How Much Do We Spend on the Nonworking Poor?

[Lakhota]

By Kevin Drum

The Republican primary field has recently decided to revive the Welfare Queen trope, perhaps in hopes that a bit of that old Reagan magic will rub off on them. The argument, as usual, is that there's a vast stream of federal money going to people who are sitting on their asses eating Cheetos instead of going out and earning a living instead. These people are being bred into dependence on Uncle Sam's tit and having their work ethics destroyed.

So the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities decided to add up the numbers and figure out how much money the federal government spends on the nonworking poor. The answer: about 10 percent of all federal welfare spending. How did they come up with that? CBPP's methodology uses census data to figure out exactly where program dollars are going, but you can get pretty much the same answer using a simpler, easier-to-understand technique. Step One is to list every federal welfare program. Step Two is to deduct spending on the elderly, blind, and seriously disabled. That's Social Security, Medicare, SSI, and about two-thirds of Medicaid. Step Three is to deduct spending that goes to the working poor. That's unemployment compensation, EITC, and child tax credits. Step Four is to add up the rest. This overstates how much goes to the nonworking poor, since these programs are open to both working and nonworking families, but it gives you a rough idea.

It comes to about $235 billion, the bulk of which is SNAP (formerly food stamps) and about one-third of Medicaid. That's 12 percent of all federal welfare spending and about 6 percent of the whole federal budget. Once you account for the fact that some of these program dollars go to the working poor, you end up with CBPP's estimate of 10 percent, or about 5 percent of the whole federal budget.

Is that too much? I guess you have to decide for yourself. But I'll bet most people think we spend a lot more than 5 percent of the federal budget on this stuff. They might be surprised to know the real numbers. The CBPP's chart is below, with spending on the nonworking poor highlighted.

How Much Do We Spend on the Nonworking Poor? | Mother Jones

Contrary to "Entitlement Society" Rhetoric, Over Nine-Tenths of Entitlement Benefits Go to Elderly, Disabled, or Working Households; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

 

[Quantum Windbag]

By Kevin Drum

The Republican primary field has recently decided to revive the Welfare Queen trope, perhaps in hopes that a bit of that old Reagan magic will rub off on them. The argument, as usual, is that there's a vast stream of federal money going to people who are sitting on their asses eating Cheetos instead of going out and earning a living instead. These people are being bred into dependence on Uncle Sam's tit and having their work ethics destroyed.

So the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities decided to add up the numbers and figure out how much money the federal government spends on the nonworking poor. The answer: about 10 percent of all federal welfare spending. How did they come up with that? CBPP's methodology uses census data to figure out exactly where program dollars are going, but you can get pretty much the same answer using a simpler, easier-to-understand technique. Step One is to list every federal welfare program. Step Two is to deduct spending on the elderly, blind, and seriously disabled. That's Social Security, Medicare, SSI, and about two-thirds of Medicaid. Step Three is to deduct spending that goes to the working poor. That's unemployment compensation, EITC, and child tax credits. Step Four is to add up the rest. This overstates how much goes to the nonworking poor, since these programs are open to both working and nonworking families, but it gives you a rough idea.

It comes to about $235 billion, the bulk of which is SNAP (formerly food stamps) and about one-third of Medicaid. That's 12 percent of all federal welfare spending and about 6 percent of the whole federal budget. Once you account for the fact that some of these program dollars go to the working poor, you end up with CBPP's estimate of 10 percent, or about 5 percent of the whole federal budget.

Is that too much? I guess you have to decide for yourself. But I'll bet most people think we spend a lot more than 5 percent of the federal budget on this stuff. They might be surprised to know the real numbers. The CBPP's chart is below, with spending on the nonworking poor highlighted.

How Much Do We Spend on the Nonworking Poor? | Mother Jones

Just added Mother Jones to my lost of sites that cannot do simple arithmetic. Just an FYI here, $259 billion is more than $235 billion, and the total of all of those is $394 billion, which is more than half of what we spend on the DOD.

 

[Avatar4321]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

 

[Chris]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

 

[Lakhota]

By Kevin Drum

The Republican primary field has recently decided to revive the Welfare Queen trope, perhaps in hopes that a bit of that old Reagan magic will rub off on them. The argument, as usual, is that there's a vast stream of federal money going to people who are sitting on their asses eating Cheetos instead of going out and earning a living instead. These people are being bred into dependence on Uncle Sam's tit and having their work ethics destroyed.

So the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities decided to add up the numbers and figure out how much money the federal government spends on the nonworking poor. The answer: about 10 percent of all federal welfare spending. How did they come up with that? CBPP's methodology uses census data to figure out exactly where program dollars are going, but you can get pretty much the same answer using a simpler, easier-to-understand technique. Step One is to list every federal welfare program. Step Two is to deduct spending on the elderly, blind, and seriously disabled. That's Social Security, Medicare, SSI, and about two-thirds of Medicaid. Step Three is to deduct spending that goes to the working poor. That's unemployment compensation, EITC, and child tax credits. Step Four is to add up the rest. This overstates how much goes to the nonworking poor, since these programs are open to both working and nonworking families, but it gives you a rough idea.

It comes to about $235 billion, the bulk of which is SNAP (formerly food stamps) and about one-third of Medicaid. That's 12 percent of all federal welfare spending and about 6 percent of the whole federal budget. Once you account for the fact that some of these program dollars go to the working poor, you end up with CBPP's estimate of 10 percent, or about 5 percent of the whole federal budget.

Is that too much? I guess you have to decide for yourself. But I'll bet most people think we spend a lot more than 5 percent of the federal budget on this stuff. They might be surprised to know the real numbers. The CBPP's chart is below, with spending on the nonworking poor highlighted.

How Much Do We Spend on the Nonworking Poor? | Mother Jones

Just added Mother Jones to my lost of sites that cannot do simple arithmetic. Just an FYI here, $259 billion is more than $235 billion, and the total of all of those is $394 billion, which is more than half of what we spend on the DOD.

Did you deduct 2/3 from Medicaid? There are more details contained in the link below (which is also included in the OP link):

Contrary to "Entitlement Society" Rhetoric, Over Nine-Tenths of Entitlement Benefits Go to Elderly, Disabled, or Working Households — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

 

[Quantum Windbag]

How Much Do We Spend on the Nonworking Poor? | Mother Jones

Just added Mother Jones to my lost of sites that cannot do simple arithmetic. Just an FYI here, $259 billion is more than $235 billion, and the total of all of those is $394 billion, which is more than half of what we spend on the DOD.

Did you deduct 2/3 from Medicaid? There are more details contained in the link below (which is also included in the OP link):

Contrary to "Entitlement Society" Rhetoric, Over Nine-Tenths of Entitlement Benefits Go to Elderly, Disabled, or Working Households — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Why would I do that? Are you saying that old people are not poor?

 

[Avatar4321]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

 

[ilia25]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

Sure, that's how Communism was supposed to work.

 

[barry1960]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

There are people through health or disability who cannot take care of themselves. Where is the dishonesty in that? As far as there should not be single mothers, that is a pretty unrealistic ideal isn't it?

Sure we all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families, but those with an ounce of compassion also believe in the responsibility to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves.

 

[editec]

WELFARE is a very small percentage of our overall budget.

The SCROOGES here seem to think the cost is vast.

They are misinformed know-nothings.

 

[CaughtInTheMid]

does the number for "Social Security" include the money that each person has already paid into Social Security or is it ON TOP OF the money that each person has paid into Social Security?

 

[LoneLaugher]

Well. How about that. Someone finally answered the question.

Reality.............we do not spend too much on non-working poor.........and even less on the "unwilling to work" poor.

The nutter bogeyman........that welfare queen and her drug dealing baby-daddy........is no more a reality than the trolls living under BigReb's barcalounger.

Avatar........you are beginning to show signs of stress.Your reaction to this thread should be to relax....the vile, slothenly maggots are not eating us out of house, home and country. But....you went the other way with it. Sad.

 

[California Girl]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

We are always going to have some among us who require the support of us all. I have no issue with that. What we should not be doing is encouraging it as a lifestyle choice, which we currently do to some degree and - with another 4 years of Obama - we'll be doing yet more of that.

 

[Truthmatters]

cali you are sooo creepy

 

[Truthmatters]

Poor people are just another helpless taget the republicans exploit to retain power.

 

[Nosmo King]

Why are we spending money on anyone? We all have a responsibility to take care of ourselves and our families.

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

How can a shrinking federal government, one small enough to drown in a bath tub, legislate the responsibilities of an individual?

 

[Claudette]

I have no problem assisting People who are truly mentally or physically handicapped. People who just can't take care of themselves. No problem at all

I do have a problem assuming the burden of taking care of anyone who is able bodied and for whatever reason just can't get off their ass to take care of themselves or their children.

I pick the charities that I donate to. It fries my ass that the idiots in Govt have decided that my hard earned money should go to folks who can't or won't take care of themselves and I have absolutely no say in the matter. Govt sponsored Charity.

Those of you who have no problem taking care of these folks need to start your own charity. Whip out YOUR wallets and YOUR checkbooks and have at it.

Believe me they will take every dime you want to give em.

 

[Truthmatters]

I have no problem assisting People who are truly mentally or physically handicapped. People who just can't take care of themselves. No problem at all

I do have a problem assuming the burden of taking care of anyone who is able bodied and for whatever reason just can't get off their ass to take care of themselves or their children.

I pick the charities that I donate to. It fries my ass that the idiots in Govt have decided that my hard earned money should go to folks who can't or won't take care of themselves and I have absolutely no say in the matter. Govt sponsored Charity.

Those of you who have no problem taking care of these folks need to start your own charity. Whip out YOUR wallets and YOUR checkbooks and have at it.

Believe me they will take every dime you want to give em.

You are a horrible person.

The vast majority of people on these programs are children.

You are scum

 

[Truthmatters]

Yes, let single mothers with cancer fend for themselves.

Do you have an ounce of honesty within you?

There shouldn't be single mothers. The fathers should be getting off their asses and taking care of themselves and their own.

How can a shrinking federal government, one small enough to drown in a bath tub, legislate the responsibilities of an individual?

Yeap thats the plan.

Its why they are trying to convince peopel Democracy is a bad word and that only REPUBLIC is important.

So they can convince the idiots that they dont need to pick who represents them.

 

[Claudette]

I have no problem assisting People who are truly mentally or physically handicapped. People who just can't take care of themselves. No problem at all

I do have a problem assuming the burden of taking care of anyone who is able bodied and for whatever reason just can't get off their ass to take care of themselves or their children.

I pick the charities that I donate to. It fries my ass that the idiots in Govt have decided that my hard earned money should go to folks who can't or won't take care of themselves and I have absolutely no say in the matter. Govt sponsored Charity.

Those of you who have no problem taking care of these folks need to start your own charity. Whip out YOUR wallets and YOUR checkbooks and have at it.

Believe me they will take every dime you want to give em.

You are a horrible person.

The vast majority of people on these programs are children.

You are scum

Fuck off moron.

Those children are the respnsibility of their parents, not the taxpayers of America.

If you want to help them so badly and assume that burden then start your own charity. Whip out your wallet and your checkbook and you support em. Spend your own money not everybody elses.

Believe me. They will drain you dry.