Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Welfare Numbers Now Haunting

While watching with dread as the federal deficit soars, cast an equally somber eye at the number of people now receiving government help.

A record one in six people, according to yesterday's USA Today, a hauntingly high number. Whatever nation holds the record for having the largest percentage of its people on government assistance, I do not know, but one in six is sobering.

So, the federal deficit has sky rocketed as we have sought to save our economy? Even so have our welfare rolls ballooned to all-time highs.

So, you need unemployment insurance, but your benefits have run out? We'll extend them. According to USA Today, nearly 10 million receive unemployment benefits, nearly four times as many as in 2007.

So, you are just flat in need of government welfare? More than 4.4 million are now on the welfare, according to USA Today, The paper says the number has increased 18 percent during the recession. (While "welfare" can apply to any government assistance for the needy, I believe USA Today here is referring just to TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is the program often designated as "welfare.")

Do you have medical needs, but can't afford them? The USA Today story says more than 50 million are on Medicaid. This is believed to be the highest peak the Medicaid has ever had. The numbers are 17 percent higher than at the beginning of the recession in December, 2007.

And, if you'll note, all of the above doesn't mention the free government aid awarded through stimulus money. Much of it could be termed government aid.

This recession, the answer has been, jump on the government's back, and we have, pushing our welfare rolls to historic levels.

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