[Torie]

The welfare rolls are way down, even during the economic downturn, they did not bounce up much. That was terribly frustrating to the liberals, and you should notice that Kerry is not attacking welfare reform. The suggestion that there are boatloads of folks not looking for work, because they deem it hopeless, and are collecting government benefits instead, is a lie.

[FITZ]

The welfare rolls are way down

State and federal spending on government handout programs is really way down? Are you sure? I don't mean just TANF -- one cash handout program but all the welfare programs combined -- food stamps, WIC, government housing, Medicaid, CHIP, NAFTA-TAA, free college, SSDI and the rest? All the combined state and local "poverty" programs? I doubt social program spending is below what it was in 1960 and earlier and still accounts for over half of government spending --- which is very high currently.