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Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:28 pm
by _ajax18
If it sometimes feels like almost everyone is on the government dole except you, there may be a reason for that sensation: According to a recent study one-third of all income in the United States comes in various forms of “social welfare benefits.”
The trend toward a growing proportion of the population relying on government programs instead of labor for its income has been an observable phenomena since at least the days President Johnson’s “Great Society” programs were initiated in the mid-1960s. Now, however, the percentage of income received from the government is equal to half of all income received from working for a living, and federal and state budget deficits are metastasizing as politicians whose reelection depends on giving away “other people’s money” find themselves running out of working citizens to tax.
I guess it's odd in that my disaffection from Mormonism hasn't changed my belief that every able man should work, except that I would also say that every able woman should work as well. Nor do I believe it moral for people to exercise their autonomy in the decision to have a child only to place that responsibility for raising that child upon Hillary Clinton's "village." But that's human nature and as long as you're on the better end of such injustices, there isn't really much of a problem.
I guess for some when this is the only life you get and not taking money from other people means facing the reality that working for a living isn't much of a living at all, socialism makes good sense. Maybe that's why I never could get completely down with the Christian ethic. My heart still yearns for fairness. But that is not to be found in this world amongst these people.
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:01 pm
by _Bond James Bond
What exactly is the government supposed to do with money if not pay it out to people?
(by the way I bet that includes military spending to soldiers and defense contractors.)
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:04 pm
by _Kevin Graham
It is including social security payouts, which are funded by payroll taxes. What does it mean by "income" anyway? No link to the actual study, so it is difficult to figure out how it came to these numbers and what's its point is.
In any event, military spending in 2011 was roughly the same amount as payouts to retiring seniors. The main difference is military spending is funded by our tax dollars. Social Security is paid for by those who receive those benefits... oh, and those "illegals" who pay billions into it even though they'll never get to benefit from it.
We spend more on our defense spending than the next four countries put together, and Romney only wants to increase it further! So where is your wailing and moaning about wasted tax dollars in that department, when the Republicans are by far more guilty of waste?
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:19 pm
by _ajax18
Birth Control should be mandatory for those receiving public assistance.
After having a conversation with a friend last night, I am a bit annoyed. This friend became pregnant a couple of years after we graduated high school. Her husband will not keep a job. He'll work a couple of days and quit. She won't work, he won't work and they have a three year old. They live 100% off of government assistance, from housing to food to insurance. I'm not against government assistance programs, but I think the adults receiving any assistance should be clearly showing they are putting forth an effort to better their lives and get on their feet. Not looking for a job or finding a job and quitting in a couple of days is not what I consider effort. Anyways, she informs me that she's having her IUD removed this week. Their marraige is in trouble and they think another child will be their saving grace. (I think that's a bad idea--whether financially stable or not).
I'm just so annoyed/angered. How can you just have another child knowing you're living 100% off of the government? DH and I want children badly, but we have to wait a couple more years so we're more financially stable and prepared.
Kevin whether this study is completely true would not change your opinion anyway. I'm just saying that I don't believe it's fair or right and I'm opposed to it. Even if the facts of this were not in dispute, you would still believe that it's better that people get help that need it than to try to stop people who will abuse the system from doing so. The fact that it makes the lives of working taxpayers worse is not something you care to consider because you're not a proponent of working class people and could care less about whether or not we see any kind of justice. Working class people are few in number while welfare people are many. Of course the freeloaders are going to win the election.
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:57 pm
by _Kevin Graham
Kevin whether this study is completely true would not change your opinion anyway. I'm just saying that I don't believe it's fair or right and I'm opposed to it.
Opposed to what?
Even if the facts of this were not in dispute
What facts?
, you would still believe that it's better that people get help that need it than to try to stop people who will abuse the system from doing so.
Yes, for the same reason I believe it is better to let people vote than to engage in legislation aimed to stop "illegal voter," because the end result would be to disenfranchise legal voters. I'm more interested in what benefits everyone whereas you and your ilk are infatuated with a creepy sense of vengeance, going after imaginary boogymen.
The fact that it makes the lives of working taxpayers worse is not something you care to consider because you're not a proponent of working class people and could care less about whether or not we see any kind of justice.
On the contrary, I've proven to you a number of times that it isn't making lives harder on taxpayers. That's a myth conjured up by racists and bigots who just want to vent art minorities.
Working class people are few in number while welfare people are many.
Do you have any idea how idiotic that sounds?
Of course the freeloaders are going to win the election
You're an idiot
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 9:00 pm
by _ajax18
You're an idiot
And you're a thief!
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 9:09 pm
by _Kevin Graham
How's that, when I pay more taxes than you do?
What you don't get is the fact that these are OUR taxes, which includes everyone who pays into them. This includes the vast majority of food stamp recipients. You keep referring to them as some group who does nothing but sit around expecting the government to take care of them. Nothing could be further from the truth. The vast majority of these folks are hard workers who pay far more in taxes than the measly $130 bucks a month they average.
The fact is you're a minority here, so you don't get to complain about how our taxes are spent when you sit there with your lips zipped shut as the Right Wing loots the treasury to dish out billions in corporate welfare, fund trillion dollar wars, etc. Your twisted sense of "justice" is misplaced and downright ignorant. But of course I suspect you'll continue to scrub the web for blog articles written by equally ignorant bigots who want to rant about how those lazy darker people are to blame for the fact that you can't get ahead in life.
Maybe it is time you stop blaming others.
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 9:30 pm
by _Analytics
ajax18 wrote:If it sometimes feels like almost everyone is on the government dole except you, there may be a reason for that sensation:
According to a recent study one-third of all income in the United States comes in various forms of “social welfare benefits.” ...
I guess for some when this is the only life you get and not taking money from other people means facing the reality that working for a living isn't much of a living at all, socialism makes good sense. Maybe that's why I never could get completely down with the Christian ethic. My heart still yearns for fairness. But that is not to be found in this world amongst these people.
Just to be sure, when you refer to "these people", you know you are primarily talking about white people who have worked their whole lives paying into Social Security, and are now collecting Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare, correct? The origial study that the blog you quoted was referring to attributed the problem primarily to demographics--not the young lazy (and mostly black or brown) people you might be imagining.
For the sake of honesty, you should make it clear that the vast majority of the "thieves" you complain about are old folks living on Social Security checks.
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:38 pm
by _Bond James Bond
Analytics wrote:For the sake of honesty, you should make it clear that the vast majority of the "thieves" you complain about are old folks living on Social Security checks.
Still freeloaders according to ajax who thinks people should die five minutes after getting the "gold watch".
Re: Study: Gov't. Payouts Are a third of U.S. "Income"
Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 12:47 am
by _krose
ajax18 wrote:Of course the freeloaders are going to win the election.
What? There is a Freeloader party? Who are their candidates and what are they running for?
Analytics wrote:For the sake of honesty, you should make it clear that the vast majority of the "thieves" you complain about are old folks living on Social Security checks.
No, he's right. I'm ashamed to admit that my own mother is a chronic freeloader. She has been freeloading for 20 years now (she's 92). I know she ought to be out starting a new business or doing someone's laundry so she can pay for her damned ramen herself, not sucking poor Ajax dry like this. But no, to my everlasting shame, she just up and quit her job cleaning motel rooms at 72, when she claimed it was getting "too hard" to bend over so much every day. Cry me a freakin' river!! Now she seems content to sit alone in her little house and collect a government check, doing crossword puzzles and waiting for grandkids to visit.
What's worse, both of my kids were freeloaders for years. Surely there was some factory they could have worked in to pay for their own elementary and high school, rather than stealing their education from hard-working, overtaxed people like Ajax.
Poor guy. I just feel so guilty.