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Why bother going to work?

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    Report: Record number of Americans now dependent on federal government

  • Duration 8:36
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So above so why bother going to work at all you might ask yourself that after seeing this a new study for the conservative heritage Heritage Foundation showing the average annual disposable income and America.

Is now lower.

Than the average amount the government shells out to recipients of what -- calls federal dependency programs like welfare social security and Medicaid so.

Is washing it actually encouraging Americans to live off the government dole.

Rather than work for -- limit fiber body of David -- won't uniforms on fox let's go in focus when Steve Forbes Victoria Barrett went hunger -- -- one.

John -- and Dennis -- Dennis.

Liberals say the -- -- but you say is right on target.

I really think -- I believe that the Obama administration takes almost at a perverse kind of pride.

And how many millions of Americans taking give food stamps to and how many millions of Americans are on social security and get college loans and the problem is -- half of the people in this country.

Now receive some form of direct government aid and pretty much the same half of the people in this country.

Pay no federal income taxes at all I think we're in deep trouble they'll never be in favor of cutting back 99 weeks of jobless benefits.

Encourages you to go ahead just hold out for the perfect job is gonna take -- wanted -- -- Rick we've all been unemployed we know the feeling and -- you were motivated to go out there and usually it's a growling stomach that motivates you.

You don't -- out there is are gathered to many motivations to stay at home and go out to work right now.

Let you know like Mike my friend Dennis -- The Heritage Foundation it's a -- carried away sometimes not the administration does not have some nefarious plan.

To enslave us all by putting us all welfare but I will say this there are so poised to be made.

First if we really want to solve what is a growing problem.

If we want to solve it we have to deal with it not in Indian political -- but in figuring out how single mothers who have children can get a job.

Go to work and have some way of taking care of their family you know what our government spending all of -- -- tell -- what else we have to do we also have to realize.

That corporate welfare.

Is just his game -- can watch what.

I don't think I don't think you'd find many people -- for corporate welfare here but Steve the fact is look at the percent.

Of federal spending on these dependency programs it was.

28%.

62 of the overall budget 48%.

In 1990 and now what's up to 70%.

Certain -- ms.

Kline.

It is an enormous climb and while we're not quite at the tipping point yet if we continue on this we will go the way of Greece.

That's why we need entitlement reform or younger people can have their own personal accounts and the like.

Of the huge growth in this area David only 20% 25% can be laid at the economy 75%.

As liberalization from the Obama administration.

Maybe they don't have a plot.

By golly there's certainly achieving more dependence which means more votes on Election Day well bill bubble when you see those riots in Greece you realize in fact that a lot of people don't have the motivation for jobs they spend more time.

At the protests than they do working.

Are we reaching that level now here in the United States.

Republicans are always talking about incentives and I want to quote.

A very interesting sarcastic take on their point of view from the economist John Kenneth Galbraith he said so easy to be -- guys is the rich don't work hard -- -- because we pay them too little.

And the -- don't work hard enough because we pay them too much you know it's possible to have good incentives without ripping away the social safety net let me give you just want exit quickly instead of giving away -- -- And and having forgiveness of debt let's have a debt for equity swap a share appreciation all right.

You still aren't what the -- candy let's get back to what we're -- about here are people motivated now.

To go out to get a job because if they sit at home they get a lot of dependency help.

Or.

Well clearly the government benefits are keeping some on the sidelines and that explains the abnormally high unemployment -- some degree but the idea that were gonna transform into a nation of new teachers is laughable.

Americans descended from immigrants who were ambitious and as a result we are striving impatient lot and the idea the President Obama or any president.

Can -- in for eight years turn this into a nation whereby we want to take the meager handouts the government is just not credible that misunderstand who we are.

But Victoria again let's get back to the -- that we have been showing that there is more money.

In dependency spending -- -- disposable income in this country I -- we have reached that tipping point at the very least for the first time in history.

You know what David the -- thing in the room here is Social Security.

And Medicare.

And Medicaid those are the huge government programs that are absorbing our budget it's it's not what you would think of -- welfare it's not.

The programs we have to help needy families yes those have risen as we've hit it a severe recession.

And you'd expect that.

The elephant in the room -- these programs.

That we've let balloon and that you know generational they are gonna become even more of a problem and baby boomers retire at rapid -- But Dennis I think the elephant in the room was the amount of money we are spending on these programs -- the past three years -- -- -- food stamps and an all time high etc.

I mean isn't there a limit some place at some point.

Wouldn't family or church or charity step -- if someone's benefits are cut off because they've been unemployed and they haven't looked for work in 99 weeks -- now it's time to stop getting jobless benefits.

A look I have relatives were unemployed I know hardship I feel for the people who need this aid right now.

But I also know a guy who decided take off an extra year work on gobbled continued unemployment benefits I know look ordered from a wealthy family goes on -- stamps and and the store manager broke -- talk how easy it is for everyone to get -- a ball was.

I don't want to discuss why Social Security which on the start collecting in nine years some kind of a dependency right when I -- all I've got all I can say.

And you get a -- I don't think guys we all hope and -- in -- Social Security is there but CD back right at whenever they do polls of people young people always say they're more likely it is Zia and aliens from outer space and get a Social Security -- Jack is the aliens have finance this program which means no financing at all he did this in the private sector David you do in jail that put money in a trust fund and they give a worthless -- -- government I already able to Galveston and other.

Are you doubt that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme come it's it's this you know I'm so tired of taking her so much Myanmar -- that I airpower enter your Social Security's fine it's gonna be finally -- I think something else.

The -- had him there were so the elephant in the room is that we're all pretending.

That we're not in the worst economic times since the Great Depression what a shock that we're seeing war.

Welfare.

But what -- that -- -- Bill Beach of The Heritage Foundation put this thing together points out 20% 25% can be late to the economy 75%.

Change in the rules by the federal government.

He also included social security and Medicare in those -- -- -- paid for those Boozer and -- well I thought what if I paid for those I paid for those people we put this budget the so secure in our entire career.

And and we take out this much -- we lived for thirty or forty years longer -- yeah personnel have.

What would posters started up it would open anywhere near as much -- -- -- -- -- -- they're not there is Victoria agrees with Dennis Greg Victoria.

I do because we need to adjust Social Security for a wonderful thing are improved the life expectancies.

Were all living longer we don't need to retire at such young ages most people actually want to stay and work.

And again that's what makes America such a wonder are unique.

Bottom line go to security by the -- as they have this watch box in which all our money went and all its and that mark marks are these worthless IOUs from politicians who've been stealing the -- in the wac freshman John Daly.

Does all this dependency spending go away when the economy improves.

I think it does but the spending the past -- says the problem -- -- this that are the government takes away and then hands out to other people if we left the money in the hands of individuals.

By taxing them lessened by devaluing the dollar last.

You see the investment rise in the jobs created such that you would not need all the government programs Steve spending is the -- Steve the problem is we are emotional beings and even FDR said the problem when these these spending programs during bad times is that they do become habit form FDR warned about this there is that emotional component all the spending.

While we -- left fifty years ago that welfare is -- -- which came out of FDR was destroying people destroying the lives that wasn't to fifty years later in 1996 so we got around changing it.

As Ronald Reagan said immortality is a government program once it's there it's almost impossible to get -- -- and as Bill Clinton incorrectly said the era of big government is over.

Not yeah.

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