This story happened right here in Vicksburg: A lady in business for herself needed help to meet the demands of her customers. She has hired five different helpers during the past year; each has, after varying lengths of time, simply not shown up for work. The latest hire, who showed the most promise, was given a Christmas bonus and a Christmas gift, after which she never returned. Each of these employees was, in general, poorly educated and receiving, in one form or another, monthly handouts from the state or federal government. There was, therefore, little need for them to hold down a job.
This story is repeated millions of times each year all across this country, and it’s not getting better. The state and federal welfare establishments have no incentive to improve conditions. Rather, in order to increase their power and assure their future employment, they use all means available to ensure a public perception of worsening poverty.
It is doubtful that our politicians have the will to make the corrections needed. The problem will more than likely be approached from a “humane” perspective, i.e., increased welfare assistance for the “poverty stricken.”
Is the USA headed toward total socialism? Have you had similar experiences as that described above with your employees? Is the welfare system gradually destroying the middle class? What can be done to rectify the situation? Your comments are welcomed.
VICKSBURG SPEAKS 
Headed towards socialism? We’re there.
Socialism refers to a broad array of ideologies and political movements with the goal of a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community for the purposes of increasing social and economic equality and cooperation. With this definition in mind swallow these numbers.
1.527 trillion dollars (52.66%) of the federal budget for 2008 is being spent on MANDATORY social programs. This does not include the 231 billion we spend on discretionary social programs. The real total is :
1,758,000,000,000 (60.62%)
of our federal budget is spent on social programs.
If you take the 304 million people that make up the United States then $5783 is spent on each one of us – including our children, this year for social programs. That is at the federal level. That does not include state, county and city money that is spent on social programs.
My personal tax burden this past year was 56% of my income. This includes things like gasoline taxes, phone taxes, school taxes, inventory taxes and 2% unknown taxes.
If we cut 60.62% of the federal budget and passed it on to the tax payer that means that I would ‘only’ pay 22% of my income in taxes. A 34% effective increase on my income.
Take your gross pay (before taxes) and increase it by 34%. Add that to your take home pay. If you make $30,000 a year you will have $10,200 more dollars in your pocket.
When 34% of my INCOME and 60.62% of my taxes are spent on socio-economic programs mandated by my government for the purposes of increasing the social and the economic betterment of my fellow citizens then, by definition, I live in a socialist state.
I do not propose we eliminate social programs. I propose we ensure those who are on those programs are truly needy and unable to fend for themselves. I propose that the money be spent in an effort to train individuals to fend for themselves, to take personal responsibility for their lives. We have an obligation to be our brother’s keeper. Our brother has an obligation too.
“Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him.”
Booker T. Washington
Well said, David, or might I say “Loco Lizard”? If not, well, then again, well said, David.
thx : )
nice take Dave on the socialism issue here. Welfare class destroying the middle class? I say its real possiple.
Loco, don’t forget I’m down the street! I need cheering up these days!! I’m just sayin’…..
Thanks for the invite. We were waiting for the crowd to clear. BTW, we’re just up the street…
Well said David.
There are a couple of ways I can see to help improve the situation.
1. Quit being enablers: There is nothing I hate more than people getting handouts because they are too lazy to get off their butts and find work. I believe we need to set some stricter guidelines than we already have.
2. Pop in visits: See if the information they put on the form is really true or not.
3. Prosecuty the fraudulent claims hard.
Nothing makes me more aggravated when I see people drive brand new cars and pay for their groceries with food stamps.
David, interesting. Citations?
Sure
Here is one that has almost all the info in one place:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget%2C_2008
Here is the White House link, if you can decipher it:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/
Here is another site, again the info is there, but in Govspeak:
http://origin.www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/
The first link is the best, imo because of the concise nature and it is not in govspeak.
When you look at social programs include things like Health and Human Services, Dept of Education, Housing and Urban Development et al. They aren’t catagorized under ‘social programs’ but that is their purpose.
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