Further Dependence on Government?
USA Today reported today that a record number of Americans are now in government anti-poverty programs, writing:
“Government anti-poverty programs that have grown to meet the needs of recession victims now serve a record one in six Americans and are continuing to expand.
“More than 50 million Americans are on Medicaid, the federal-state program aimed principally at the poor, a survey of state data by USA TODAY shows. That's up at least 17% since the recession began in December 2007.”
In addition, the number of Americans receiving food stamps and unemployment reached record numbers while people on welfare increased 18%. The cost for these programs has also increased. According to USA Today:
“As caseloads for all the programs have soared, so have costs. The federal price tag for Medicaid has jumped 36% in two years, to $273 billion. Jobless benefits have soared from $43 billion to $160 billion. The food stamps program has risen 80%, to $70 billion. Welfare is up 24%, to $22 billion. Taken together, they cost more than Medicare.”
The newspaper points out that “(c)onservatives fear expanded safety-net programs won’t contract after the economy recovers.” That is why our political solons need to focus on jobs, jobs, and jobs. The following chart is from USA Today:
