Is President Obama Creating A Nation Of Dependents?

[Freedom&Liberty]

I think half the country is at or near poverty because poverty has been subsidized. You can't create an incentive to work by handing out checks.

[Vader]

Direct payments. The amount of money the federal government hands out in direct payments to individuals steadily increased over the past four decades, but shot up under Obama, climbing by almost $600 billion — a 32% increase — in his first three years. And Obama's last budget called for these payments to climb another $500 billion by 2016, at which point they would account for fully two-thirds of all federal spending.
People getting benefits. According to the Census Bureau 49% now live in homes where at least one person gets a federal benefit — Social Security, workers comp, unemployment, subsidized housing, and the like. That's up from 44% the year before Obama took office, and way up from 1983, when fewer than a third were government beneficiaries.
Food stamps. This year, more than 46 million (15% of all Americans) will get food stamps. That's 45% higher than when Obama took office, and twice as high as the average for the previous 40 years. This surge was driven in part by the recession, but also because Obama boosted the benefit amount as part of his stimulus plan.
Disability. The number of people on Social Security disability has steadily climbed since the 1970s, thanks mainly to easier eligibility rules. But their numbers jumped 10% in Obama's first two years in office, according to the Social Security Administration. That sharp rise was due largely to meager job prospects since the recession ended in 2009. When employment opportunities are scarce, experts note, many who could otherwise work sign up for disability benefits instead.
Health care. The government's role in health care has grown over the past decades, with 45% of all health spending now coming from the federal government, up from 32% in 1990. But this trend will dramatically accelerate should ObamaCare remain the law of the land. In eight years, ObamaCare will add 16 million people to Medicaid, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and another 24 million will be getting coverage through heavily subsidized government-run insurance exchanges, with the cost of those subsidies running $130 billion a year.
Corporate welfare. Prior to Obama, the federal government was already dishing out $92 billion in corporate welfare programs — in the form of subsidized loans, special tax breaks, bailouts and the like — the Cato Institute found. Obama added tremendously to this largesse. Federal grants to the energy sector, for example, quadrupled to over $18 billion in 2009, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts' Subsidyscope.
http://news.investors.com/ArticlePri...x?p=1&ibdbot=1

This is more standard anti-American republican hate spewage... THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY IGNORED.

[Powerboss]

^ Drone

[Vader]

^ Drone

Republican sellout.

[Archaix]

So you think half the country is at or near poverty because they didn't get the right pep-talk?

That's exactly what he thinks. And that's pretty much the only thought that cycles round his head all day, like a goldfish in a particularly stagnant bowl.

And you've perpetuated the problem by giving them handouts and telling them that they're victims. I propose we quit doing shit that doesn't work. Stop relying on government and start expecting people to be responsible for themselves.

We tried that. It didn't work. People can't be wholly responsible for themselves, and if you think that you're completely unrealistic.

The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years.
These nations have progressed through this sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
from spiritual faith to great courage;
from courage to liberty;
from liberty to abundance;
from abundance to selfishness;
from selfishness to complacency;
from complaceny to apathy;
from apathy to dependence;
from dependency back again into bondage.
Sir Alex Fraser Tyler: (1742-1813) Scottish jurist and historian

That's precisely how none of the 'greatest civilisations' passed through history. Pick any you like and I'll prove it.

[Powerboss]

Republican sellout.

I'm not a Republican. Since 1996 I have been a registered Independent.

[optimus]

I'm not a Republican. Since 1996 I have been a registered Independent.

No one gives a shit what you're registered as. When was the last time you voted for a democrat?

That's what I thought.

[Freedom&Liberty]

We tried that. It didn't work. People can't be wholly responsible for themselves, and if you think that you're completely unrealistic.

It worked for decades until liberals came along and screwed it up. You can't save people from themselves. Efforts to end poverty have resulted in even more poverty. Your methods are self perpetuating, unrealistic nonsense. Expecting people to be responsible for themselves is the only logical, natural choice.

That's precisely how none of the 'greatest civilisations' passed through history. Pick any you like and I'll prove it.

In order for that to be effective I'd have to give a shit what you think. I don't.

[Vader]

It worked for decades until liberals came along and screwed it up. You can't save people from themselves. Efforts to end poverty have resulted in even more poverty. Your methods are self perpetuating, unrealistic nonsense. Expecting people to be responsible for themselves is the only logical, natural choice.

In order for that to be effective I'd have to give a shit what you think. I don't.

Yet more anti-American, pro-republican nonsensical bullshit. There wouldn't be poverty if businesses were better regulated (no outsourcing outside the US, no at-will employment bullshit, and harsher punishments for businesses that violate employee rights.

The rich don't want to pay their fair share but they still want to be thought of as tax-paying American citizens. It doesn't work both ways. Until the rich become honest and politics ceases its obvious servitude to big business (republiswine especially), there will ALWAYS be poverty.

If you do not like it, you are free to renounce your citizenship and move the hell out of the country.

[Vader]

I'm not a Republican. Since 1996 I have been a registered Independent.

Is that because you can't bare the shame of voting republican or is it because you, like most tea-baggers, are working from within other parties to push them to vote the republican way?

In any event, thanks for admitting you're a sellout.

[antiquity]

Vader, how is that head wound you got during the war?

[Vader]

Vader, how is that head wound you got during the war?

Antuqity, you still owned by the republigoons, or have you learned to think for yourself?

[Freedom&Liberty]

That ass cancer would probably go away if you'd keep you head out of there.

[Archaix]

Yet more anti-American, pro-republican nonsensical bullshit. There wouldn't be poverty if businesses were better regulated (no outsourcing outside the US, no at-will employment bullshit, and harsher punishments for businesses that violate employee rights.

The rich don't want to pay their fair share but they still want to be thought of as tax-paying American citizens. It doesn't work both ways. Until the rich become honest and politics ceases its obvious servitude to big business (republiswine especially), there will ALWAYS be poverty.

More of this and less of rhetoric, Vader.

It worked for decades until liberals came along and screwed it up. You can't save people from themselves. Efforts to end poverty have resulted in even more poverty. Your methods are self perpetuating, unrealistic nonsense. Expecting people to be responsible for themselves is the only logical, natural choice.

It worked for what decades? Besides, expecting people to be responsible for themselves is impossible because people are affected all the time by things they can't control: like mental and physical health, the cultures we're born into, the classes we're born into, etc. Your suggestion is that we leave the situation as it is to work itself out, but without collective action and scrutiny everything would fall to pieces in a year. You think about that the next time you phone the police.

In order for that to be effective I'd have to give a shit what you think. I don't.

You've responded to me on every other point, so that's a lie.

[Freedom&Liberty]

More of this and less of rhetoric, Vader.

That was rhetoric too.

It worked for what decades? Besides, expecting people to be responsible for themselves is impossible because people are affected all the time by things they can't control: like mental and physical health, the cultures we're born into, the classes we're born into, etc. Your suggestion is that we leave the situation as it is to work itself out, but without collective action and scrutiny everything would fall to pieces in a year. You think about that the next time you phone the police.

I'm under no obligation to care about the mental and physical health of people I don't even know or care about and neither is government. Whether it works itself out is up to each individual, not a collective. Death is part of life, get used to it.

You've responded to me on every other point, so that's a lie.

Wanna bet?

[hadit]

No one gives a shit what you're registered as. When was the last time you voted for a democrat?

That's what I thought.

Irrelevant. Not democrat =/= Republican.

[Cd.]

Direct payments. The amount of money the federal government hands out in direct payments to individuals steadily increased over the past four decades, but shot up under Obama, climbing by almost $600 billion — a 32% increase — in his first three years. And Obama's last budget called for these payments to climb another $500 billion by 2016, at which point they would account for fully two-thirds of all federal spending.
People getting benefits. According to the Census Bureau 49% now live in homes where at least one person gets a federal benefit — Social Security, workers comp, unemployment, subsidized housing, and the like. That's up from 44% the year before Obama took office, and way up from 1983, when fewer than a third were government beneficiaries.
Food stamps. This year, more than 46 million (15% of all Americans) will get food stamps. That's 45% higher than when Obama took office, and twice as high as the average for the previous 40 years. This surge was driven in part by the recession, but also because Obama boosted the benefit amount as part of his stimulus plan.
Disability. The number of people on Social Security disability has steadily climbed since the 1970s, thanks mainly to easier eligibility rules. But their numbers jumped 10% in Obama's first two years in office, according to the Social Security Administration. That sharp rise was due largely to meager job prospects since the recession ended in 2009. When employment opportunities are scarce, experts note, many who could otherwise work sign up for disability benefits instead.
Health care. The government's role in health care has grown over the past decades, with 45% of all health spending now coming from the federal government, up from 32% in 1990. But this trend will dramatically accelerate should ObamaCare remain the law of the land. In eight years, ObamaCare will add 16 million people to Medicaid, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and another 24 million will be getting coverage through heavily subsidized government-run insurance exchanges, with the cost of those subsidies running $130 billion a year.
Corporate welfare. Prior to Obama, the federal government was already dishing out $92 billion in corporate welfare programs — in the form of subsidized loans, special tax breaks, bailouts and the like — the Cato Institute found. Obama added tremendously to this largesse. Federal grants to the energy sector, for example, quadrupled to over $18 billion in 2009, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts' Subsidyscope.
http://news.investors.com/ArticlePri...x?p=1&ibdbot=1

If you have a depression than how the hell are you going to handle it? Do like the GOPigs want and cut taxes on the rich and let the rest of the people starve to death?

[Cd.]

I think half the country is at or near poverty because poverty has been subsidized. You can't create an incentive to work by handing out checks.

So true! If we just let the poor die and subsidize the very wealthy the US of A would be a whole lot better! Social Darwinism at work!

[hadit]

If you have a depression than how the hell are you going to handle it? Do like the GOPigs want and cut taxes on the rich and let the rest of the people starve to death?

I thought we didn't have a depression. According to some on this site, the economy is going along just fine.

[Freedom&Liberty]

If you have a depression than how the hell are you going to handle it? Do like the GOPigs want and cut taxes on the rich and let the rest of the people starve to death?

No, we'll do what the DNCunts want and bankrupt the country. That'll show those rich bastards. Sure, the poor will still starve to death, but everything will be great as long as the rich aren't rich anymore. Wealth envy at work.