Posted on 07/03/2014 11:57:08 PM PDT by quesney
Obamacare has pushed us over the entitlements tipping point. In 2011 some 49.2 percent of U.S. households received benefits from one or more government programs—about 151 million out of an estimated 306.8 million Americans—according to U.S. Census Bureau data released last October.
Currently, around 6 million to 7 million Americans who have signed up for Obamacare are receiving taxpayer-provided subsidies (though the administration’s numbers cannot be trusted, it’s all we have to work with). There are another 3 million who have signed up for Medicaid.
That means some 10 million Americans—or a total of about 161 million—are now getting government subsidies (though the final number might be somewhat lower since some may have been receiving benefits already).
Thus, perhaps 52 percent of U.S. households—more than half—now receive benefits from the government, thanks to President Obama. And Mr. Entitlement is just getting started. If Obamacare is not repealed millions more will join the swelling rolls of those dependent on government handouts.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Amen to both of you!
Why don’t they at least differentiate between earned and unearned benefits? There is a big difference between the earned and “you owe me” mindsets!
If you work, you deserve compensation (benefit) for your work. Others may be eligible for some sort of charity. However, charity isn’t an earned compensation (benefit). It is a voluntary function not a government mandate. Is such a view unChristian? No! Although sharing and charity were a characteristic of even the earliest Christians communities, one was expected to contribute or asked to move on. And let us not forget that there is a big difference between those who cannot and those who will not.
Link doesn’t work.
More of a ponzi scheme that will soon implode.
we would be in a better place if he was elected president but I’m not sure this would have changed.
SSI disability. Have a kid w/ ADD? Collect a check. Are you an alcoholic or drug addict? Collect a check. Do you have anxiety issues? Collect a check.
Meanwhile, I know a few who have worked their entire lives that have true physical disabilities that are getting denied.
“All they care about is getting out from under it.”
Yup. Because they realize that they’re not going to be able to pay for it, and being in a perpetual state of peonage to try to do so isn’t all that attractive to anyone. The relative merit of the past or current recipients doesn’t enter into it. Your tax bill doesn’t come as individual earmarks to the veteran Joe or the welfare mama Sally. It comes as one bill.
Frankly, I think the debate is academic. The younger folks simply aren’t going to pick up the tab. On the one hand they lack the ability thanks to 2 plus decades of middle class destroying policies. On the other hand they lack the willingness to pay for mistakes they had no part in making.
“G*d save America, because it doesn’t look like Americans will.”
A depressing thought on this Independence Day. So if you truly believe that, what is your plan for the future of your family and tribe?
“Detroit is our future unless the crooked DemocRats get voted out.”
AND we are able to return our government to the Constitutional government intended by the founders. ALL the Executive Branch added features mostly by Democrats, but Nixon (EPA), and GW Bush (DHS) as well must go.
You got it, and I’ll take it one step further. Since we are past the tipping point, the best strategy forward is to reset the system. The best way to do that is to crash the system.
Minimize your input into the system and maximize your takeout. Cash all government checks and do it to the max. Minimize your tax bill. Vote for politicians who will increase the deficit. If you qualify for SS, Welfare, food stamps disability, whatever it is, get the checks going. Don’t work harder than you need to live and take care of your family.
Get out of debt, learn useful skills, get healthy and stay healthy. Own your house or land, free and clear.
Quit trying to save the system, it’s done. Save your family and prepare for the reset.
I might challenge the term "earned benefit" when the money was taken from me and I could have invested and received a much better return....but your point is understood.
Social Security is not a benefit, for those of us who paid into it, for all of our working years.
It IS a benefit, for the lazy, the young girls that can’t say no, for those that have no pride, or just don’t want to do anything with the life they’ve been given.
It was actually an uninformed and bigoted statement. Most of the people that I know who now take food stamps, only did so when it was a choice to accept them or lose their home. Some have already gotten back off of them and most are trying to get to that place. Virtually everyone would rather have a decent job.
The elites have forced the working class to compete with illegals while sucking up taxpayer money themselves. Did Romney count his buddies who were getting bailouts in his figures? They are far more likely to be voting for socialism .
Doesn’t matter if it’s a benefit or not, or if it’s deserved or not. The point is there are more of the benefit takers than the benefit providers, and there is no way the takers will be defunding anything.
That’s why it’s called a tipping point.
Let’s not let this devolve into a question of who deserves their benefits or not. We are way past that discussion, because it does not matter. The point is we will be out of money soon and what to do then?
It points out too many American dollars filter through the federal inefficient and sticky fingers.
“Quit trying to save the system, it’s done. Save your family and prepare for the reset.”
There is a difference between minimizing the impact of a potential collapse on you and yours and taking action to bring about a collapse. The first is simply good sense. The second is of very dubious morality and is dangerous to those practicing it. People become dependent on a drug or handout. No one sets out to become an addict. Yet it happens.
I also don’t think the American people are even close to being prepared for economic or political collapse. I have no desire to see people suffer, be it due to bad luck or their own folly. The people who suffer are usually the relatively innocents. The children, the elderly, the feeble. I have zero desire to see child prostitution become a common scenario as they need to eat. I have no desire to see the elderly and feeble abused or eliminated.
The wolves always take care of themselves first.
* This post sponsored by the GimmeDat Party.
Veterans pensions..... not the same as other benefits (entitlements).
But SocSec is not that. It is a redistribution, goverment enrichment and populace control program. Nothing more or less. We all get sucked into supporting it because “I paid into it”.
I agree. We PAID into that “entitlement”. Plus, Uncle Sam TAKES that out of your check. You have no “opt out”. Your employer takes your part out and sends it to the gov-mint. You cannot stop it.
SS represents an unfunded liability of close to $40 trillion. It is a pay as you go program where today's workers pay for today's retirees. It has been running in the red since 2010. In order to make up the shortfall and pay full benefits, the General Fund must redeem the non-market, interest bearing T-bills in the SS Trust Fund. Since 40% of the General Fund is from borrowed money, we are borrowing money to pay for SS.
The government can change SS benefits at any time. The contributions you make into the system don't belong to you (Flemming versus Nestor.) You could pay maximum contributions into SS for 50 years and die the day before you become eligible to collect benefits and your estate would not get a dime except for a small burial allowance. SS is an insurance scheme, not a pension plan.
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