The Consequences Of Being A Welfare State

Quote: "Between 1983 and 2012, the population increased by almost 83 million — and people accepting means-tested benefits increased by 67 million. So, for every 100-person increase in the population there was an 80-person increase in the recipients of means-tested payments. Food stamp recipients increased from 19 million to 51 million — more than the combined populations of 24 states. What has changed? Not the portion of the estimated population below the poverty line (15.2 percent in 1983; 15 percent in 2012). Rather, poverty programs have become untethered from the official designation of poverty: In 2012, more than half the recipients were not classified as poor but accepted being treated as needy."  http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/danieljmitchell/2015/01/23/social-capital-the-welfare-state-and-the-threat-to-american-exceptionalism-n1946999/page/full   The progressive policies that promote dependence on government through their multitudes of programs that hand out government sanctioned but taxpayer funded goodies is the core reason we have the problems we have today.  These programs are popular with Democrat and even some Republican voters.  That is the ulterior motive of progressivism. 

George Burns