In my recent book "America In Decline" I spend the first half of the book detailing the reasons for America's recent fall from grace and the remaining half describing the relatively simple methods that can be taken to reverse our decline into national oblivion.
A recent article by the eminent columnist George F. Will, who quotes extensively, the writings of Nicholas Eberstadt, puts a slightly different spin on our current problems, and provides some interesting statists to prove their points.
Basically, Mr. Eberstadt believes, as I do, that "changing social norms" as a result of progressive liberal policies over the past 100 years or so, have lead us to a socialist welfare state that is self destructive and unsustainable. Social practices that were shunned, in the America I grew up in, are now the norm rather than the exception and we, as a country, are the worse for it. Here are some of the statistics that Eberstadt and Will use to make their argument.
First, and most importantly, Eberstadt points out" That since the 1970s, even though Americans have become more healthy, work has become less physically stressful and the workplace has become safer" there has been six-fold increase in Social Security Disability claims ( including many that are fraudulent) that are gateways to a plethora of other payments, the composite of which are driving our country into bankruptcy ( my conclusion, not theirs). During this relatively brief period, benefits from social welfare programs increased from 24 percent in 1963 to 59 percent in 2013. Anyone, who does not have his or her head buried deeply in the sand, knows that such deficit spending in unsustainable. This is especially so, in a country in which the labor force is shrinking on a daily basis. Here are several additional examples of the overwhelming increase in the entitlement programs in recent years provided by the authors.
Between 1983 and 2012, the population increased by 83 million while those receiving means-tested benefits increased by 67 million; thus, for every 100-person increase in population there was an 80-person increase in those on welfare. During the same period food stamp recipients increased from 19 million to 51 million, more than the combined populations of 24 states. The federal government now classifies more than half of these recipients as needy rather than poor. As Eberhardt points out, "This expanding dependency requires erasing America's historical distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor." This, of course, is a major hall-mark of any socialist society and a sure ticket to economic disaster ( my comment not Eberstadts).
As Eberstadt points out, "Under the shadow of the entitlement state, in two generations the American budget has been recast. In 1963 entitlement transfers went from $1.00 for every $15.00 in revenue too, in 2012, $1.00 in of every $6.00 in revenue!"
Eberstadt goes on to point out that the rapid increase in the welfare state is largely responsible for the unparalleled disintegration of the American family. He states, in this respect, that from 1964 to 2012, the rate of illegitimacy increased from 7 to 41 percent and in the black population now exceeds 70 percent. As a result, for many working-aged women, the entitlement state is now the primary "breadwinner" for the family. Finally, as Eberstadt reminds us that, the lifelong New Deal liberal icon, Daniel Patrick Moynihan warned that "The issue of welfare is not what it costs those who provide it, but what it costs those who receive it." Truer words were never said!
Finally Eberstadt concludes "As a growing portion of the population succumbs to the entitlement state's ever expanding menu of temptations, the costs, including a transformation of the nation's political culture, sensibilities and traditions is inevitable." As Will concludes "The weakening of America's distinctive conceptions of self-reliance, personal responsibility and self-advancement has inevitably resulted in a rending of the national fabric and, as a result, America today does not look exceptional at all!"
Friday, January 23, 2015
The New American Welfare State
In my recent book "America In Decline" I spend the first half of the book detailing the reasons for America's recent fall from grace and the remaining half describing the relatively simple methods that can be taken to reverse our decline into national oblivion.
A recent article by the eminent columnist George F. Will, who quotes extensively, the writings of Nicholas Eberstadt, puts a slightly different spin on our current problems, and provides some interesting statists to prove their points.
Basically, Mr. Eberstadt believes, as I do, that "changing social norms" as a result of progressive liberal policies over the past 100 years or so, have lead us to a socialist welfare state that is self destructive and unsustainable. Social practices that were shunned, in the America I grew up in, are now the norm rather than the exception and we, as a country, are the worse for it. Here are some of the statistics that Eberstadt and Will use to make their argument.
First, and most importantly, Eberstadt points out" That since the 1970s, even though Americans have become more healthy, work has become less physically stressful and the workplace has become safer" there has been six-fold increase in Social Security Disability claims ( including many that are fraudulent) that are gateways to a plethora of other payments, the composite of which are driving our country into bankruptcy ( my conclusion, not theirs). During this relatively brief period, benefits from social welfare programs increased from 24 percent in 1963 to 59 percent in 2013. Anyone, who does not have his or her head buried deeply in the sand, knows that such deficit spending in unsustainable. This is especially so, in a country in which the labor force is shrinking on a daily basis. Here are several additional examples of the overwhelming increase in the entitlement programs in recent years provided by the authors.
Between 1983 and 2012, the population increased by 83 million while those receiving means-tested benefits increased by 67 million; thus, for every 100-person increase in population there was an 80-person increase in those on welfare. During the same period food stamp recipients increased from 19 million to 51 million, more than the combined populations of 24 states. The federal government now classifies more than half of these recipients as needy rather than poor. As Eberhardt points out, "This expanding dependency requires erasing America's historical distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor." This, of course, is a major hall-mark of any socialist society and a sure ticket to economic disaster ( my comment not Eberstadts).
As Eberstadt points out, "Under the shadow of the entitlement state, in two generations the American budget has been recast. In 1963 entitlement transfers went from $1.00 for every $15.00 in revenue too, in 2012, $1.00 in of every $6.00 in revenue!"
Eberstadt goes on to point out that the rapid increase in the welfare state is largely responsible for the unparalleled disintegration of the American family. He states, in this respect, that from 1964 to 2012, the rate of illegitimacy increased from 7 to 41 percent and in the black population now exceeds 70 percent. As a result, for many working-aged women, the entitlement state is now the primary "breadwinner" for the family. Finally, as Eberstadt reminds us that, the lifelong New Deal liberal icon, Daniel Patrick Moynihan warned that "The issue of welfare is not what it costs those who provide it, but what it costs those who receive it." Truer words were never said!
Finally Eberstadt concludes "As a growing portion of the population succumbs to the entitlement state's ever expanding menu of temptations, the costs, including a transformation of the nation's political culture, sensibilities and traditions is inevitable." As Will concludes "The weakening of America's distinctive conceptions of self-reliance, personal responsibility and self-advancement has inevitably resulted in a rending of the national fabric and, as a result, America today does not look exceptional at all!"
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