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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Down With Taxes
()
Date: October 06, 2011 03:46PM
Families were more dependent on government programs than ever last year.
Nearly half, 48.5%, of the population lived in a household that received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2010, according to Census data. Those numbers have risen since the middle of the recession when 44.4% lived households receiving benefits in the third quarter of 2008.
Means-tested programs, designed to help the needy, accounted for the largest share of recipients last year. Some 34.2% of Americans lived in a household that received benefits such as food stamps, subsidized housing, cash welfare or Medicaid (the federal-state health care program for the poor).
Another 14.5% lived in homes where someone was on Medicare (the health care program for the elderly). Nearly 16% lived in households receiving Social Security.
High unemployment and increased reliance on government programs has also shrunk the nation’s share of taxpayers. Some 46.4% of households will pay no federal income tax this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. That’s up from 39.9% in 2007, the year the recession began.
More In Benefits
After the Tape: The Bigger Impact of Smaller Paychecks
Most Food Stamp Recipients Have No Earned Income
Economists React: Gauging Impact of Obama Jobs Proposal
Most of those households will still be hit by payroll taxes. Just 18.1% of households pay neither payroll nor federal income taxes and they are predominantly the nation’s elderly and poorest families.
The tandem rise in government-benefits recipients and fall in taxpayers has been cause for alarm among some policymakers and presidential hopefuls.
Benefits programs have come under closer scrutiny as policymakers attempt to tame the federal government’s budget deficit. President Barack Obama and members of Congress considered changes to Social Security and Medicare as part of a grand bargain (that ultimately fell apart) to raise the debt ceiling earlier this year. Cuts to such programs could emerge again from the so-called “super committee,” tasked with releasing a plan to rein in the deficit.
It seems Obama has been keeping good on his promises of providing more handouts.
Here's a link to the full article with graphs:
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/10/05/nearly-half-of-households-receive-some-government-benefit/?blog_id=8&post_id=14869&mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1
Nearly half, 48.5%, of the population lived in a household that received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2010, according to Census data. Those numbers have risen since the middle of the recession when 44.4% lived households receiving benefits in the third quarter of 2008.
Means-tested programs, designed to help the needy, accounted for the largest share of recipients last year. Some 34.2% of Americans lived in a household that received benefits such as food stamps, subsidized housing, cash welfare or Medicaid (the federal-state health care program for the poor).
Another 14.5% lived in homes where someone was on Medicare (the health care program for the elderly). Nearly 16% lived in households receiving Social Security.
High unemployment and increased reliance on government programs has also shrunk the nation’s share of taxpayers. Some 46.4% of households will pay no federal income tax this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. That’s up from 39.9% in 2007, the year the recession began.
More In Benefits
After the Tape: The Bigger Impact of Smaller Paychecks
Most Food Stamp Recipients Have No Earned Income
Economists React: Gauging Impact of Obama Jobs Proposal
Most of those households will still be hit by payroll taxes. Just 18.1% of households pay neither payroll nor federal income taxes and they are predominantly the nation’s elderly and poorest families.
The tandem rise in government-benefits recipients and fall in taxpayers has been cause for alarm among some policymakers and presidential hopefuls.
Benefits programs have come under closer scrutiny as policymakers attempt to tame the federal government’s budget deficit. President Barack Obama and members of Congress considered changes to Social Security and Medicare as part of a grand bargain (that ultimately fell apart) to raise the debt ceiling earlier this year. Cuts to such programs could emerge again from the so-called “super committee,” tasked with releasing a plan to rein in the deficit.
It seems Obama has been keeping good on his promises of providing more handouts.
Here's a link to the full article with graphs:
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/10/05/nearly-half-of-households-receive-some-government-benefit/?blog_id=8&post_id=14869&mod=igoogle_wsj_gadgv1
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Johnny Walker
()
Date: October 06, 2011 03:55PM
We should never have let him create Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal Income Tax system itself. Curse you, Obama!
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Mr. Jones
()
Date: October 06, 2011 03:59PM
Fucking safety net! There just when you need it. I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to depend on someone other then his parents some day for survival.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Down With Taxes
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:06PM
Mr. Jones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fucking safety net! There just when you need it.
> I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to depend on
> someone other then his parents some day for
> survival.
I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my parents for survival. They are dead.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fucking safety net! There just when you need it.
> I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to depend on
> someone other then his parents some day for
> survival.
I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my parents for survival. They are dead.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
left out one
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:06PM
Johnny Walker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We should never have let him create Social
> Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal
> Income Tax system itself. Curse you, Obama!
You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in ten years.
-------------------------------------------------------
> We should never have let him create Social
> Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal
> Income Tax system itself. Curse you, Obama!
You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in ten years.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Down With Taxes
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:08PM
left out one Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program
> projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in
> ten years.
As well as they've left out the $800 Billion bank bail-out money as well as the $400 Billion Obama is seeking for his jobs bill. The cost will be $200,000 to create each job that will pay less than $50K per year. The gubment is pretty good at making investment decisions.
The Liberals keep lining up for more with their hands wide open. When will it end?
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program
> projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in
> ten years.
As well as they've left out the $800 Billion bank bail-out money as well as the $400 Billion Obama is seeking for his jobs bill. The cost will be $200,000 to create each job that will pay less than $50K per year. The gubment is pretty good at making investment decisions.
The Liberals keep lining up for more with their hands wide open. When will it end?
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Wilfredo
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:10PM
Social benefits designed to help the needy, elderly, disabled etc are not the problem. The problem is rampant fraud and abuse of these programs and an indifference towards and unwillingness to take steps necessary to mitigate said fraud and abuse. This is not a partisan problem. It's everyone's problem. The right wants to remove programs that are genuinely needed and the left just want to throw more money at them. Neither approach is appropriate.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Johnny Walker
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:16PM
left out one Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Johnny Walker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > We should never have let him create Social
> > Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal
> > Income Tax system itself. Curse you, Obama!
>
> You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program
> projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in
> ten years.
You left out it isn't in effect yet.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Johnny Walker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > We should never have let him create Social
> > Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Federal
> > Income Tax system itself. Curse you, Obama!
>
> You forgot obamacare. A huge entitlement program
> projected to cost over twenty trillion dollars in
> ten years.
You left out it isn't in effect yet.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Johnny Walker
()
Date: October 06, 2011 04:19PM
Wilfredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social benefits designed to help the needy,
> elderly, disabled etc are not the problem. The
> problem is rampant fraud and abuse of these
> programs and an indifference towards and
> unwillingness to take steps necessary to mitigate
> said fraud and abuse. This is not a partisan
> problem. It's everyone's problem. The right
> wants to remove programs that are genuinely needed
> and the left just want to throw more money at
> them. Neither approach is appropriate.
I disagree. While there is certainly fraud, it is not the "problem" with these programs. Social Security could be "fixed" very easily. Medicare and Medicaid the problem is out of control health care costs. The only serious attempt to even begin to address that is, like it or not, Obamacare.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social benefits designed to help the needy,
> elderly, disabled etc are not the problem. The
> problem is rampant fraud and abuse of these
> programs and an indifference towards and
> unwillingness to take steps necessary to mitigate
> said fraud and abuse. This is not a partisan
> problem. It's everyone's problem. The right
> wants to remove programs that are genuinely needed
> and the left just want to throw more money at
> them. Neither approach is appropriate.
I disagree. While there is certainly fraud, it is not the "problem" with these programs. Social Security could be "fixed" very easily. Medicare and Medicaid the problem is out of control health care costs. The only serious attempt to even begin to address that is, like it or not, Obamacare.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
justsayin
()
Date: October 06, 2011 05:26PM
Those numbers include tax deductions, so if you took a deduction for charitable contributions or mortgage interest you are ON THE GUBMINT DOLE!!!!!!11!!! according to that study.
If you are a senior citizen collecting social security or seeing a physician through Medicare, that counted in the study.
FUCKING OLD PEOPLE THAT PAID INTO SOCIAL SECURITY FOR FIFTY YEARS AND NOW GETTING IT!!!!!11!!1!1 OBAMA DID THIS!
If you are a senior citizen collecting social security or seeing a physician through Medicare, that counted in the study.
FUCKING OLD PEOPLE THAT PAID INTO SOCIAL SECURITY FOR FIFTY YEARS AND NOW GETTING IT!!!!!11!!1!1 OBAMA DID THIS!
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Inquiring Mind
()
Date: October 06, 2011 05:35PM
Johnny Walker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social Security could be "fixed" very easily.
How so?
Spam prevention code for this post: 9HuNG
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social Security could be "fixed" very easily.
How so?
Spam prevention code for this post: 9HuNG
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Mr. Jones
()
Date: October 06, 2011 06:47PM
Down With Taxes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mr. Jones Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Fucking safety net! There just when you need
> it.
> > I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to depend
> on
> > someone other then his parents some day for
> > survival.
>
> I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my parents
> for survival. They are dead.
self made...pleae do tell. Are you yet another Steve Jobs..Bill Gates? The odds are you are either directly or indirectly a benificiary of the white welfare system within the beltway.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mr. Jones Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Fucking safety net! There just when you need
> it.
> > I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to depend
> on
> > someone other then his parents some day for
> > survival.
>
> I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my parents
> for survival. They are dead.
self made...pleae do tell. Are you yet another Steve Jobs..Bill Gates? The odds are you are either directly or indirectly a benificiary of the white welfare system within the beltway.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Ellipsis
()
Date: October 06, 2011 07:24PM
Yes, they are. It legitimises redistribution of wealth based upon utilitarianism i.e. 'need'.
Wilfredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social benefits designed to help the needy,
> elderly, disabled etc are not the problem.
Wilfredo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Social benefits designed to help the needy,
> elderly, disabled etc are not the problem.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
SoylentGreen
()
Date: October 06, 2011 08:12PM
Mr. Jones Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Down With Taxes Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Mr. Jones Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Fucking safety net! There just when you need
> > it.
> > > I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to
> depend
> > on
> > > someone other then his parents some day for
> > > survival.
> >
> > I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my
> parents
> > for survival. They are dead.
>
>
> self made...pleae do tell. Are you yet another
> Steve Jobs..Bill Gates? The odds are you are
> either directly or indirectly a benificiary of the
> white welfare system within the beltway.
Why does anyone have to be a Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to be self made?
Do you believe all the hundreds of small business owners (think shoe repair shops, auto repair shops, barbers, dry cleaners, CPAs.......the list is endless and doesn't necessarily have to include people in that top one percent.
As for your "white welfare system"........driven through Annandale lately? How about Seven Corners? Herndon? Think much of the bail out money landed in any of those businesses?
-------------------------------------------------------
> Down With Taxes Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Mr. Jones Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Fucking safety net! There just when you need
> > it.
> > > I hope dumb bastards like the OP have to
> depend
> > on
> > > someone other then his parents some day for
> > > survival.
> >
> > I'm a self-made man. I don't rely on my
> parents
> > for survival. They are dead.
>
>
> self made...pleae do tell. Are you yet another
> Steve Jobs..Bill Gates? The odds are you are
> either directly or indirectly a benificiary of the
> white welfare system within the beltway.
Why does anyone have to be a Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to be self made?
Do you believe all the hundreds of small business owners (think shoe repair shops, auto repair shops, barbers, dry cleaners, CPAs.......the list is endless and doesn't necessarily have to include people in that top one percent.
As for your "white welfare system"........driven through Annandale lately? How about Seven Corners? Herndon? Think much of the bail out money landed in any of those businesses?
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Moa
()
Date: October 06, 2011 09:18PM
Inquiring Mind Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Johnny Walker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Social Security could be "fixed" very easily.
>
> How so?
>
>
>
>
>
> Spam prevention code for this post: 9HuNG
Raise the maximum income that people pay toward SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
-------------------------------------------------------
> Johnny Walker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Social Security could be "fixed" very easily.
>
> How so?
>
>
>
>
>
> Spam prevention code for this post: 9HuNG
Raise the maximum income that people pay toward SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Down With Taxes
()
Date: October 06, 2011 09:32PM
Moa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Raise the maximum income that people pay toward
> SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
We also should consider raising the age when one can start to obtain SSN benefits. When the program was enacted, people lived shorter lives. Now, we live longer lives and have more to contribute to working capably well into our late 60s.
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Raise the maximum income that people pay toward
> SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
We also should consider raising the age when one can start to obtain SSN benefits. When the program was enacted, people lived shorter lives. Now, we live longer lives and have more to contribute to working capably well into our late 60s.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Bail me out baby
()
Date: October 06, 2011 09:56PM
I owm my own business. Help me hire more workers.
Right now if you are not from the USA and you do not pay taxes your health care is free. How is that fair?
I have paid enough. Where are my rights to my workers? I pay a lot in taxes. Where is our share. I hire USA born employees.
Help us help America.
Right now if you are not from the USA and you do not pay taxes your health care is free. How is that fair?
I have paid enough. Where are my rights to my workers? I pay a lot in taxes. Where is our share. I hire USA born employees.
Help us help America.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Ellipsis
()
Date: October 06, 2011 10:01PM
Firstly, what is this 'we' business? You nor I, unless you happen to be a congressman or one of their large donors, has any say in this matter.
Secondly, would you advocate abolishing the horrid Bismarkian experiment altogether? Social Security is a ponzi scheme, and is therefore prone to collapse.
Down With Taxes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Moa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Raise the maximum income that people pay toward
> > SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
>
> We also should consider raising the age when one
> can start to obtain SSN benefits. When the
> program was enacted, people lived shorter lives.
> Now, we live longer lives and have more to
> contribute to working capably well into our late
> 60s.
Secondly, would you advocate abolishing the horrid Bismarkian experiment altogether? Social Security is a ponzi scheme, and is therefore prone to collapse.
Down With Taxes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Moa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Raise the maximum income that people pay toward
> > SSN. The max is currently arounf $111k
>
> We also should consider raising the age when one
> can start to obtain SSN benefits. When the
> program was enacted, people lived shorter lives.
> Now, we live longer lives and have more to
> contribute to working capably well into our late
> 60s.
Re: Liberal Reality - More Americans Living off of Government Funds
Posted by:
Down With Taxes
()
Date: October 06, 2011 11:20PM
Ellipsis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Firstly, what is this 'we' business? You nor I,
> unless you happen to be a congressman or one of
> their large donors, has any say in this matter.
>
Aha. Yes, quite true.
> Secondly, would you advocate abolishing the horrid
> Bismarkian experiment altogether? Social Security
> is a ponzi scheme, and is therefore prone to
> collapse.
Yes, I'd be all for advocating it. I don't feel as though people like President Obama should be able to play tricks with the withholding as he has done this year - reduced the employee portion to 4.2% for one year, which will jump back to 6.2% in January. I'd rather keep the money - or make it mandatory that one applies that percentage into their company's 401k plan or some other form of IRA.
Time to sever the umbilical cord of Uncle Sam.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Firstly, what is this 'we' business? You nor I,
> unless you happen to be a congressman or one of
> their large donors, has any say in this matter.
>
Aha. Yes, quite true.
> Secondly, would you advocate abolishing the horrid
> Bismarkian experiment altogether? Social Security
> is a ponzi scheme, and is therefore prone to
> collapse.
Yes, I'd be all for advocating it. I don't feel as though people like President Obama should be able to play tricks with the withholding as he has done this year - reduced the employee portion to 4.2% for one year, which will jump back to 6.2% in January. I'd rather keep the money - or make it mandatory that one applies that percentage into their company's 401k plan or some other form of IRA.
Time to sever the umbilical cord of Uncle Sam.