Posted on 01/28/2013 1:40:39 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Those who work for a living might want to put away shoes, hammers, and other hard objects to keep from throwing them through the computer. A new study shows that on average the government spends $168 per household on various assistance programs, one-fifth more than the median income of $137.
As the Republican side of the Senate Budget Committee reported (after all, who else in government is going to do it?), welfare spending per hour per household in poverty is $30.60, which is higher than the $25.03 median income per hour.
The Weekly Standard points out that direct welfare payments are not taxed:
"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.”
Welfare recipients never had it so good. This is not to say that poor people are rich, or that life is easy for everyone on food stamps or on some other form of government assistance. It’s just that conservatives would rather poor people be working, rather than paying their way through life on other people’s dime (which at this point, is their children’s dime). Work is not only more economically productive, but it offers more opportunity for people to improve their own lot — not to mention that working people are more likely to feel dignity and self-importance.
If welfare is inherently compassionate, then there is a Pavlovian ego-stroke for Congress passing even unsustainable spending programs. On the other hand, conservatives get demonized for suggesting there is so such thing as a budget, and that you can’t keep looting the private sector without negative consequences — like systemically high unemployment...
(Excerpt) Read more at ijreview.com ...
BTTT
The country is already socialist. It just doesn’t have the name yet.
Good post.
Just got one.
Windows 8 is a pain in the butt compared to XP.
Of course peoplewl would choose it. It’s a universally observer fact that people on the margins are induced to choose to go on the dole rather than earn a living. You can’t imagine anyone choosing welfare probably because you are far enough above the line to make the proposition absurd. But try someone making only a little bit more than your friend, and the choice turns attractive.
“The dirty little secret is that certain “ethnicities” are rubber stamped through on these various programs due the fact that bureaucrats don’t want any “trouble” from community organizers.”
No lie: a friend of mine decided to test that hypothesis in CT. He told his wife not to pay the electric bill for three months. Then, just as they were about to shut off the electricity, he went online and applied for aid. The first time, he used his name and actual race (white). He was denied. The second time, he used his wife’s name and marked her “african american.” She was approved for assistance.
They went down to the office to pick up a check (or complete the process - I can’t remember which), and the case worker balked at giving them payment.
She said, “Your form says your black. You’re not black.”
He said, “No, I’m sorry. We must have made a mistake filling out the online form. Should it matter?”
She left them for a loooong time, during which they saw her talking to multiple supervisors. She finally came back and gave them payment.
That is a TRUE STORY. This guy is a close friend who just visited my house less than a week ago, not some distant acquaintance.
Each time I go shopping, I try to observe how folks pay. I can usually guess if they buy name brands and grab a soda and/or candy bar... usually EBT shoppers using TAX money. Go to Lowes or Home Depot, and those workers who shop sometimes grab something but you can tell they are in work clothes and need the energy fix, but can they really afford it based on this article - here in Fayetteville NC the average wage is service industry being near to a military base, and construction workers are lucky to top $15 an hour. My guess is that in this area that welfare buck can afford a lot of Tide and soda pop at the checkout, but in NYC it might only cover the rent and drugs/alcohol....
She can’t buy hot food?
Who gives a damn.
Tell her to do what the rest of us do that have to pay for our own food.
Learn to cook and cook it herself.
Bag of beans and a bag of rice will go a long way.
Throw in a few cans of greens, some corn meal, a little flour, a few eggs, a dab of coking oil, and she’s set for the month.
I and a lot of other people have lived that way before at our own expense.
If we did it, she can too.
I will be getting the new IMAC. I’m excited to be replacing my old Mac that has been a wonderful machine for all these years-—the latest one has a bunch of new features that I think I will use and enjoy.
I will be getting the new IMAC. I’m excited to be replacing my old Mac that has been a wonderful machine for all these years-—the latest one has a bunch of new features that I think I will use and enjoy.
One of the best things we did was get rid our microwave. There for a while it was a little tough going ( and I only mean in term of our comfort and convenience ) but once we got the swing of it our grocery bill went down, we wasted less food, we started having more “family” meals, and we lost our taste for eating out all the time. A quick meal now is the old fashioned soup and sandwiches, not a pop in the microwave meal loaded with cheese and other crap.
I saw canned veggies for .49 a can up to $1.xx a can? A good roast in a crock pot with some taters and carrots makes 3+ meals. People have been spoiled into thinking each meal had to be a 5 course fare or in the least that for that $5 you get a large burger, fries, and a drink.
You should just go on welfare, that way you can get a free obama-puter. The downside is that it doesn't really work, and whenever there's a blue screen you get a message that it's all Bush's fault.
“I haven’t seen Atlas Shrugged II yet, don’t tell me how it ends.”
It ends with you wanting AS III!
LOL! Hadn’t thought of that!
LOL! Hadn’t thought of that!
I was thinking along those lines too. Questions like does she have a pet? How about a flat screen TV? Kids? Husband?
I’m not much of a computer guy, so I couldn’t comment one way or another on your choice.
All I know is Windows 8 is a pain in the butt.
Maybe my opinion will change as I get more familiar with it, but my first impression is navigating around is slower.
It’s not as convenient as XP.
My sister said one of the IT guys where she works has said the same thing, so it’s not just me.
Tell her to buy cold food.
Tax paying producing stiffs do it all the time..
This is depressing in itself, but here’s the hidden tragedy that someone would have to earn 1.5 to 2x (taxpayer) to pay for those net entitlements.
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