Off course
Heading into last fall's presidential election, the warning flags were out that a second Obama administration would mean more Americans becoming dependent on government assistance.
That's now a fact of history. Under Obama, over 30 million more individuals have signed up for welfare spending. The number of persons on food stamps has soared to one in seven Americans over the last 13 years, from 17 million in 2000, to 30 million in 2008, to 46 million today.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture now spends two-thirds of its budget on food stamps and other welfare programs.
Setting the tone for our dependency nation is Obama's belief in wealth distribution, which has been used in socialist countries in South America and Europe. Under Obama's system, small businessmen, who make the economy run are penalized by high taxation and heavy-handed government regulation.
Many of the takers, however, are getting a free ride. In 2010: for the first time in history, half the population paid no federal income taxes.
A Republican campaign advertisement used in last year's presidential election featuring Obamaphone Lady gave us a dose of reality. While protesting outside of Romney rally in Cleveland, Obamaphone Lady boasted how Obama was giving out free phones and that is why she and other minorities would be and should be voting for him.
The free cell phone project of the Federal Communications Commission, called "Lifeline," provided free mobile phones to Americans who meet low-income requirements. The program actually goes back to Ronald Reagan but abuses have been rampant under Obama's watch. A report this week revealed that the phones were willingly given to applicants even after it was known that the recipients were immediately selling them. One admitted selling his in order to buy heroine.
Whether it's free or subsidized housing, welfare, food stamps, disability payments, Obamacare, or free Obamaphones, more Americans than ever before feel they are now entitled to a government benefit.
It wasn't always that way. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who has been a vocal critic of Obama's doctrine of wealth redistribution, said that his grandfather, along with millions of other immigrants, didn't come to this country for some government guarantee of income equality or government benefits in order to take care of their family. He said that in 1923 there were no government benefits for immigrants except one: Freedom!
"Under President Obama, the dream of freedom and opportunity has become a nightmare of dependency with almost half of America receiving some government benefit," Santorum said during an interview in last year's presidential race. "It is no surprise fewer and fewer Americans are achieving their dreams and more and more parents are concerned their children won't realize theirs."
Santorum feels the Obama doctrine is a recipe for disaster.
"The result massive debt, anemic growth and millions more unemployed," he said. "The president's plan didn't work for America, because that's not how America works. Graduate from high school, work hard, and get married before you have children and the chance you will ever be in poverty is just two percent. Yet, if you don't do these three things, you're 38 times more likely to end up in poverty!"
Obama's dependency system has become a black hole for this economy.
By Jim Zbick
jzbick@tnonline.com
