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65 Percent of Children in Households on Federal Aid Programs
Townhall.com ^ | December 10, 2014 | Terry Jeffrey

Posted on 12/10/2014 12:21:41 PM PST by Kaslin

The Census Bureau reported in a study released this week that 65 percent of American children lived in households taking aid from one or more federal program as of the fall of 2011.

"Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of children," said the Census Bureau, "lived in households that participated in at least one or more of the following government aid programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Medicaid, and the National School Lunch Program."

How to be dependent on government is now one of the earliest life lessons America is teaching nearly a supermajority of children.

The percentage of children living in households participating in TANF, food stamps, WIC, Medicaid or the National School Lunch Program has been on the rise.

In 2003, according to the Census Bureau, there were a total of 72,658,000 children 17 and under in the United States, and 40,337,000 of these children -- or 56 percent -- lived in households receiving aid from one of more of these programs.

That included 30,023,000 children in the National School Lunch Program, 18,175,000 in households on Medicaid, 8,287,000 in households on food stamps, 4,808,000 in households on WIC, and 2,347,000 in households on TANF.

By 2011, there were 74,294,000 children 17 and under and 47,939,000 of these children -- or 65 percent -- lived in households receiving aid from one or more of these programs.

That included 34,959,000 in the National School Lunch Program; 26,350,000 in households on Medicaid; 17,321,000 in households on food stamps; 6,350,000 in households on WIC; and 2,279,000 in households on TANF.

Children living in households that have never taken federal assistance are now a minority in the United States. In the future, they will be among a minority of adults.

The new willingness among Americans to live on government largesse is matched by another trend: disregard for marriage and traditional family life.

As recently as 1970, according to the Census Bureau, 85.2 percent of American children were living with two parents.

Of the 74,294,000 children 17 and under in the United States in the fall of 2011, 50,442,000 -- or 68 percent -- were living with two parents. However, 3,760,000 of those children were living with two parents who were not married, leaving only 46,682,000 children -- or 63 percent -- living with two married parents.

"The economic status of children living with cohabitating parents more closely resembled single-parent families," the study said. After children living with a single parent, they were the most likely to be in poverty.

Among children living with one parent, 40.9 percent were in poverty. Among children living with two unmarried parents, 37.3 percent were in poverty. And among children living with a guardian (including a grandparent or another relative), 29.8 percent were in poverty.

But among children living with two married parents, only 14.0 percent were in poverty.

The data published in this Census Bureau study also suggests that disrespect for marriage and traditional family life is a homegrown product of the United States. Children who have at least one immigrant parent are more likely to live with two married parents.

Almost 73 percent of children who had at least one foreign-born parent, the study said, lived with two married parents. But only 59.8 percent of children whose parents were both born in the United States lived with two married parents.

The ultimate struggle for the future of America is not political or economic, but cultural. It is between those who believe in self-reliance and traditional family life and those who do not.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: families; poverty; recipients; unemployment; welfare
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1 posted on 12/10/2014 12:21:41 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

National School Lunch Program

This is the main culprit, most states have removed all requirements around need to qualify and just give lunches for free to all kids.

I want to see the numbers with this removed.


2 posted on 12/10/2014 12:23:30 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: HamiltonJay

Yep, they snuck in something that pretty much every kid is forced to use, since they can’t even bring home lunches anymore, and then claim that’s receiving aid.


3 posted on 12/10/2014 12:24:26 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: HamiltonJay

The lunches are free...
There’s nothing in them to eat, but they’re free.


4 posted on 12/10/2014 12:24:49 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: Kaslin

That’s a really bad indicator of the future of America.

It drives me nuts to see commercials on tv asking me to contribute at Christmas to “food insecure” families who are getting 100 bucks a month per person in food stamps plus free school lunch and breakfast 5 days a week.


5 posted on 12/10/2014 12:24:57 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: Kaslin

And the adults they live with will never, ever vote for someone who intends to take it away from them.


6 posted on 12/10/2014 12:25:11 PM PST by henkster (Do I really need a sarcasm tag?)
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To: nascarnation

I tell them I donate every year, on April 15th.


7 posted on 12/10/2014 12:25:34 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Thanks for the tip!


8 posted on 12/10/2014 12:26:27 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: Kaslin

More Bull Cheese “facts”.

Earlier today I saw a thread stating there are 2.5 million homeless children in America. Never mind the fact there are only 633,782 homeless people in the USA; they want you to believe anything.


9 posted on 12/10/2014 12:29:52 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: Kaslin

They are trying hard to make it 100%

but then who pays when 100% are on assistance


10 posted on 12/10/2014 12:33:09 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Responsibility2nd

bump


11 posted on 12/10/2014 12:33:35 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Kaslin
the non working poor people have so much time and energy on their hands that they can produce lots of children often with a wide number of daddies....

life is grand.

12 posted on 12/10/2014 12:36:31 PM PST by cherry
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To: Kaslin
 photo OIOA_zps193a02be.jpg
13 posted on 12/10/2014 12:39:35 PM PST by atomic_dog
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To: HamiltonJay

I wonder if the figure for National School Lunch Program participants includes kids who pay the full (albeit subsidized) price? I understand that there is means testing for free or reduced-price (capped at 40 cents) lunches, but kids above the poverty level have to pay a higher price.


14 posted on 12/10/2014 12:48:42 PM PST by jumpingcholla34 (.)
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To: jumpingcholla34

Sorry, but that’s incorrect, at least in some states... Means tests are GONE in many states. “Free” lunches for all.


15 posted on 12/10/2014 12:50:03 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: Kaslin

Generation Julia is well on its way...


16 posted on 12/10/2014 12:51:29 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: HamiltonJay
Means tests are GONE in many states. “Free” lunches for all.

Yup. Just like moving from Food Stamps to debit cards, it eliminates the stigma.


17 posted on 12/10/2014 12:52:31 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Kaslin

Cut down the numbers by forced sterilization after 2. If they can’t keep their legs together and zipper their pants, then the government needs to do it for them since they seem to think the government is responsible for everything.


18 posted on 12/10/2014 12:53:56 PM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I don’t think there is any stigma anymore.
This has gone on for so many years that it’s truly considered an entitlement by users.


19 posted on 12/10/2014 12:54:39 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: nascarnation

I had this printed up and I mail it to people asking for donations:

We have a President who was elected (twice) by telling his supporters that I am rich and greedy.

He told them he’d help them by taking more money from me FOR them.

Now, I can’t give to the charities of MY choice as I always did, because my income is so diminished and I am struggling myself.

If you still need assistance, I suggest you contact the people this President hired to take money from me on YOUR behalf.

I have sent this out numerous times


20 posted on 12/10/2014 12:55:04 PM PST by SMARTY ("When you blame others, you give up your power to change." Robert Anthony)
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