves!”
That comment is in great contrast to what is presently occurring. For example, did you know that over 70 percent of the federal budget went to 47 dependency programs in 2010. According to The Heritage Foundation‘s “Index of Dependence on Government,” it was the fourth year in a row that government dependency grew. And that there are over 80 overlapping federal means-tested welfare programs that spent over $1 trillion per day to “help” the poor. Together these programs represented the single largest budget item in 2011.
Alison Acosta Fraser, director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, said:
“[In 2012] … 63.7 million Americans received either Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Social Security, or support for higher education – an 8 percent increase over the previous year. These same people were very likely to receive other federal benefits, such as Medicare or food stamps. Separately, The Wall Street Journal found that in 2011, 49 percent of Americans lived in a household where at least one member of the family received a government benefit.”
Did you know that despite tax increases and increased spending, there are more “poor” people than since the 1960s, that there is now the highest levels of poverty in over fifty years. The federal government spends $168 per day on households living below the poverty line and receiving welfare payments. That’s over $61,000 per year. All of that while the median household income was $137.13 per day. What’s even worse is that:
- Nine states pay those who receive welfare benefits more than the national average for a teacher
- Seven states pay more than $12/hr in welfare benefits, with the top 10 benefit paying states average $13.68/hour wage equivalent
Besides all that “help,” welfare recipients can’t ask for a raise or get promoted, and can’t get above the poverty line. So, Beechgirl1953, be proud for (at least) three reasons. First, be proud of your personal efforts. Second, be proud that you do indeed have a skill and can be promoted and ask for a raise. Third, be proud that you broke out of the cycle of government dependence.
But that’s just my opinion