The Insannnity of American Politics

[Texas_tea]

The Cato Institute released an updated 2013 study (original study in 1955) showing that welfare benefits pay more than a minimum wage job in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Even worse, welfare pays more than $15 per hour in 13 states. According to the study, welfare benefits have increased faster than minimum wage. It's now more profitable to sit at home than it is to earn an honest day's pay.

Hawaii is the biggest offender, where welfare recipients earn $29.13 per hour, or a $60,590 yearly salary, all for doing nothing.

Here is the list of the states where the pre-tax equivalent "salary" that welfare recipients receive is higher than having a job:

> > 1. Hawaii: $60,590

> > 2. District of Columbia: $50,820

> > 3. Massachusetts: $50,540

> > 4. Connecticut: $44,370

> > 5. New York: $43,700

> > 6. New Jersey: $43,450

> > 7. Rhode Island: $43,330

> > 8. Vermont: $42,350

> > 9. New Hampshire: $39,750

> > 10. Maryland: $38,160

> > 11. California: $37,160

> > 12. Oregon: $34,300

> > 13. Wyoming: $32,620

> > 14. Nevada: $29,820

> > 15. Minnesota: $29,350

> > 16. Delaware: $29,220

> > 17. Washington: $28,840

> > 18. North Dakota: $28,830

> > 19. Pennsylvania: $28,670

> > 20. New Mexico: $27,900

> > 21. Montana: $26,930

> > 22. South Dakota: $26,610

> > 23. Kansas: $26,490

> > 24. Michigan: $26,430

> > 25. Alaska: $26,400

> > 26. Ohio: $26,200

> > 27. North Carolina: $25,760

> > 28. West Virginia: $24,900

> > 29. Alabama: $23,310

> > 30. Indiana: $22,900

> > 31. Missouri: $22,800

> > 32. Oklahoma: $22,480

> > 33. Louisiana: $22,250

> > 34. South Carolina: $21,910

As a point of reference the average Middle Class annual income today is $50,000, down from $54,000 at the beginning of the Great Recession. Hawaii, DC, and Massachusetts pay more in welfare than the average working folks earn there. Is it any wonder that they stay home rather than look for a job. Time for a drastic change. America is virtually bankrupt.

Are we Nuts or what? How do we un-do this type of stupidity on the part of Americans?
This is crazy!

Salary of retired US Presidents
$180,000 FOR LIFE

Salary of House/Senate....$174,000 FOR LIFE
This is stupid

Salary of Speaker of the House ....$223,500 FOR LIFE!
This is really stupid

Salary of Majority/Minority Leader $193,400
FOR LIFE

Ditto last line

Average Salary of a teacher ..
$40,065

Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN ..
$38,000

Think about this.

Nancy Pelosi will retire as a Congress Person at $174,000 Dollars a year for LIFE.

She has retired as SPEAKER at $223,500 a year.

PLUS she will receive an additional $193,400 a year as Minority Leader.

That's $803,700 Dollars a year for LIFE including FREE medical which is not available to us ... the taxpayers

She is just one of the hundreds of Senators and Congress that float in and out every year!

I think we found where the cuts should be made!

 

[GBFan]

Socialism? Nahhhh .... where did you ever get that idea??

 

[Texas_tea]

Let them eat cake ....

 

[steveox]

Our Courts are part of Insanity because of the jury system. Look at South African Oscar Pistorius. I guarantee you hes going to prison. South African courts don't have a jury. They have a 3 judge panel just like the Soviet Union courts used be. Unlike in America O.J Simpson walked free cause he was acquitted by an all black jury.

 

[GBFan]

Our Courts are part of Insanity because of the jury system. Look at South African Oscar Pistorius. I guarantee you hes going to prison. South African courts don't have a jury. They have a 3 judge panel just like the Soviet Union courts used be. Unlike in America O.J Simpson walked free cause he was acquitted by an all black jury.

No, it's not the system that is flawed ... the system has been perverted. No longer are judges deciding whether something is constitutional or not ... they merely serve as a rubber stamp for government activities. Rather than being restraining influence on the other branches of government, they serve as facilitators.

Rather than having a triumvirate managing the government, we have a totalitarian government being aided by the other two branches.

 

[steveox]

That's why im going to assault a police officer next time he pulls me over gives me a ticket for something unnecessary. My lawyer will say to the judge, Your honor,If its ok for Senator Patrick Murphy who is an member of the United States senate representing the state of Florida who got aquitted on assaulting a police officer why cant my client here?

 

[dogtowner]

That's why im going to assault a police officer next time he pulls me over gives me a ticket for something unnecessary. My lawyer will say to the judge, Your honor,If its ok for Senator Patrick Murphy who is an member of the United States senate representing the state of Florida who got aquitted on assaulting a police officer why cant my client here?

Youll never see a judge in fla. Seen the everglades ? Gators are always hungry.

 

[steveox]

Seen the everglades ? Gators are always hungry.

Been to one

 

[GBFan]

Damn ---- why did those pictures make me think of my mother-in-law?

 

[Walter]

http://scientopia.org/blogs/authority/2013/08/21/no-cato-welfare-doesnt-pay-more-than-minimum-wage/

 

[Texas_tea]

http://scientopia.org/blogs/authority/2013/08/21/no-cato-welfare-doesnt-pay-more-than-minimum-wage/

As the article that you posted states, there are many avenues of "government help" for people. The article I posted may indeed not compare apples to apples, but one thing is for certain.

There are 92 million Americans not working in this Country and not starving either. There is clearly a movement from the government to give an incentive and even force citizens not to work or to work less.

This in context with the outrageous salaries and riches our "elected" officials are taking via tax-payer funds should be be an outrage and very disturbing to all.

 

[dogtowner]

http://scientopia.org/blogs/authority/2013/08/21/no-cato-welfare-doesnt-pay-more-than-minimum-wage/

This article is fine for pointing out thst reallife does not necessarily equate to potential but perhaps that just makes it scarier knowing jow much worse it could be if people were pushing the envelope. The problem is that welfare is just too close to being a hammock and not a safety net

 

[g4racer]

It could be that if business would create jobs we would be reducing unemployment. It is not the government that should be creating jobs it is business. The major problem is that the higher the rate of unemployment the lower the wages offered by companies. Labor is divided into two categories, productive and non-productive. Non-productive jobs are on the increase and productive on the decrease.

 

[Cruella]

It could be that if business would create jobs we would be reducing unemployment. It is not the government that should be creating jobs it is business. The major problem is that the higher the rate of unemployment the lower the wages offered by companies. Labor is divided into two categories, productive and non-productive. Non-productive jobs are on the increase and productive on the decrease.

It's the government's intrusion, from multiple agencies, that causes employers to not hire more or start businesses.

The non-productive employees can be found mostly in the huge government bureaucracy and in the public sector. I bet we could get rid of half of them, and no one would know the difference.

 

[g4racer]

Well about half of them would. I am in favor of reducing the size of government. We have a very serious problem with that though. It doesn't take long to find out that that business is lacking in honesty, morals and ethics. The agencies you are talking about are safety, environmental, health etc. The reason most exist is because business does not want to do things in a responsible manor.
Shall we take the Gulf Oil Spill as an example where a choice to cap wells with an unsafe procedure was made to save money. I also want to know what happened to the inspectors that looked the other way. They share the blame for that. GOP Presidents have been in favor of eliminating of eliminating OSHA for as long as I can remember and had cut their budget on several occasions.
Closing those agencies will not make the workplace safer or better, only more profitable. Making the people responsible and improving efficiency would allow the size of agencies to be reduced. If everyone did things in an honest ethical manor there would be no reason for rules and regulations.