Almost Half of U.S. Households Receive Government Benefits

[The Straight Story]

Almost Half of U.S. Households Receive Government Benefits
Tuesday, May 18, 2010

During the middle of the recent recession, Americans increasingly turned to the government for assistance, with nearly half of all households receiving some kind of support. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 45% of the country during the third quarter of 2008 lived in households that were getting public benefits, such as Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

The Census Bureau also noted in its report (Economic Characteristics of Households in the United States: Third Quarter 2008) that one quarter of American homes received means-tested benefits. The most common of these were Medicaid (21.1 million), school meals (11.5 million) and food stamps (9.3 million).

However, the two programs people turned to the most for help did not require income eligibility—Social Security and Medicare. Each provided assistance to more than 30 million individuals.

http://www.allgov.com/Where_is_the_Money_Going/ViewNews/Almost_Half_of_US_Households_Receive_Government_Benefits_100518

[slackmaster]

1. The Great Society in action

I hope we get through it soon.

[CreekDog]

12. i think you'd be happier with Republicans running things

you pretty much rail at every instance of government action or spending.

[slackmaster]

14. Bullshit - I think it's a good thing that government action and spending are helping people now

This money is being spent well.

What the fuck is your problem?

[CreekDog]

18. Then I misunderstood your post

In light of numerous statements you made about government spending, especially here in California.

Your second response puts us on the same page re: Great Society.

[slackmaster]

21. Smart spending good, dumb spending bad

That's my philosophy on public money.

Feeding people and give them some cash to get through tough times is better than the alternative, which is anarchy and chaos.

[bigwillq]

2. How many were republicans?

:shrug: If even one was, they should've rejected it. You know, big Government and all.

[MidwestRick]

5. Do Republicans

get a discount or don't have to pay for those services? I would imagine they pay the same no matter what party they are affiliated with.

-MR

[bigwillq]

16. I was just trying to make a joke.

JOKE FAIL, I guess.

Repukes say all the time that they are for less government. But, I don't know one republican that hasn't cashed their social security checks, or denied federal assistance when they needed it.

[Lance_Boyle]

3. I thought you automatically get SS and medicare upon reaching the right age?

Are people younger than retirement age who have been damaged by this economy "turning to" SS and Medicare? If so, how?

[DURHAM D]

7. Medicare is not automatic.

To enroll at 65 you have to have paid in for 10 years. Then you get just 80/20 hospitalization coverage.

To get doctors visits, meds and tests you must pay a monthly premium to Medicare for 80/20 coverage - or go without if you can not afford it.

[happy_liberal]

17. Do spouses get medicare if their partner paid in?

What if you are a homemaker? What if you were a volunteer worker?

[DURHAM D]

20. Don't know. Don't have a spouse. nt

[DURHAM D]

4. SS and Medicare is not "assistance" given that most of the recipients

have paid for decades for use of the benefits later.

I would like to receive one lump sum payment for the amount I contributed to both SS and Medicare as it was not a good investment - especially Medicare. I would appreciate a little interest - just 3% would make me happy.

[happy_liberal]

10. exactly

not only was it a bad investment, they paint you as a loser when you want to collect on your own investment.

[maxsolomon]

15. 3% on my savings account would make me happy

but i can't get that either.

if you got 1 lump sum you'd blow it all on the 1st hospital visit of your dotage.

[DURHAM D]

19. No I would not blow it.

If I could get back just my Medicare pay-in I could buy comprehensive private medical insurance with better coverage. Like I said - Medicare has turned into a very bad investment.

And just for the record - I am now on Medicare and still paying into Medicare because I am still working. I will keep working - even when the contribution taken from my paycheck increases. At the same time my monthly premium for Medicare will increase (and will cover less and have increased deductibles) and my monthly premium for private supplemental will increase because of the shrinking Medicare plan.

As for your 3% comment. No you can't get that anywhere now but given that I paid into Medicare from 1966 when it started to the present (44 years) - 3% is a low amount on average.

[DJ13]

6. ... and here comes the austerity propaganda

Not you Straight Story, but the media is prepping to ramp up these kinds of stories to get people ready to accept severe reductions in needed aid to the lower income classes so the wealthy and business interests can continue underpaying their share.

They would rather see our country struggle for 20 years to recover economically by slashing government spending that goes straight into the economy (as the lower classes spend most all their pittance every month) rather than forcing a return to a sustainable recovery by returning to rational tax rates on the upper classes and the corporations (who pay nearly nothing in federal taxes).

[DURHAM D]

9. Yep - the austerity program to screw the middle/lower/ working class.

Thank you Obama.

[Scuba]

13. +1

[happy_liberal]

8. I am sure that this study mentions that more than half of tax$$ goes to the pentagon?

This is written just so the righties have something to go off on today.

Did they mention the double dipping salaries of pentagon employees?

[no_hypocrisy]

11. I didn't know half the country were Socialists.

[surrealAmerican]

22. Good thing we offer that assistance.

If "one quarter of American homes received means-tested benefits", that means without those programs, this would have been a full-blown depression.